Secondary data collection primarily involves identifying, accessing, and analyzing data that has already been gathered by someone else.
Based on the provided reference, secondary data is explicitly defined as data that was collected by an individual or organization other than the actual user. This crucial distinction means that the information the secondary user needs is already available, having been compiled previously for a different purpose.
Instead of actively gathering new information through methods like surveys or experiments (which would be primary data collection), the process for a secondary data user centres around locating and utilizing these existing resources. The reference points out that the user analyses this information because it is already accessible.
Sources of Secondary Data
The reference lists several common sources where this already available data can be found and subsequently analysed:
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Books
- Journals
Furthermore, the reference notes that secondary data can exist in both published data forms (like those listed above, readily available to the public) and unpublished data forms (which might require specific access or permissions).
In essence, the "collection" process for secondary data, from the user's perspective described, involves:
- Identifying the need for specific information.
- Locating existing sources where this data might reside.
- Accessing the already available data.
- Analysing the retrieved data to address the user's current research question or objective.
This method leverages previous efforts, making it distinct from primary data collection where the user is responsible for the initial gathering of raw information.
