Secondary sources of data

Why do sociologists use secondary sources of data?

• The information required already exists, so using it saves time and money.

• Many secondary sources include data that is beyond the means of sociologists to collect.

• Secondary sources allow for the study of society in the past.

• The researcher is unable for financial or other reasons to visit places and collect data first hand.

• The subject of the research contains illegal activities and is unsafe.

• Data needs to be collected about groups who are unwilling to provide an account of their activities.

What are the limitations of secondary sources?

• The person who first created the source could be biased, for example if it’s a diary entry.

• Official statistics may be constructed to shed a positive light on the government.

• The data might not have been collected in the detail that sociologists need it in.

What are the different types of secondary data?

• Previous sociological research,

• official publications,

• diaries and letters,

• novels and other works of fiction,

• oral history and family histories,

• the media,

• documents relating to businesses, charities, and pressure groups,

• the content of the internet.

What are positivists’ view on official statistics?

Some sociologists such as Durkheim (1970) regard official statistics as valid and reliable. He used suicide statistics to investigate causes of suicide.

What are interpretivists’ view on official statistics?

Official statistics are merely an interpretation produced by government agencies and therefore it isn’t objective, reliable, or valid.

What are radical views on official statistics?

Marxists, feminists, and anti-racists agree government statistics are systematically distorted by the powerful.

How can the media be biased?

Many newspapers support a particular political party and magazines are often aimed at a specific audience.

What are the different types of content analysis?

• Formal content analysis is when content is classified and counted.

• Thematic analysis examines the message behind the portrayal of a particular topic.

• Textual analysis involves the detailed analysis of small pieces of text.

What research used formal content analysis?

Best (1993) counted gender roles of boys and girls in children’s books.

What are the advantages of formal content analysis?

Provides objective statistical data, allowing patterns to be uncovered.

What are the disadvantages of formal content analysis?

The classification of data may be somewhat subjective and doesn’t directly reveal the meaning behind the content.

What research used thematic analysis?

Soothill and Walby (1991) studied rape coverage in newspapers.

What are the advantages of thematic analysis?

Makes it possible to examine the messages behind media coverage in order to look for an ideological basis.

What are the disadvantages of thematic analysis?

Messages are open to interpretation.

What research used textual analysis?

Glasgow Media Group looked at the words used to describe managers and strikers.

What are the advantages of textual analysis?

Provides an in-depth interpretation of the content of the media.

What are the disadvantages of textual analysis?

Doesn’t provide an overall analysis of the media content and is therefore subjective.

What are practical issues with the use of official statistics in the context of education?

• Information required by sociological researchers is not always available. For example, data achievement is usually broken down by gender, but data on class and ethnicity is less often available.

• Categories used across statistics can vary, making comparisons problematic.

What are ethical issues with the use of official statistics in the context of education?

Statistics produced by individual schools or local authorities may not be intended for publication.

What are theoretical issues with the use of official statistics in the context of education?

• Schools might deliberately manipulate data in order to secure funding or achieve success in league tables.

• Statistics on progress of pupils doesn’t taken into account social characteristics.

What are practical issues with the use of qualitative secondary data in the context of education?

Personal documents aren’t available in large quantities and aren’t easy to access.

What are ethical issues with the use of qualitative secondary data in the context of education?

Private documents, such as school reports, could be considered confidential.

What are theoretical issues with the use of qualitative secondary data in the context of education?

• Validity of public documents may be open to question, school documents is likely to put a positive gloss on the image of the school.

• Private documents may be written in a way that has the audience in mind rather than being a completely valid account.