Secondary research

Secondary research involves the summary, collation and/or synthesis of existing research. Secondary research is contrasted with primary research in that primary research involves the generation of data, whereas secondary research uses primary research sources as a source of data for analysis.[1] A notable marker of primary research is the inclusion of a "methods" section, where the authors describe how the data was generated.

Common examples of secondary research include textbooks, encyclopedias, news articles, review articles, and meta analyses.[2][3]

When conducting secondary research, authors may draw data from published academic papers, government documents, statistical databases, and historical records.[1][4]

Fields

The term is widely used in primary research, legal research and market research. The principal methodology in health secondary research is the systematic review, commonly using meta-analytic statistical techniques, but other methods of synthesis, like realist reviews and meta-narrative[5] reviews, have been developed in recent years. Such secondary research uses the primary research of others typically in the form of research publications and reports.

In market research, secondary research is the practice of identifying information that has already been collected and made available online or offline. Secondary research allows the researcher to identify what existing information on a topic is freely available before spending time and money conducting extensive primary research. [6]

Secondary market research tends to be used to help with the following business objectives:[7]

  • Understanding the structure and size of a market. For example, using government datasets to estimate the number of potential customers for a particular product
  • Uncovering brand perceptions. For example, reading review sites and online forums to develop an understanding of how the target audience perceives a brand
  • Gathering competitive or customer intelligence. For example, reviewing competitors' websites, or investor relations reports, with the goal of gathering intelligence on their strategic plans, financial performance or their value proposition
  • Building lists. For example, using social media tools to identify key influencers/experts in an industry
  • Developing an understanding of the buying process. For example, using search and web analytics tools to explore how the target audience search for and find certain products
  • Informing content marketing strategy. For example, using keyword research tools to identify the content topics that would have the most impact
  • Exploring industry trends. For example, using business and trade press to identify political, demographic, economic or technological trends that might impact the industry
  • Undertaking a risk analysis. For example, using business and trade press to identify financial, operational, compliance, technological, strategic or reputational risks

Primary research vs Secondary research

Primary research is research that is collected firsthand and original to the person using it. [8] When conducting Primary research, the goal is to answer questions that have not been asked before. [9] Additionally, the research has to be verified by others to help eliminate one’s own biases.[10] Primary research can be a survey, observation, or an interview. This type of research tends to be more time consuming and can be costly.[11] If possible, secondary research should be done before primary research, to determine what information is not already available.

Secondary research is based on already published data and information gathered from other conducted studies. [12] It is a common practice by researchers to conduct secondary research before primary research in order to determine what information is not already available. [13] Secondary research is an easy place to start when starting a new research project. Secondary research can vary in credibility depending on where the data is coming from and who is sharing research. [14] Making your own summary based on secondary sources can create biases and misinterpretations which can have a negative impact on the research project.

See also

References
  1. "Primary and Secondary Sources". library.ithaca.edu.
  2. Ormsby, Tim. "Search Smart: Types of Research: Secondary Research". flinders.libguides.com.
  3. Andrews, Camille. "LibGuides: Scholarly Literature Types: Primary vs. Secondary Articles". guides.library.cornell.edu.
  4. Bosch, Eileen. "LibGuides: Library Basics: Primary and Secondary Sources". libguides.bgsu.edu.
  5. Diffusion of Innovations in Health Service Organisations: a systematic literature review Archived 2007-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Principles of Marketing Module 6: Marketing Information and Research (Spring 2016)
  7. Wells, Chris (July 8, 2020). "Key data sources for B2B Secondary Research". Adience. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  8. Lowe, C. (2010). Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Volume 2.
  9. Lowe, C. (2010). Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Volume 2
  10. Church, R. M. (n.d.). The Effective Use of Secondary Data (Issue 1, Vol. Volume 33).
  11. McCrocklin, S. (2018, October 4). Primary Vs. Secondary Research. Retrieved from https://www.geopoll.com/blog/primary-vs-secondary-research/
  12. Church, R. M. (n.d.). The Effective Use of Secondary Data (Issue 1, Vol. Volume 33).
  13. McCrocklin, S. (2018, October 4). Primary Vs. Secondary Research. Retrieved from https://www.geopoll.com/blog/primary-vs-secondary-research/.
  14. Treadwell, D. F. (2016). Introducing communication research: paths of inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
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