{"id":467542,"date":"2023-01-20T18:26:17","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T17:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/?p=467542"},"modified":"2023-06-22T10:19:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T08:19:45","slug":"secondary-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/methodology\/secondary-research\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, &#038; Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Secondary research <\/strong>is a <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//methodology///">research method<\/a> that uses data that was collected by someone else. In other words, whenever you conduct research using data that already exists, you are conducting secondary research. On the other hand, any type of research that you undertake yourself is called <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//primary-research///">primary research<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Secondary research<\/figcaption>You are interested in how the number and quality of vegan options offered at your campus dining hall have changed over time. You have a friend who graduated a few years ago who was also interested in this topic. You borrow her <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//survey-research///">survey<\/a> results and use them to conduct <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//statistical-tests///">statistical analysis<\/a>.<\/figure>\n<p>Secondary research can be <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//qualitative-quantitative-research///">qualitative<\/a> or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quantitative-research///">quantitative<\/a> in nature. It often uses data gathered from published <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//peer-review///">peer-reviewed<\/a> papers, meta-analyses, or government or private sector databases and datasets.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip: Primary vs. secondary sources<\/figcaption>It can be easy to get confused about the difference between <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//primary-and-secondary-sources///">primary and secondary sources<\/a> in your research. The key is to remember that primary sources provide <strong>firsthand<\/strong> information and evidence, while secondary sources provide <strong>secondhand<\/strong> information and commentary from previous works.<\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"when\">When to use secondary research<\/h2>\n<p>Secondary research is a very common research method, used in lieu of collecting your own primary data. It is often used in <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//research-design///">research designs<\/a> or as a way to <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//research-process///">start your research process<\/a> if you plan to conduct primary research later on.<\/p>\n<p>Since it is often inexpensive or free to access, secondary research is a low-stakes way to determine if further primary research is needed, as gaps in secondary research are a strong indication that primary research is necessary. For this reason, while secondary research can theoretically be <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//exploratory-research///">exploratory<\/a> or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//explanatory-research///">explanatory<\/a> in nature, it is usually explanatory: aiming to explain the causes and consequences of a well-defined problem.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"types\">Types of secondary research<\/h2>\n<p>Secondary research can take many forms, but the most common types are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"#statistical\">Statistical analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"#literature\">Literature reviews<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"#case\">Case studies<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"#content\">Content analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"statistical\">Statistical analysis<\/h3>\n<p>There is ample data available online from a variety of sources, often in the form of datasets. These datasets are often open-source or downloadable at a low cost, and are ideal for conducting <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//statistical-tests///">statistical analyses<\/a> such as <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//hypothesis-testing///">hypothesis testing<\/a> or regression<a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//simple-linear-regression///"> analysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//credible-sources///">Credible sources<\/a> for existing data include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The government<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Government agencies<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Non-governmental organizations<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Educational institutions<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Businesses or consultancies<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Libraries or archives<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Newspapers, academic journals, or magazines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"literature\">Literature reviews<\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//dissertation//literature-review///"><strong>literature review<\/strong><\/a> is a survey of preexisting scholarly sources on your topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant themes, debates, and gaps in the research you analyze. You can later apply these to your own work, or use them as a jumping-off point to conduct primary research of your own.<\/p>\n<p>Structured much like a regular <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//?cat_ID=14816\%22>academic paper<\/a> (with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion), a literature review is a great way to evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>A literature review is <strong>not<\/strong> a summary. Instead, it critically analyzes, <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//evaluating-sources///">synthesizes<\/a>, and <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//evaluating-sources///">evaluates sources<\/a> to give you and\/or your audience a clear picture of the state of existing work on your research topic.<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"case\">Case studies<\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//case-study///"><strong>case study<\/strong><\/a> is a detailed study of a specific subject. It is usually qualitative in nature and can focus on\u00a0 a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. A case study is a great way to utilize existing research to gain concrete, contextual, and in-depth knowledge about your real-world subject.<\/p>\n<p>You can choose to focus on just one complex case, exploring a single subject in great detail, or examine multiple cases if you\u2019d prefer to compare different aspects of your topic. Preexisting <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//interviews-research///">interviews<\/a>, <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//observational-study///">observational studies<\/a>, or other sources of primary data make for great case studies.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"content\">Content analysis<\/h3>\n<p><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//content-analysis///"><strong>Content analysis<\/strong><\/a> is a research method that studies patterns in recorded communication by utilizing existing texts. It can be either quantitative or qualitative in nature, depending on whether you choose to analyze countable or measurable patterns, or more interpretive ones. Content analysis is popular in communication studies, but it is also widely used in historical analysis, anthropology, and psychology to make more semantic qualitative inferences.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"examples\">Examples of secondary research<\/h2>\n<p>Secondary research is a broad research approach that can be pursued any way you\u2019d like. Here are a few examples of different ways you can use secondary research to explore your <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-process//dissertation-topic///">research topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Statistical analysis<\/figcaption>You are interested in the characteristics of Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage. You utilize enrollment data from the US government\u2019s Department of Health and Human Resources to observe how these characteristics change over time.<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Literature review<\/figcaption>You are interested in the reactions of campus police to student protest movements on campus. You decide to conduct a literature review of scholarly works about student protest movements in the last 100 years.<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Case study<\/figcaption>You are interested in the acclimatization process of formerly incarcerated individuals. You decide to compile data from <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//structured-interview///">structured interviews<\/a> with those recently released from a prison facility in your hometown into a case study.<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Content analysis<\/figcaption>You are interested in how often employment issues came up in political campaigns during the Great Depression. You choose to analyze campaign speeches for the frequency of terms such as \u201cunemployment,\u201d \u201cjobs,\u201d and \u201cwork.