Secondary Data

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

Secondary data is information that already exists & has been collected, usually by non-sociologists, with quite different purposes in mind to those of sociological researchers. This type of data may then be re interpreted & re-analysed by sociologists for their own objectives.

Question 2

pos

Answer 2

✓ Quick & cheap – using secondary data is much cheaper & less time consuming than carrying out your own research as the researcher does not have to spend money or time collecting their own information as it already exists.
✓ Only source available – existing secondary sources may be the only option available for sociologists. This is especially true if they are investigating something that has happened in the past, e.g. what it was like to be a London factory worker during the industrial revolution.

Question 3

dis

Answer 3

Different purposes – secondary information is collected by non sociologists for very different purposes than those which sociologists have in mind. This means that a sociologist may find some of the information unsuitable for what they are trying to find out.