Primary and Secondary Research Methods

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Official Statistics (Secondary)
Numerical data that is produced by government of government agencies
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Practical advantages of Official Statistics
Cheap, Easily accessible
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Practical disadvantages of Official Statistics
May not ask the questions specific to the research
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Theoretical advantages of Official Statistics
Large sample, Valid, Reliable
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Unofficial Statistics (Secondary)
Numerical data that is collected by charities and other organisations
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Practical advantages of Unofficial Statistics
Cheap, Easily accessible
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Practical disadvantages of Unofficial Statistics
May not ask the question specific to the research
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Theoretical advantages of Unofficial Statistics
Large, Valid, Reliable
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Theoretical disadvantages of Unofficial Statistics
Could be biased to the views of the organisation
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Personal Documents (Secondary)
Documents such as personal diaries, letters and other personal correspondence
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Practical advantages of Personal Documents
Cheap
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Practical disadvantages of Personal Documents
Can be hard to access
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Ethical disadvantages of Personal Documents
Invasion of privacy, Informed consent, Confidentiality
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Theoretical advantages of Personal Documents
In depth and detailed
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Theoretical disadvantages of Personal Documents
Open to interpretation, Personal view, Unreliable
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Public documents (Secondary)
Documents such as personal diaries, letters and other personal correspondence
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Practical advantage of Public Documents
Some can be easy to access, Cheap
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Practical disadvantages of Personal Documents
Can take time to gain access under Freedom Of Information Act
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Theoretical advantages of Personal Documents
In depth data
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Theoretical disadvantages of Personal Documents
Unreliable, Open to interpretation, Biased
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Historical Documents (Secondary)
Original documents that contain important historical information about a person, place, or event.
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Practical advantages of Historical Documents
Cheap, Time, Can be easy to access
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Practical disadvantages of Historical Documents
May not be specific to the research being conducted
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Ethical disadvantages of Historical Documents
Confidentiality, Invasion of privacy
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Theoretical advantages of Historical Documents
In depth data
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Theoretical disadvantages of Historical Documents
Open to interpretation, Unreliable, Personal view
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Prior Research (Secondary)
Research that has been carried out in the same area or on the same topic.
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Practical advantages of Prior Research
Cheap, Easy to access, Time
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Practical disadvantages of Prior Research
May not be exactly the same in terms of research aims
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Content Analysis (Secondary)
Formal Content Analysis is a quantitative approach to analysing mass media content and involves developing a system of classification to analyse the key features of media sources
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Practical advantages of Content Analysis
Cheap, Easy to access
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Practical disadvantages of Content Analysis
Time
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Theoretical advantages of Content Analysis
Reliable
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Theoretical disadvantages of Content Analysis
Open to interpretation
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Open Questionnaire (Primary)
A self complete form with questions which allow the respondent to answer in as much detail as they want
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Close Questionnaire (Primary)
A self complete form with questions which give a set of responses that the respondent can choose from
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Web based Questionnaire (Primary)
A self complete form which is sent out via the internet by using a site such as survey monkey
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Practical advantages of Questionnaires
Easy, Cheap, Lack of researcher effects, Quick to analyses and reach conclusions
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Practical disadvantages of Questionnaires
Low response rate, Misunderstand the question, Answer may not fit those given (closed), Leading Questions
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Ethical advantages of Questionnaires
Informed consent given by completing, Anonymous
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Ethical disadvantages of Questionnaires
Questions may be sensitive
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Theoretical advantages of Questionnaires
Detailed data (open), Reliable, Large Sample, Easy to quantify and analyse (closed), Detachment and objectivity
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Theoretical disadvantages of Questionnaires
Participants may lie, Someone other than the intended participant may answer, Right answerism, Lack of rapport
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Unstructured Interview (Primary)
A conversation between the researcher and the participant where the questions are based on the responses given
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Structured Interview (Primary)
A conversation between the researcher and the participant where the questions are set in advance
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Group Interview (Primary)
Where the interview can be structured or unstructured but involves more than one participant
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Practical advantages of Interviews
Allows researcher to build rapport with the participants, Flexibility, Allows for clarification of the question
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Practical disadvantages of Interviews
Time, Costing and training of Interviewers
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Ethical advantages of Interviews
(US) Good for sensitive topics
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Ethical disadvantages of Interviews
Questions could harm if of a sensitive nature
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Theoretical advantages of Interviews
In depth data, Reliable (S), Hard to Quantify
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Theoretical disadvantages of Interviews
Demand Characteristics, Unreliable (US), Small Sample, Peer Group Influence (G)
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Overt Observation (Primary)
Where the researcher tells the participants that they are being observed and what they are being observed for
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Covert Observation (Primary)
Where the researcher doesn't tell the participants that they are being observed until after the study is complete
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Participant Observation (Primary)
Where the researcher becomes a member of the group they are researching
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Non-Participant Observation (Primary)
Where the researcher watches the group from the outside without taking part
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Practical advantages Of Observations
Flexible, Researcher can ask questions (O), Only option with some groups
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Practical disadvantages of Observations
Time, Cost, Researcher effect, Requires a certain skill set not all researcher have, Relies on memory (C), Some groups can be hard to access
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Ethical disadvantages of Observations
Lacks informed consent (O), Privacy can be breached, Going native (P)
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Theoretical advantages of Observations
In depth detailed data, Allows for Verstehen
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Theoretical disadvantages of Observations
Hawthorne Effect, Hard to Quantify, Small Sample, Unreliable
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Lab Experiments (Primary)
A study that takes place in a label where the researcher is able to manipulate and control all the variables
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Field Experiments (Primary)
Take place in real-life settings such as a classroom, the work place or even the high street
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Practical advantages of Experiments
Variables are controlled
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Practical disadvantages of Experiments
Time, Cost
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Ethical advantages of Experiments
Deception in order to deal with researcher effects
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Ethical disadvantages of Experiments
Harm to participants - Stress
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Theoretical advantages of Experiments
Highly reliable, Causation can be determined
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Theoretical disadvantages of Experiments
Validity - not normal setting, Researcher Effects, Small Sample
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Practical advantages of Official Statistics

Back

Cheap, Easily accessible

Card 3

Front

Practical disadvantages of Official Statistics

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Theoretical advantages of Official Statistics

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Unofficial Statistics (Secondary)

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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