SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 14
Descargar para leer sin conexión
RESEARCH METHODS: SECONDARY DATA (P.38-
43)
•Secondary data is data which already exists. It has been
collected by someone other than the user.
•Sociologists use secondary data-material which has
already been produced to aid research.
•Official statistics can be very useful in sociological
research but must be treated with caution.. (What exactly
do they measure and how did they measure it?)
•The first step in any research project is finding out what
is already known via secondary data.
TYPES OF SECONDARY DATA
 Quantitative secondary data: Official statistics (eg
Census, General Household Survey etc)
 Qualitative secondary data: personal
documents, political letters, life
histories, autobiographies, official
documents, novels, mass media
(newspapers, magazines, television, radio)
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Government/official bodies produces large amounts
of quantitative data (official statistics) For example:
 No of births, deaths, marriages, divorces
 Census information
 Crime and unemployment rates
 Social Trends
 The General Household Survey
Examples of Official Statistics
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Hard Statistics
 Statistics which are not
affected by decisions of
those collecting them.
 Few people missed out
in the final count. (eg
births, deaths)
Soft Statistics
 Process of how they
are collected affects
the results:
Eg.Crime rate may only
include number of
reported crimes
Eg. Levels of
unemployment may
include different groups
at different times
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
 Invaluable for
sociologists
 Include large
samples, cover many
areas of social
life, expensive to carry
out
 Often well-planned and of
high standard
 Access easy (find them in
libraries/internet)
 Good for making
comparisons over time
 Don’t always measure what you want
 Sometimes manipulated for political
reasons (eg unemployment
rates, crime rates etc)
 When poverty rising, government
sometimes stops collecting data
 Embarrassing results may not be
published
 Cannot be sure that official statistics
are always valid
 While official statistics often tell you
how much they don’t tell you why
 Check out http://statistics.gov.uk
Strengths of official
statistics
Limitations of official
statistics
QUALITATIVE SECONDARY DATA
 Personal documents such as diaries, letters, (even
household bills, wills, shopping lists)
 Life histories and autobiographies
 Official documents
 Novels
 Mass media including
newspapers, t.v.,radio, internet, magazines, film.)
HOW IS QUALITATIVE SECONDARY DATA USED?
Personal Documents
 Used most often by sociologists
 Need to assess if they were meant to be read by
wider audience (therefore may be filtered for
information, may give good impression of writer)
 If not meant to be read by public, while more likely
to be valid, they are difficult to get hold of
 People sometimes asked to keep diaries to
accompany research (interview or questionnaires)
 Eg ‘Mass observational research’ 1930s (See p.42)
 ‘The Polish Peasant in Europe’ Thomas and
Zaniecki
Examples of qualitative secondary data
LIFE HISTORIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
Life histories
 People’s own accounts
of their lives
 Rely on memory
therefore need to be
validated through
checking with other
sources at time
(newspapers etc)
 Requested by
researcher
Autobiographies
 Not requested by
researcher
 Can give insight into
social life at time
 May be concerned with
making good
impression so may not
provide frank , honest
account of life
 Memory may be
faulty/incomplete
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
 Governments produce documents (not just
statistical information) of many types
 Some documents are made public after a number
of years (30-100 years) after which time they are no
longer deemed ‘sensitive’
 Most documents are available to the public right
away (in UK Acts of Parliament, reports by
Comissions etc)
MASS MEDIA
 Provides a vast amount of material of interest to
sociologists
 Can be used as part of preliminary research for a
topic to be researched (eg watching documentary/
reading newspaper articles on a specific topic)
 Researcher needs to be aware as material may be
biased or focus on limited areas of topic.
 Media can be studied as a topic itself (eg how
ethnic minorities/women are shown in media or is
the newspaper biased towards one political
viewpoint)
 Media can be analysed quantitatively (content
analysis) See p.43
NOVELS
 Novels, plays or short stories often explore social
issues which may be analysed by sociologists
 They can portray life accurately at a particular time
and place.
 Difficult for the researcher to separate social fact
from imagination
What might we learn from ‘Oliver’ by Charles
Dickens?/ ‘Emma’ by Jane Austin? ‘The Help’ by
Kathryn Stockett?
Choose a novel you have read. How might it be
useful to sociologists? What social issues does
it tackle? What does it tell you about the time
and place it was written on?
EXAM QUESTIONS: PRACTICE
 What is meant by the term ‘personal documents? /2
 What is meant by the term ‘secondary data’ /2
 Describe one strength and one limitation of
secondary data. /4
 Describe one strength and one limitation of using
personal documents in sociological research. /4
 Describe two problems that might arise when using
historical documents in sociological research. /4
 Describe two strengths and two limitations of using
official statistics in sociological research. /8

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

Cultural studies media
Cultural studies mediaCultural studies media
Cultural studies mediavikkyc
 