\u201d<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"advantages-disadvantages\">Advantages and disadvantages of secondary research<\/h2>\n<p>Secondary research is a very common research approach, but has distinct advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"advantages\">Advantages of secondary research<\/h3>\n<p>Advantages include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-checklist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Secondary data is very easy to source and <strong>readily available<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">It is also often <strong>free<\/strong> or accessible through your educational institution\u2019s library or network, making it much cheaper to conduct than <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//primary-research///">primary research<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">As you are relying on research that already exists, conducting secondary research is much <strong>less time consuming<\/strong> than primary research. Since your timeline is so much shorter, your research can be ready to publish sooner.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Using data from others allows you to show <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//reproducibility-repeatability-replicability///"><strong>reproducibility and replicability<\/strong><\/a>, bolstering prior research and situating your own work within your field.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"advantages\">Disadvantages of secondary research<\/h3>\n<p>Disadvantages include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Ease of access does not signify <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//credible-sources///">credibility<\/a>. It\u2019s important to be aware that secondary research is <strong>not always reliable<\/strong>, and can often be out of date. It\u2019s critical to analyze any data you\u2019re thinking of using prior to getting started, using a method like the <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//working-with-sources//craap-test///">CRAAP test<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Secondary research often relies on primary research already conducted. If this original research is <strong>biased <\/strong>in any way, those <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//faq-category//research-bias///">research biases<\/a> could creep into the secondary results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Many researchers using the same secondary research to form similar conclusions can also take away from the uniqueness and <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-reliability///">reliability<\/a> of your research. Many datasets become \u201ckitchen-sink\u201d models, where too many <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-variables///">variables<\/a> are added in an attempt to draw increasingly niche conclusions from <strong>overused data<\/strong>. <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//data-cleansing///">Data cleansing<\/a> may be necessary to test the quality of the research.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other interesting articles<\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">If you want to know more about <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//statistics///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">statistics<\/a>, <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//methodology///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">methodology<\/a>, or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//faq-category//research-bias///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">research bias<\/a>, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-bar-chart\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//normal-distribution///">Normal distribution<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//skewness///">Skewness<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//kurtosis///">Kurtosis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//degrees-of-freedom///">Degrees of freedom<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//variance///">Variance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//null-and-alternative-hypotheses///">Null hypothesis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-list-ul\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Methodology<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//discourse-analysis///">Discourse analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//control-group///">Control groups<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//mixed-methods-research///">Mixed methods research<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//non-probability-sampling///">Non-probability sampling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quantitative-research///">Quantitative research<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//inclusion-exclusion-criteria///">Inclusion and exclusion criteria<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-globe\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Research bias<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//pygmalion-effect///">Rosenthal effect<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//implicit-bias///">Implicit bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//cognitive-bias///">Cognitive bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//selection-bias///">Selection bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//negativity-bias///">Negativity bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//status-quo-bias///">Status quo bias<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"is-a-systematic-review-primary-research\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//is-a-systematic-review-primary-research///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Is a systematic review primary research?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"is-a-systematic-review-primary-research-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//systematic-review///"><strong>systematic review<\/strong><\/a> is secondary research because it uses existing research. You don\u2019t <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//data-collection///">collect new data<\/a> yourself.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"which-research-methods-to-use\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//which-research-methods-to-use///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        How do I decide which research methods to use?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"which-research-methods-to-use-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>The <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"//?cat_ID=20205\%22>research methods<\/a> you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-process//research-questions///">research question<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you want to measure something or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//hypothesis-testing///">test a hypothesis<\/a>, use <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//qualitative-quantitative-research///">quantitative methods<\/a>. If you want to explore ideas, thoughts and meanings, use <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//qualitative-quantitative-research///">qualitative methods<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>If you want to analyze a large amount of readily-available data, use secondary data. If you want data specific to your purposes with control over how it is generated, collect primary data.<\/li>\n<li>If you want to establish cause-and-effect relationships between <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-variables///">variables<\/a>, use <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experimental<\/a> methods. If you want to understand the characteristics of a research subject, use <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//descriptive-research///">descriptive<\/a> methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"quantitative-vs-qualitative-methods\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//quantitative-vs-qualitative-methods///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What&#8217;s the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"quantitative-vs-qualitative-methods-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quantitative-research///"><strong>Quantitative research<\/strong><\/a> deals with numbers and statistics, while <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//qualitative-research///"><strong>qualitative research<\/strong><\/a> deals with words and meanings.<\/p>\n<p>Quantitative methods allow you to systematically measure <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-variables///">variables<\/a> and <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//hypothesis-testing///">test hypotheses<\/a>. Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Secondary research is a research method that uses data that was collected by someone else. In other words, whenever you conduct research using data that already exists, you are conducting secondary research. On the other hand, any type of research that you undertake yourself is called primary research. Example: Secondary researchYou are interested in how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[23650],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, &amp; Examples<\/title>\n<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
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