Secondary Data Collection and Sources Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is secondary data and what are its advantages?

Secondary data is data that was collected for different purposes and is reused for another research problem. Its advantages include assisting in identifying the problem, better defining the problem, assisting in developing an approach to the problem, and aiding in formulating an appropriate research design.

What are some common sources of secondary data?

Common sources of secondary data include annual reports, journal articles, government publications, and reliable internet sources.

What are some disadvantages of using secondary data?

Disadvantages of secondary data include its potential limitations in terms of relevance and accuracy, and the possibility that the objectives, nature, and methods used to collect the data may not be appropriate to the current situation.

What is an important criterion for evaluating secondary data?

One important criterion for evaluating secondary data is the specification and methodology used to collect the data, which should be critically examined to identify possible sources of bias. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential source of error in secondary data?

One potential source of error in secondary data is errors or inaccuracies in the approach, research design, or sampling used to collect the data. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to evaluate the accuracy of secondary data?

It is important to evaluate the accuracy of secondary data to determine whether it is suitable for the current research study and to ensure that it is reliable and valid. Signup and view all the answers

What is the major limitation of secondary data?

The time lag between data collection and publication Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to examine the objective of data collection?

Because data collected with a specific objective in mind may not be appropriate in another situation Signup and view all the answers

What is essential to examine when working with secondary data?

The definition of key variables, the units of measurements, categories used and the relationship examined Signup and view all the answers

Why is an original source more accurate and complete than a secondary source?

Because an original source specifies the details of the data collection methodology Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of internal secondary data?

Customer database, internal sales, invoices, customer relations management system Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of external secondary data from a government source?

Census data, STATSSA, annual updates Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Secondary Data

Secondary data is data that was collected for different purposes and is reused for another research problem.
It can be located quickly and inexpensively.

Sources of Secondary Data

Annual reports
Journal articles
Government publications
Reliable internet sources

Advantages of Secondary Data

Assists in identifying the problem
Helps to better define the problem
Assists in developing an approach to the problem
Aids in formulating an appropriate research design
Answers certain research questions and tests some hypotheses
Provides more insightful interpretation of primary data

Disadvantages of Secondary Data

Its usefulness may be limited in terms of relevance and accuracy
Objectives, nature, and methods used to collect data may not be appropriate for the current situation
May lack accuracy, be incomplete, or not current

Evaluating Secondary Data

Criteria for evaluating secondary data include:

Specifications/Methodology

Should be critically examined to identify possible sources of bias
Provides information on reliability and validity of data
Helps determine whether data can be generalized to the problem at hand

Error/Accuracy

Researcher needs to determine whether data is accurate enough for the purpose of the current study
Secondary data can have sources of error or inaccuracy, including errors in approach, research design, and sampling

Currency

Secondary data may not be current
Time lag between data collection and publication may be long

Objective

Objective determines the purpose for which the information is relevant and useful
Data collected with a specific objective in mind may not be appropriate in another situation

Nature

Data should be examined with special attention to definition of key variables, units of measurement, categories used, and relationships examined
If key variables have not been defined, the usefulness of the data is limited

Dependability

Data should be secured from an original source rather than an acquired source
Original source specifies details of data collection methodology and is more accurate and complete than secondary source

Classification of Secondary Data

Internal Data

Generated within the organisation for which research is being conducted
Examples: customer database, internal sales, invoices, customer relations management system

External Secondary Data

Sources:
- Business/non-government
- Government
- Syndicate services
Examples: government sources (census data, STATSSA, annual updates), internal sales records of SME’S in SA

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Description

Test your knowledge about secondary data collection, sources, and advantages. Learn about how secondary data can be used to identify and define research problems, develop research approaches, and formulate appropriate research designs.