Ethnography Power Point
Ethnography Power PointEthnography Power Point
Ethnography Power Pointzukrahon
 
Sources of information
Sources of informationSources of information
Sources of informationjones brandes
 
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]Yaryalitsa
 
Historical approche
Historical approcheHistorical approche
Historical approcheAna Gul
 
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism Kaushal Desai
 
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary SourcesPrimary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary Sourcesspinheiro79
 
Audience
AudienceAudience
Audiencekelger
 
Investigative reporting
Investigative reportingInvestigative reporting
Investigative reportingJimi Kayode
 
History: Primary and Secondary sources
History: Primary and Secondary sourcesHistory: Primary and Secondary sources
History: Primary and Secondary sourcesjuliah
 
Unit vii journalism
Unit vii journalismUnit vii journalism
Unit vii journalismanjalatchi
 
Ethnography
EthnographyEthnography
EthnographyDeepti M
 
Primary vs Secondary Sources
Primary vs Secondary SourcesPrimary vs Secondary Sources
Primary vs Secondary Sourcesbigboaratm
 
Nuance pdf forbipinsir
Nuance pdf forbipinsirNuance pdf forbipinsir
Nuance pdf forbipinsirjapokh
 
Ethnography 1
Ethnography 1Ethnography 1
Ethnography 1fkaraman
 
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary SourcesPrimary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary SourcesLina Ell
 
Science Research: Historical Research
Science Research: Historical ResearchScience Research: Historical Research
Science Research: Historical ResearchLarry Sultiz
 

La actualidad más candente (20)

Cultural studies media
Cultural studies mediaCultural studies media
Cultural studies media
 
Historical research
Historical researchHistorical research
Historical research
 
Ethnography Power Point
Ethnography Power PointEthnography Power Point
Ethnography Power Point
 
Sources of information
Sources of informationSources of information
Sources of information
 
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]
Primary Sources / Secondary Sources [Humanities]
 
Historical sources
Historical sourcesHistorical sources
Historical sources
 
Historical approche
Historical approcheHistorical approche
Historical approche
 
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism
What is Journalism? Discuss Role and Types of Journalism
 
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary SourcesPrimary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary Sources
 
Audience
AudienceAudience
Audience
 
Investigative reporting
Investigative reportingInvestigative reporting
Investigative reporting
 
History: Primary and Secondary sources
History: Primary and Secondary sourcesHistory: Primary and Secondary sources
History: Primary and Secondary sources
 
Unit vii journalism
Unit vii journalismUnit vii journalism
Unit vii journalism
 
Ethnography
EthnographyEthnography
Ethnography
 
Primary vs Secondary Sources
Primary vs Secondary SourcesPrimary vs Secondary Sources
Primary vs Secondary Sources
 
Nuance pdf forbipinsir
Nuance pdf forbipinsirNuance pdf forbipinsir
Nuance pdf forbipinsir
 
Ethnography 1
Ethnography 1Ethnography 1
Ethnography 1
 
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary SourcesPrimary and Secondary Sources
Primary and Secondary Sources
 
Ethenographic research
Ethenographic researchEthenographic research
Ethenographic research
 
Science Research: Historical Research
Science Research: Historical ResearchScience Research: Historical Research
Science Research: Historical Research
 

Similar a Unit 1c secondary data CIE syllabus

Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.ppt
Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.pptChapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.ppt
Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.pptPatrickLlamas2
 
Audience theory 15th dec 2010
Audience theory 15th dec 2010Audience theory 15th dec 2010
Audience theory 15th dec 2010kbamediastudies
 
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022Age
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022AgeMethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022Age
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022AgeAbramMartino96
 
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docxfelicidaddinwoodie
 
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinking
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinkingPrimary and secondary sources on critical thinking
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinkinguniprint
 
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)A Scuola di OpenCoesione
 
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_newsagebennet
 
Response slides for hybrid media panel
Response slides for hybrid media panelResponse slides for hybrid media panel
Response slides for hybrid media panelNick Anstead
 
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered: Social Representations of C...
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered:  Social Representations of C...Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered:  Social Representations of C...
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered: Social Representations of C...Ulaş Başar Gezgin
 
Guerrero, manuel public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015
Guerrero, manuel   public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015Guerrero, manuel   public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015
Guerrero, manuel public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015Salzburg Global Seminar
 
pol203 ca2.pptx
pol203 ca2.pptxpol203 ca2.pptx
pol203 ca2.pptxridhikri
 

Similar a Unit 1c secondary data CIE syllabus (20)

Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.ppt
Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.pptChapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.ppt
Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Typologies.ppt
 
ArticoloInglese
ArticoloIngleseArticoloInglese
ArticoloInglese
 
Audience theory 15th dec 2010
Audience theory 15th dec 2010Audience theory 15th dec 2010
Audience theory 15th dec 2010
 
