FPGEE for National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Practice Exam 2025 - Free NABP Practice Questions and Study Guide

Tertiary literature in biomedical and pharmaceutical research includes materials that compile and summarize information from primary and secondary sources, making it easier for researchers and practitioners to access established knowledge. Textbooks and encyclopedic articles serve this purpose by providing concise overviews of topics, definitions, and a synthesis of various findings from original research studies and review articles. They are typically comprehensive and aimed at providing background information or foundational knowledge on a given subject.

In contrast, primary literature involves original research studies that contribute new data or findings, while secondary literature includes review articles that analyze and synthesize primary studies but do not offer a complete overview like textbooks do. Peer-reviewed journals represent primary or secondary literature as they often contain original research or reviews rather than the compiled information that characterizes tertiary sources. Therefore, textbooks and encyclopedic articles are the hallmark of tertiary literature, as they gather and organize knowledge from across the field.