Secondary data is research data that has previously been gathered and can be accessed by researchers. The term contrasts with primary data, which is data collected directly from its source.
Secondary data is used to increase the sampling size of research studies and is also chosen for the efficiency and speed that comes with using an already existing resource. Secondary data facilitates large research projects, in which many research groups working in tandem collect secondary data. The main researcher is then allowed to focus on primary research or particular areas of interest. This division of labor helps researchers learn more in less time.
Common sources of existing secondary data include data collected by government public services departments, libraries, internet searches and censuses, such as the United States Census. Companies use market research to draw on existing information from social media as a source of secondary data. Social media is becoming heavily favored in market research, as opinions are already available from millions of users on many topics and products.
The benefit of using secondary data is that much of the preliminary work is done. The data may have already been sorted in an electronic format, published and reviewed with case studies already conducted. Secondary data can quickly become more or less public knowledge through use in the media. Due to its exposure and public examination, secondary data can carry more legitimacy than primary research data and is often used as verification of primary data.
However, there are a number of potential problems in using secondary data. It can be difficult to attain secondary data that the fits exact requirements of research studies. It can also be hard to verify the accuracy of secondary data, which can also become outdated over time.
Secondary data is data collected by any party other than the researcher, including administrative data from programs, geodata from specialized sources, and census or other population data from governments. Secondary data provides important context for any investigation, and in some cases (such as administrative program data), it is the only source which covers the full population needed to conduct a research project.
Read First
- Research teams usually rely on two broad categories of data - primary data, and secondary data.
- Impact evaluations rely on many different sources of secondary data, such as: administrative, geospatial, sensor, telecom, and crowd-sourcing.
- Research teams should decide on the kind of data they want to use, based on context and project-needs.
Types of Secondary Data
Administrative and Monitoring Data
Administrative data includes all data collected through existing government ministries, programs and projects. It is a potentially rich source of data for an impact evaluation. Some of the key challenges with administrative data include:
- Digitization. In a lot of cases, the data is in paper format only.
- Restricted access. It is also difficult to get access to certain data because it contains sensitive information.
- Lack of unique ID. In some cases, administrative datasets might be missing a numeric ID variable.
National Survey Data
Existing survey data may be of use depending on the sampling frame for the impact evaluation, level of representativity of the existing data, and availability of disaggregated data. National Statistics Office typically collect a wide array of nationally-representative data, such as Living Standards Measurement Surveys and censuses. International survey efforts such as the Demographic and Health Surveys [1] and Enterprise Surveys [2] are also good sources.
Geo Spatial Data
This includes data from traditional satellites, micro- and nano-satellites, and unaccompanied aerial vehicles (UAVs, e.g. drones).
Remote Sensing
This includes all data collected by sensors, and through the Internet of Things (IoT).
Telecom Data
This includes call detail records, social media data, web scraping.
Crowd-sourced Data
This includes all data collected by crowd-sourcing, often through social media or mobile apps.
Related Pages
Click here for pages that link to this topic.
Additional Resources
- JPAL, Handbook on Using Administrative Data
Secondary data is the data that have been already collected by and readily available from other sources. 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. Because of the above mentioned disadvantages of secondary data, we will lead to evaluation of secondary data. Evaluation means the following four requirements must be satisfied:- Robert W Joselyn has classified the above discussion into eight steps. These eight steps are sub classified into three categories. He has given a detailed procedure for evaluating secondary data.
Advantages of Secondary data
Disadvantages of Secondary Data
Thus the data collected earlier is of no use to you. Before 5 Years After 5 Years 2500-5000 5000-6000 5001-7500 6001-7000 7500-10000 7001-10000 Evaluation of Secondary Data
❮ Previous Article Next Article ❯
Authorship/Referencing - About the Author(s)
next
Secondary data refer to the data that are gathered by a secondary party other than the user himself. The common sources of the secondary data for social science include statements, the data collected by government agencies, organisational documents, and the data that are basically collected for other research objectives. However, primary data, by difference, are gathered by the investigator conducting the research.
Also Check: Difference Between Primary Data And Secondary Data
Sources of Secondary Data
Secondary data are basically second-hand pieces of information. These are not gathered from the source as the primary data. To put it in other words, the secondary data are those that are already collected. So, these are comparatively less reliable than the primary data.
These are usually used when the time for the enquiry is compact and the exactness of the enquiry can be settled to an extent. However, the secondary data can be gathered from different sources which can be categorised into two categories. These are as follows:
1. Published sources
2. Unpublished sources
1. Published sources
Secondary data is usually gathered from the published (printed) sources. A few major sources of published information are as follows:
- Published articles of local bodies, and central and state governments
- Statistical synopses, census records, and other reports issued by the different departments of the government
- Official statements and publications of the foreign governments
- Publications and reports of chambers of commerce, financial institutions, trade associations, etc.
- Magazines, journals, and periodicals
- Publications of government organisations like the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)
- Reports presented by research scholars, bureaus , economists, etc.
2. Unpublished sources
Statistical data can be obtained from several unpublished references. Some of the major unpublished sources from which secondary data can be gathered are as follows:
- The research works conducted by teachers, professors, and professionals
- The records that are maintained by private and business enterprises
- Statistics maintained by different departments and agencies of the central and the state government, undertakings, corporations, etc.
Practice questions
| Q.1. _____________ sources mean data available in printed form. |
| a. Published
b. Unpublished c. Both (a) and (b) d. None of the above |
| Q.2. Records maintained by various government and private offices are examples of ________ source of collecting secondary data. |
| a. Published
b. Unpublished c. Both (a) and (b) d. None of the above |
| Q.3. Reports issued by agencies like WHO, UNO, IMF, etc., are examples of ________ source of collecting secondary data. |
| a. Published
b. Unpublished c. Both (a) and (b) d. None of the above |
| Answer Key |
| 1 – a, 2 – b, 3 – a |
The above-mentioned concept is for CBSE Class 11 Statistics for Economics – Meaning and Sources of Secondary Data. For solutions and study materials, visit our website or download the app for more information and the best learning experience.