Secondary Data Analysis: Sources, Types, and Elaboration

Secondary Data Analysis: Sources and Elaboration

Secondary data analysis considers both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. It uses references like coding sheets in quantitative designs and identifies interviews or focus groups for qualitative data. Official statistics and public sources are used to verify field data.

Desrosieres argues that statistical indicators from official sources reflect social reality in institutions. These indicators are presented without analysis, as tables of results. This means the original data has been elaborated, which is typical of secondary sources. Secondary sources have developed, summarized, and synthesized the data. The degree of elaboration is the key difference between secondary data analysis and analysis of secondary sources. Secondary analysts work with data that has undergone less processing.

Another major category divides secondary data analysis into two types: analysis of data already analyzed by another investigator (made-B) and analysis of data that has not been analyzed (made-A). The secondary analyst is faced with data already processed by a primary analyst. The questions a secondary analyst asks are different from those of the primary analyst. Therefore, the secondary analyst will not substitute the responses of the primary analyst if the source itself has produced the data.

Types of Secondary Sources

A secondary source is an ordered set of data or information produced from a previous order. It is viewed from the perspective of the researcher. A secondary source can be a dataset produced by research. We must distinguish the secondary source of data from the public or private institution that produced and sponsored it.

At another level, we have the records or units of the source. The first division between secondary sources is based on the characteristics of the material available to the analyst. Secondary sources of quantitative data provide indicators, while qualitative sources are realized in words and drawings. These are considered message-sense communication units.

The first type of secondary source includes records that provide numerical indicators. These are divided into public official statistics and unofficial or private sources. This criterion considers the degree of institutionalization of the source, with more emphasis on official sources.

Main Sources of Official Statistics

Official statistics are a main source of data. They include:

• Indirect production data: Data originated mostly from administrative acts. This data is produced for other functions, not primarily for research.
• Factual information: These sources collect administrative acts. For example, births and deaths are behavioral facts, but do not include attitudes or beliefs.