Data from a secondary source is any data which has been collected by another researcher, whether it is a group of people or just one person. The data may have originally been used for a different type of research, but you can manipulate it to fit your research, instead of using it as it was intended to be used. Here are some examples of secondary sources of data for research:
• Governmental studies
If the government of your country has collected data on a particular topic, you can manipulate this data in any way you choose. For example, the government has records on the types of benefits it awards each year, and how much money is spent on benefits. You could manipulate this data for any topic you wish to research, for example, if you were doing a study surrounding the unemployed people of your country.
• Large companies
Large companies and manufacturers keep all kinds of data on their products and business. For example, computer and software manufacturers like Apple and Microsoft will have records of how much of each of their products has been bought in a particular year. You could use data from two different companies in order to compare them, or you could use data from one particular company in order to do an in-depth analysis.
• Scientific studies
You could manipulate data gathered by scientists as a result of particular research they have carried out. Teams of scientists are constantly undertaking research and collecting and recording data as a result, which you could manipulate into your research. However, scientific reports and results sheets are often difficult to decipher, as they use a great deal of scientific jargon.
Please note that, if you are using others' research in your own study, you cannot take credit for undertaking the research. That is to say, you cannot say you did the research and came up with those results. You must credit the source from which you have taken the data in a bibliography or reference page.
• Governmental studies
If the government of your country has collected data on a particular topic, you can manipulate this data in any way you choose. For example, the government has records on the types of benefits it awards each year, and how much money is spent on benefits. You could manipulate this data for any topic you wish to research, for example, if you were doing a study surrounding the unemployed people of your country.
• Large companies
Large companies and manufacturers keep all kinds of data on their products and business. For example, computer and software manufacturers like Apple and Microsoft will have records of how much of each of their products has been bought in a particular year. You could use data from two different companies in order to compare them, or you could use data from one particular company in order to do an in-depth analysis.
• Scientific studies
You could manipulate data gathered by scientists as a result of particular research they have carried out. Teams of scientists are constantly undertaking research and collecting and recording data as a result, which you could manipulate into your research. However, scientific reports and results sheets are often difficult to decipher, as they use a great deal of scientific jargon.
Please note that, if you are using others' research in your own study, you cannot take credit for undertaking the research. That is to say, you cannot say you did the research and came up with those results. You must credit the source from which you have taken the data in a bibliography or reference page.