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RESEARCH METHODS LESSON 14 - Secondary Data Analysis

This document discusses secondary data analysis and provides guidance on locating, evaluating, and verifying secondary data. It defines secondary data as data originally collected for other studies. It notes that secondary data can be located through indexes and online databases. When evaluating secondary data, the original study's methodology should be scrutinized. Verification includes checking documentation, case and variable numbers, and coding. Potential drawbacks are that the data quality relies on the original study and data collection methods may have changed.

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281 views3 pages

RESEARCH METHODS LESSON 14 - Secondary Data Analysis

This document discusses secondary data analysis and provides guidance on locating, evaluating, and verifying secondary data. It defines secondary data as data originally collected for other studies. It notes that secondary data can be located through indexes and online databases. When evaluating secondary data, the original study's methodology should be scrutinized. Verification includes checking documentation, case and variable numbers, and coding. Potential drawbacks are that the data quality relies on the original study and data collection methods may have changed.

Uploaded by

Althon Jay
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Lesson 14: SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS

Introduction
   

The term "secondary data" refers to data that were collected for other
studies. For they first researcher they are primary data, but for the second
researcher, they are secondary data.

    There are enormous amounts of data that are collected every day by
government agencies, universities, private organizations, non-profits, think
tanks, public opinion polls, and students. Some examples include the U.S.
Census Bureau, the International City Managers Association (ICMA), and the
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).

    In order to use secondary data for your research, you need to 1) locate
the data; 2) evaluate the data; and 3) verify the data.

1. Locating the data

    Secondary data can be located by using printed indices, such as the
American Statistics Index or the Statistical Reference Index, available at most
libraries. There are also on-line databases of secondary data, for example, the
U.S. Census.

2. Evaluate the data

    Evaluating secondary data is similar to doing a critique of a published


research report. Everything about the original project that produced the data
should be scrutinized to ensure that the project had high validity and
reliability, such as:

theoretical or conceptual model used


variables and hypotheses posited
operational definitions of variables and measures employed
the population, sample frame, sampling design, and sample obtained
the data collection strategy and response rate obtained
quality control measures employed
data coding, data entry, and data analysis procedures
factors which could have affected the study, such as current events
3. Verify the data

    If the data seem valid and reliable, you need to make sure that you have
an accurate copy of the data, especially if you obtained it through an electronic
medium. This includes verifying that you:

have proper documentation


have the correct number of observations or cases
have the correct number of variables
have the correct coding scheme
can reproduce the original summary statistics
 
  Why use secondary data?

 
It is unobtrusive research
It can be less expensive than gathering the data all over again.
It may allow the researcher to cover a wider geographic or temporal
range.
It can allow for larger scale studies on a small budget.
It does not exhaust people's good will by re-collecting readily available
data.

 
 
Potential Drawbacks
Secondary data are only as good as the research that produced them
Must assume what the author(s) meant by the terms they used;
There may be sub-culture references, jargon, or idiomatic expressions
Data may be neither valid nor reliable
Instruments or data collection methods may have changed over time
Data may have been modified by the researcher already (e.g., weighted)
Poor documentation of the secondary data set
Electronic format incompatibilities
Limited access to the data, e.g., on-site only
Confidentiality considerations that lessen its usefulness
Substantial purchase or loan cost

What were the conditions that led to their production?

Data may have been originally gathered to persuade, justify, or otherwise


convey a particular point of view. Data may have been intended for
consumption by particular groups, which differ from the present project. Data
may have decayed over time, been censored or purged

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