Most reference resources are considered "tertiary" source materials. These books and websites provide background information and an overview and analysis of a subject or concept. Tertiary sources have been compiled from secondary sources. Unlike a secondary source book or journal article, tertiary sources are not intended to be read in their entirety. Instead, they are most often used to clarify terms and concepts about a particular topic. Tertiary sources include:
*Also considered secondary
Image Credit: Elliot, S. G. Map of the battlefield of Gettysburg. 1864. Library of Congress.
Discover Research Starters are short, citable summaries and authoritative overviews of popular topics. Often includes links to relevant articles, images, videos and audio clips. Simply search your topic in Discover. If a Research Starter is available, it will appear at the top of the results list as pictured below.
A helpful feature in Credo Reference is the Mind Map. The Mind Map is a brainstorming tool with many key terms linked by lines to a related topic in the middle. And, you can see an image of what your search would look like if you searched War of 1812.
