Module 9 : Introduction to Research

Table of Contents

1. Unit 1: Introduction to Research
2. Unit 2 Research and the Voluntary and Community Sector
3. Unit 3 Primary and Secondary Sources
   1. 2. Primary Research
   2. 3. Primary Research
   3. 4. Secondary Research
   4. 5. Official Statistics
   5. 6. Historical sources
   6. 7. Mass media and content analysis
   7. 8. Evaluating Secondary Sources
   8. 9. Triangulation
   9. 10. Uses of multi-strategy research
   10. 11. Careful consideration
4. Unit 4 Research Design
5. Unit 5 Quantitative Research
6. Unit 6 Qualitative Research
7. Unit 7 Ethics and Data Protection
8. Unit 8 Presenting and Using Research Findings
9. Assessment Guide for Module 9

Unit 3 Primary and Secondary Sources

1. Primary and Secondary Sources and Triangulation

Researchers need to consider the sources on which to base and confirm their research and findings. They have a choice between primary data and secondary sources and the use of both, which is termed triangulation, or dual methodology.

Primary data is the data collected by the researcher themselves, i.e.

1. interview
2. observation
3. action research
4. case studies
5. life histories
6. questionnaires
7. ethnographic research
8. longitudinal studies

Secondary sources are data that already exists

1. Previous research
2. Official statistics
3. Mass media products
4. Diaries
5. Letters
6. Government reports
7. Web information
8. Historical data and information