Template:Tertiary/doc

Purpose

This template is for use inside a <ref></ref> tag. It shows that a specific source, while assumed correct and better than no source, might not be reliable because it is based on other works yet does not explain its sources. Thus, it would be better to replace it with another source when possible.

It is intended for tertiary sources. Its focus is mainly on those that are not recent or do not have a dedicated editorial staff or peer reviewers.

Use

Use this template inside and at the end of a <ref...>...</ref> tag. For example:

Article text.<ref name="foo">{{cite news|title=Title|first=Art|last=Thor}}{{tertiary}}</ref>

Results in:

Article text.
...

References

Do not use it used outside of the ref tag. For example:

Wrong: Article text.<ref name="foo">{{cite news|...}}</ref>{{tertiary}}

Parameters

• |date=November 2024 – or |date={{subst:DATE}} – Add the month and year in which you added this tag. If you leave this off, a bot may fill it in later, but it is best to add it.
   
• |replace=y (or <syntaxhighlight lang="text" enclose="none">=y</syntaxhighlight> or any other value) – The most serious case: If a claim is analytical, evaluative, interpretive, or a synthesis it must have a secondary source, per WP:AEIS policy, so a tertiary source is insufficient, though temporarily better than nothing. In such a case, use this template with the |replace=yes parameter, which will generate a cleanup tag and to put the article in Category:All pages needing factual verification (or a dated subcat thereof), just like {{Primary source inline}} does. When this parameter is used, the other parameters below have no effect.
  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |replace=yes}}

  yields:

  
  
• |1=type – An optional parameter (it does not need to be named unless it contains a "=" character), the value of which is a word or phrase describing the type of cited resource, such as article or sidebar or book (especially useful for noting that some aspect of a work has this problem but not the whole work). This parameter may be used with any other parameter below.
  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |flow chart}}

  or

  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |1=flow chart}}

  yields:

   This tertiary source flow chart reuses information from other sources but does not name them.
  
  
• |biblio=yes (or <syntaxhighlight lang="text" enclose="none">=y</syntaxhighlight> or any other value) – An optional parameter that indicates that the source in question does provide a bibliography or some other indication of overall sources, but neglects to specify what facts come from what source. This is less of a concern in most cases than not citing sources at all, so this parameter should thus only be used when the claim (controversial, technical, extraordinary) needs very particular sourcing. This parameter and the two below are mutually exclusive.
  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |biblio=yes}}

  yields:

   This tertiary source reuses information from other sources without citing them in detail.
  
  
• |summary=yes (or <syntaxhighlight lang="text" enclose="none">=y</syntaxhighlight> or any other value) – An optional parameter that indicates that the source in question summarizes another source – e.g., is an abstract, a factual (versus opinional) review, or other descriptive but informative compression of the gist – without quoting or citing the material in detail. This parameter is mutually exclusive with the one above and below.
  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |summary=yes}}

  yields:

   This tertiary source summarizes another source in low detail.
  
  
• |basic=yes (or <syntaxhighlight lang="text" enclose="none">=y</syntaxhighlight> or any other value) – An optional parameter that indicates that the source in question is basic, introductory, or otherwise non-authoritative and "got the idea somewhere" (e.g., a sports journalism article making a claim about physics). While the source probably is not lying, a more serious one needs to be found for the claim. This parameter is mutually exclusive with the above two.
  {{tertiary |date=November 2024 |basic=yes}}

  yields:

   This tertiary source is not authoritative on the topic.
  
  

Related pages

• {{Self-published source}} – a similar inline template for flagging the citation itself as being to a self-published source (use inside <ref>)
• {{Self-published inline}} – a similar inline template for flagging facts in the article as being reliant on a self-published source or sources (use outside <ref>)
• {{Primary source inline}} – a similar inline template for flagging inappropriate use of a primary source
• {{Primarysources}} – an article- or section-level banner
• {{Self-published}} – an article- or section-level banner
• {{Third-party}}, when an independent or third-party source is needed