Ethnographic Research
Ethnographic ResearchEthnographic Research
Ethnographic Research
 
Research Methods: SecondaryData
Research Methods: SecondaryDataResearch Methods: SecondaryData
Research Methods: SecondaryData
 
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022Age
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022AgeMethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022Age
MethodologiesAAS 211March 15, 2022Age
 
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx
2000 word summary-analysis paper devoted to thearticles you sele.docx
 
Uses and Gratifications
Uses and Gratifications Uses and Gratifications
Uses and Gratifications
 
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinking
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinkingPrimary and secondary sources on critical thinking
Primary and secondary sources on critical thinking
 
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)
ASOCEU - Lesson 1 - Research Methods: Secondary Data (slides)
 
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new
14a 2 t4_chapterfourteenpowerpoint_new
 
Response slides for hybrid media panel
Response slides for hybrid media panelResponse slides for hybrid media panel
Response slides for hybrid media panel
 
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered: Social Representations of C...
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered:  Social Representations of C...Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered:  Social Representations of C...
Social Cognition and Media Psychology Uncovered: Social Representations of C...
 
Guerrero, manuel public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015
Guerrero, manuel   public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015Guerrero, manuel   public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015
Guerrero, manuel public-connection-civic-deliberation-salzburg-2015
 
Ethnographic research (2)
Ethnographic research (2)Ethnographic research (2)
Ethnographic research (2)
 
pol203 ca2.pptx
pol203 ca2.pptxpol203 ca2.pptx
pol203 ca2.pptx
 
Audience
AudienceAudience
Audience
 
Audience
AudienceAudience
Audience
 
TESTE IBCCRIM
TESTE IBCCRIMTESTE IBCCRIM
TESTE IBCCRIM
 
Crime Research Methods (2)
Crime Research Methods (2)Crime Research Methods (2)
Crime Research Methods (2)
 

Último

Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPA
Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPAAnypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPA
Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPAshyamraj55
 
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdf
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdfMachine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdf
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdfAijun Zhang
 
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024SkyPlanner
 
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCost
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCostKubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCost
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCostMatt Ray
 
Designing A Time bound resource download URL
Designing A Time bound resource download URLDesigning A Time bound resource download URL
Designing A Time bound resource download URLRuncy Oommen
 
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...UbiTrack UK
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6DianaGray10
 
Nanopower In Semiconductor Industry.pdf
Nanopower  In Semiconductor Industry.pdfNanopower  In Semiconductor Industry.pdf
Nanopower In Semiconductor Industry.pdfPedro Manuel
 
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDEADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDELiveplex
 
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1DianaGray10
 
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding TeamAdam Moalla
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7DianaGray10
 
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity Webinar
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity WebinarAI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity Webinar
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity WebinarPrecisely
 
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability Adventure
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability AdventureOpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability Adventure
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability AdventureEric D. Schabell
 
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdf
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdf
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfJamie (Taka) Wang
 
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation Developers
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation DevelopersUiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation Developers
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation DevelopersUiPathCommunity
 
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™Adtran
 
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...DianaGray10
 
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?IES VE
 

Último (20)

Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPA
Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPAAnypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPA
Anypoint Code Builder , Google Pub sub connector and MuleSoft RPA
 
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdf
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdfMachine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdf
Machine Learning Model Validation (Aijun Zhang 2024).pdf
 
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024
Salesforce Miami User Group Event - 1st Quarter 2024
 
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCost
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCostKubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCost
KubeConEU24-Monitoring Kubernetes and Cloud Spend with OpenCost
 
Designing A Time bound resource download URL
Designing A Time bound resource download URLDesigning A Time bound resource download URL
Designing A Time bound resource download URL
 
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...
UWB Technology for Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Positioning in Physiological M...
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 6
 
Nanopower In Semiconductor Industry.pdf
Nanopower  In Semiconductor Industry.pdfNanopower  In Semiconductor Industry.pdf
Nanopower In Semiconductor Industry.pdf
 
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDEADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
 
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1
Secure your environment with UiPath and CyberArk technologies - Session 1
 
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team
9 Steps For Building Winning Founding Team
 
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7
UiPath Studio Web workshop series - Day 7
 
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity Webinar
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity WebinarAI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity Webinar
AI You Can Trust - Ensuring Success with Data Integrity Webinar
 
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability Adventure
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability AdventureOpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability Adventure
OpenShift Commons Paris - Choose Your Own Observability Adventure
 
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdf
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdf
activity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdfactivity_diagram_combine_v4_20190827.pdf
 
20150722 - AGV
20150722 - AGV20150722 - AGV
20150722 - AGV
 
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation Developers
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation DevelopersUiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation Developers
UiPath Community: AI for UiPath Automation Developers
 
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™
Meet the new FSP 3000 M-Flex800™
 
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...
Connector Corner: Extending LLM automation use cases with UiPath GenAI connec...
 
