Methods of Collecting Secondary Data

Ways of Collecting Secondary Data for Research

Methods of Collecting Secondary Data

Secondary or desk research is a technique for utilizing data that already exists by collating and summarizing sources of information to enhance research effectiveness (QuestionPro, 2020). Secondary sources consist of published and printed materials in study reports and similar resources. This information is available over the internet, public libraries, and survey data, among others. Since secondary information already exists, there is no definite method of collecting it.

However, some methods of collecting secondary data may include browsing the internet, looking for information on particular topics and downloading the resources. Using the internet is a significant and fastest way of collecting vast amounts of secondary data through a simple click of a button. Second, researchers can collect information from federal and non-federal agencies like the Census Bureau or Government Printing Office (Sayaji, 2020). These types of resources are genuine and trustworthy, hence valid, reliable, and credible.

The third option is using public libraries to conduct secondary research on already existing material. The researcher may collect information from items like books, business directories, and magazines, among others and can record their findings in notebooks and recording devices such as flash drives for audio or movie files, for farther analysis. Through taking notes, the researcher can make summaries on essential points and enhance their understanding of the topic.

The fourth method is collecting data from commercial sources of data such as magazines, news articles, newspapers, TV stations and similar sources. The researcher can read printed sources and highlight the main points or listen to news sources, which provide first-hand information latest developments, market research, and political agendas, among others (Sayaji, 2020). Lastly, educational settings serve as invaluable sources of information where researchers or business institutions may request research data from such institutions for analysis.

Table 1 shows secondary data collection methods and their rationale.

Secondary Data Collection Method	Rationale
Internet browsing	The fastest method of collecting data
Inquiry from government agencies and similar sources	Reliable and authentic information
Notes and recordings from public library resources	Enhances understanding and summarizing essential data for analysis
Reading print material and listening to current news.	Provides first-hand information on current developments locally and internationally
Requesting research data and resources from educational or research centres	Produces the highest amount of research material than any institution

Ways of Collecting Secondary Data for Research