Secondary research is referred to as desk research because it involves collecting data from various sources, including the Internet, journals, books, and public repositories such as government archives and libraries.
The aim is to evaluate pre-existing patterns from previous studies and adapt them to their own research setting. Although secondary research is quite proper, it has certain disadvantages.
Disadvantages of Secondary Research
Let’s take a look at the six most common disadvantages of secondary research mentioned below.
- Quality of the Secondary Data
- Out-dated Data
- Missing Information
- Availability of the Secondary Data
- Relevance of the Secondary Data
- Adequacy of Data
1. Quality of the Secondary Data
The researchers conduct their own study using primary methods. In contrast, this is not the case for data obtained from other sources (secondary sources). For this reason, the quality of secondary research should be carefully evaluated, as the origin of the information may be suspect.
Companies and researchers that rely on secondary data for decision-making need to closely examine the authenticity and reliability of the information by investigating the way the data was collected, analysed, and interpreted.
Secondary data may seem like a cost-effective and time-saving option, but it is crucial to consider the source of the data, particularly its authenticity and credibility.
In other words, a disadvantage may be that the source is unreliable and calls into question the results of your own research.
2. Outdated Data
It is essential to exercise caution when using secondary data that has been collected in the past.
Out-of-date information can be of limited use to researchers conducting research in fast-changing markets and research areas.
3. Missing Information
A researcher often finds that an interesting study is simply a “teaser”. In such cases, only a limited part of the research is made public at no cost.
The researcher will need to view the full report to obtain the missing information; however, the publisher may charge a fee to provide access to the full report.
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4. Availability of the Secondary Data
When taking into consideration the uses of secondary data, it is imperative to ascertain whether or not the data is available on your chosen topic, population, or variables.
If secondary data is not relevant to your requirements, primary data must be used despite its disadvantages.
5. Relevance of the Secondary Data
It is essential to verify the relevance of the data before utilising a secondary dataset.
Example:
Suppose the dimensional units do not match those required by the researcher for their study, or the ideas presented differ from those needed in the current study. In that case, secondary data may be rendered irrelevant for a new study.
A serious downside of secondary data is the use of data that is not relevant.
6. Adequacy of Data
Secondary data may be alluring, but there is a risk that the amount and the relevance of data will not be sufficient to meet your research objectives.
In other words, before you decide to do secondary research, you need to make sure that there is enough data on the topic at hand to meet your research questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The difference between primary and secondary research lies in the fact that, in primary research, the researcher has direct control over the data collection process. On the other hand, in the case of secondary research, the researcher doesn’t have access to the data and must rely on data collected by others for potentially different purposes.
You can verify the quality of the content by researching the reputation of sources across various social media platforms. Also, examine the methodology used to collect the data, the date of publication, and the potential for bias in the original research.
It is essential to cite the source properly to avoid any chance of plagiarism, ensure that the data was collected ethically by the original researchers, not by a third party, and, last but not least, respect any copyright or data usage restrictions.
