Secondary data is information that has been collected for a purpose other than your current research project but has some relevance and utility for your research sources of secondary. While secondary analysis is flexible and can be utilized in several ways, it is also an empirical exercise and a systematic method with procedural and evaluative steps, just as in collecting and evaluating primary data. An introduction to secondary data analysis assets cambridge. Secondary data definition of secondary data by the free. Any such project must receive cphs approval or a determination of exemption before the investigator accesses the data. There is quite a plethora of secondary data sources. This paper examined primary and secondary sources of data. Secondary data analysis refers to the analysis of existing data collected by others. Primary and secondary data are the two most prominent forms of data available for research studies.
Secondary data is research data that has previously been gathered and can be accessed by researchers. Pdf primary sources of data and secondary sources of data. Facts that can be analyzed or used in an effort to gain knowledge or make decisions. Definition secondary data secondary data are data, which cannot be traced back to the level of individual cases of statistical units. The effective use of secondary data brown university. To add context to the definition of secondary data, lets consider an example. Secondary analysis is the practice of using secondary data in research. Internal, or inhouse data, is secondary information acquired within the organization where research is being carried out. The analysis of secondary data plays a vital role in many fields of study, including the social sciences. If you do decide to collect primary data, as you probably will in many cases, your definition of the problem and your research objectives will be much improved by your secondary research.
Such data are cheaper and more quickly obtainable than the primary data and also may be available when primary data can not be obtained at all. Be aware of common pitfalls and how to avoid these. There are various advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data. Know the benefits and limitations of different primary data collection techniques and know which to use when doing initial rapid assessments. The basic difference between primary and secondary data is that primary data is an original and unique data, which is directly collected by the researcher from a source according to his requirements. At the highest level, market research data can be categorized into secondary and primary types. Secondary data analysis can also be based on the original data if the original data are available in an archive. Research methodology munich personal repec archive. The definition of a secondary source may vary depending upon the discipline or context. It is evident from the above discussion that primary data is an original and unique data, which is directly collected by the researcher from a source such as observations, surveys, questionnaires, case studies and interviews according to his. As opposed to secondary data which is easily accessible but are not pure as they have undergone through many statistical treatment. The secondary data was useful because we had accumulated so much research and information from the project we were quite pleased. Learn more about secondary research methods with examples, key differences between primary and secondary research, how to. The term contrasts with primary data, which is data collected directly from its source.
This study is based on both primary and secondary data that are collected from various. In the broadest sense, analysis of data collected by someone else p. Secondary analysis is usually contrasted with primary analysis, which is the analysis of primary data independently collected by. Understanding secondary data in research university of. In some research, the researchers might use territory data but the reliability and validity of research decrease with the use of lesser authentic data. Effectively use different data collection techniques. Secondary data is usually defined in opposition to primary data. In contrast to primary data it does not allow for mathematical. Secondary data analysis qqml qualitative and quantitative. However, what some define as a secondary source, others define as a tertiary source. The section of this article on secondary data analysis of original data was based on a talk at the meeting of the comparative cognition society, melbourne, fl, march 17, 2000 and documents prepared for a workshop on data archiving for animal cognition research sponsored by the national institute of mental health and cochaired by russell m. Secondary data refers to data that is collected by someone other than the user.
When following this method of data collecting, it is essential to distinguish between primary and secondary data. Secondary data 2 primary data are originated by a researcher for the specific purpose of addressing the problem at hand. Secondary data, on the other hand, is collected for a different purpose other than the one for which it is used. The primary data is the data which is collected by the user or researcher himself based on his research question. Secondary data analysis is usually conducted to gain a more indepth understanding of the proposed research. Advantages and disadvantages of secondary data introduction secondary data is an important terminology used in research studies where the collected data is of two types that include the primary data and secondary data. Secondary data meaning, its advantages and disadvantages. Difference between primary and secondary data with. Research involving the secondary use of existing data. Secondary data are collected by someone else for his primary research purposes which provide basic research principles. Primary and secondary data in research reading craze. Secondary data are data which have already been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand. Census data being used to analyze the impact of education on career choice and earning.
Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence. Benefits of using secondary data analysis for your research. Know the definition of primary data and understand when to collect it in assessment in emergency. The interviews were accompanied by secondary data, including company accounts and reports. Data that has previously been collected primary data that is utilized by a person other than the one who collected the data. Secondary data analysis plays an increasingly important role in epidemiology and public health research and practice, but many difficulties confront researchers and analysts who wish to use. The latter is directly obtained from firsthand sources by means of questionnaire, observation, focus group, or indepth interviews, whereas the former refers to data collected by someone other than the user. Everything you need to know about secondary data definition, examples, data sources, advantages and disadvantages.
For each type of business to be successful, it is absolutely crucial to have a reliable information for the market and customer characteristics. Secondary definition of secondary by merriamwebster. Secondary data can be used at any stage of a project or programme cycle. Data collected by someone else for some other purpose but being utilized by the investigator for another purpose.
The definition of secondary versus primary data is not based on specific qualities of the data itself but on its history and relationship to a specific analysis. There is another type of secondary data, again not mutually exclu sive with the first, meaning statistical information about some geo graphic region or other. Despite the immense potential for secondary analysis as a tool for researchers in the social sciences, it. Pdf primary sources of data and secondary sources of. Pdf secondary data in research uses and opportunities. Secondary research is a research method that involves using already existing data. Boslaugh, 2007 analysis of secondary data, where secondary data can include any data that are examined to answer a research question other than the. Advantages and disadvantages of secondary data coursebb. Secondary data has often been collected, analyzed, and organized with a specific purpose in mind, so it may have limited applications to.
Primary data that was collected by someone else or for a purpose other than the current one. External secondary data is obtained from outside sources. Secondary data is the data that have been already collected by and readily available from other sources. To take full advantage of secondary data analysis, the data must be on computer file. Read on for a quick breakdown of secondary and primary data and tips for finding valuable insights for your market research needs. Secondary data analysis is the analysis of data that was collected by someone else. Secondary data definition in the cambridge english. This means that both the qualitative and quantitative sides of the equation must now become more focused in improving results. Secondary analysis affords researchers the opportunity to investigate research questions using largescale data sets that are often inclusive of underrepresented groups, while saving time and resources. Original sources from which data stems are sometimes difficult to trace.
Primary data is an original and unique data, which is directly collected by the researcher from a source such as observations, surveys. The researchers who have limited time and resources, they can use the secondary data for their researches. Primary and secondary data secondary data is information that has already been collected and is usually available in published or electronic form. Primary data is original data that researchers collect for a specific purpose. Secondary research includes research material published in research reports and similar documents. Thus, the researcher must have the appropriate computer technology available and be. Secondary data is often used in social and economic analysis, especially when access to primary data is unavailable. Secondary research definition, methods and examples. The advantage of secondary data is that this information is inexpensive and easy to access, and may allow for more extensive research than one scientist or a team could gather on their own. As a research method, it saves both time and money and avoids unnecessary duplication of research effort. The census can be an example of secondary data it is the result of questions asked over many years.
There are many potential sources of secondary data. For example, a survey of a group of economists primary data cannot be repeated, so. Secondary data is classified in terms of its source either internal or external. This paper asserts that secondary data analysis is a viable method to utilize in the process of. Common sources of secondary data for social science include censuses, information collected by government departments, organizational records and data that was originally collected for other research purposes. The collection of primary data involves all six steps of the marketing research process.
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