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?
How Accurate are Carbon Emissions Projections?
 

Unit 1c secondary data CIE syllabus

  • 1. RESEARCH METHODS: SECONDARY DATA (P.38- 43) •Secondary data is data which already exists. It has been collected by someone other than the user. •Sociologists use secondary data-material which has already been produced to aid research. •Official statistics can be very useful in sociological research but must be treated with caution.. (What exactly do they measure and how did they measure it?) •The first step in any research project is finding out what is already known via secondary data.
  • 2. TYPES OF SECONDARY DATA  Quantitative secondary data: Official statistics (eg Census, General Household Survey etc)  Qualitative secondary data: personal documents, political letters, life histories, autobiographies, official documents, novels, mass media (newspapers, magazines, television, radio)
  • 3. OFFICIAL STATISTICS Government/official bodies produces large amounts of quantitative data (official statistics) For example:  No of births, deaths, marriages, divorces  Census information  Crime and unemployment rates  Social Trends  The General Household Survey
  • 4. Examples of Official Statistics
  • 5. OFFICIAL STATISTICS Hard Statistics  Statistics which are not affected by decisions of those collecting them.  Few people missed out in the final count. (eg births, deaths) Soft Statistics  Process of how they are collected affects the results: Eg.Crime rate may only include number of reported crimes Eg. Levels of unemployment may include different groups at different times
  • 6. OFFICIAL STATISTICS  Invaluable for sociologists  Include large samples, cover many areas of social life, expensive to carry out  Often well-planned and of high standard  Access easy (find them in libraries/internet)  Good for making comparisons over time  Don’t always measure what you want  Sometimes manipulated for political reasons (eg unemployment rates, crime rates etc)  When poverty rising, government sometimes stops collecting data  Embarrassing results may not be published  Cannot be sure that official statistics are always valid  While official statistics often tell you how much they don’t tell you why  Check out http://statistics.gov.uk Strengths of official statistics Limitations of official statistics
  • 7. QUALITATIVE SECONDARY DATA  Personal documents such as diaries, letters, (even household bills, wills, shopping lists)  Life histories and autobiographies  Official documents  Novels  Mass media including newspapers, t.v.,radio, internet, magazines, film.)
  • 8. HOW IS QUALITATIVE SECONDARY DATA USED? Personal Documents  Used most often by sociologists  Need to assess if they were meant to be read by wider audience (therefore may be filtered for information, may give good impression of writer)  If not meant to be read by public, while more likely to be valid, they are difficult to get hold of  People sometimes asked to keep diaries to accompany research (interview or questionnaires)  Eg ‘Mass observational research’ 1930s (See p.42)  ‘The Polish Peasant in Europe’ Thomas and Zaniecki
  • 9. Examples of qualitative secondary data
  • 10. LIFE HISTORIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES Life histories  People’s own accounts of their lives  Rely on memory therefore need to be validated through checking with other sources at time (newspapers etc)  Requested by researcher Autobiographies  Not requested by researcher  Can give insight into social life at time  May be concerned with making good impression so may not provide frank , honest account of life  Memory may be faulty/incomplete
  • 11. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS  Governments produce documents (not just statistical information) of many types  Some documents are made public after a number of years (30-100 years) after which time they are no longer deemed ‘sensitive’  Most documents are available to the public right away (in UK Acts of Parliament, reports by Comissions etc)
  • 12. MASS MEDIA  Provides a vast amount of material of interest to sociologists  Can be used as part of preliminary research for a topic to be researched (eg watching documentary/ reading newspaper articles on a specific topic)  Researcher needs to be aware as material may be biased or focus on limited areas of topic.  Media can be studied as a topic itself (eg how ethnic minorities/women are shown in media or is the newspaper biased towards one political viewpoint)  Media can be analysed quantitatively (content analysis) See p.43
  • 13. NOVELS  Novels, plays or short stories often explore social issues which may be analysed by sociologists  They can portray life accurately at a particular time and place.  Difficult for the researcher to separate social fact from imagination What might we learn from ‘Oliver’ by Charles Dickens?/ ‘Emma’ by Jane Austin? ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett? Choose a novel you have read. How might it be useful to sociologists? What social issues does it tackle? What does it tell you about the time and place it was written on?
  • 14. EXAM QUESTIONS: PRACTICE  What is meant by the term ‘personal documents? /2  What is meant by the term ‘secondary data’ /2  Describe one strength and one limitation of secondary data. /4  Describe one strength and one limitation of using personal documents in sociological research. /4  Describe two problems that might arise when using historical documents in sociological research. /4  Describe two strengths and two limitations of using official statistics in sociological research. /8