Characteristics of Stages
in the
Scientific Literature Life Cycle
PRIMARY LITERATURE
- New material: reports of recent research results, new interpretations of previously reported work
- Reports some completed phase of scientific work
- Not well-organized internally
SECONDARY LITERATURE
- "Older" than primary literature
- Generally extractive: organizes facts first reported in primary literature rather than report new work
TERTIARY LITERATURE
- "Older" than secondary literature
- Generally auziliary information not directly related to conduct of research
REMEMBER
- Most recent work will be published in journals, technical reports, patents, news publications, because it is faster to use these vehicles than to publish a book.
- The newer, the work, the more difficult it can be to locate using traditional indexing tools. Older material is usually much simpler to find.
N. Evans
Carnegie Mellon University Libraries
15 January 1986
CCIIM: 01-02.186
