1. Critical research Study:
Secondary Research
Primary research is going to be your most useful tool in answering this paper, but it
won’t always be your first point of call. Often it is more useful to see what other
people have said about the topic you’re about to research. Some one may have already
found an answer.
Some possible routes for secondary research (research someone has already carried
out) are below.
• Use of books/study guides and other library resources,
• Newspapers, magazines, journals,
• Video/DVD/television resources,
• Existing research studies;
• Industry, academic and other related web sites etc.
• Statistical evidence
One of the main disadvantages of secondary data is that you didn’t collect it and can
never truly accept or trust it. When going through the secondary data you will need
to research the research and find some information on where the information
came from to evaluate. Some pointers are below.
• Author history
What have they written before? Why? Are they trusted academics/industrial or
governmental authority?
Tip: On academic books - Check the back or inside of the book for a description
of the writer/editor's credentials.
Check the publisher - is it an academic or industry publication e.g. Bfi, Oxford
Press, Routledge, ASA?
• Funding
Who paid for the research or resource? Does this have a possible effect on the
outcome? Media ownership? See
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_120779.html
Q1. What is the problem with where the funding comes from - how has this
affected the validity of the research?
• Bias (ideology)
To what extent is the research free from bias? We all have are own opinions that
we weave into everything we write, can the same be said about the research
material?
Tip - See wall chart in the room - left wing/right wing political bias.
2. Centre/Neutral
Need to consider for which audience this material is aimed at.
News/current affairs will contain bias in how they present their content - what
they prioritise and how it is written
Organisations have agendas and therefore will have a one sided position they are
trying to champion - e.g. Greenpeace - to find this out check the 'about us'
section of the website.
• Faults in secondary material
Are there any inconsistencies in the material? Is there any criticism that you or
someone else has made about the research. Can we therefore really trust it?
• Where was it written?
Where was the research carried out? Research carried out in the US may not
apply to the UK. What differences will have appeared in the material?
• When written?
Is the research up to date? If not you could bring it up to date to see if the
findings have remained true. So much happens in the world of the media and
culture everyday that finding become out of date very quickly.
• Does it apply?
Does the research have any effect on your own? If not move away from it don’t
spend precious time reading material that has nothing to do with your project
Activity1: Learn to evaluate
VTS detective work your way through the activity and list the areas you must
consider when evaluating websites and books
3. http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective/detectivework.html
Activity2: Evaluate your own Secondary Research
Choose a Secondary resource from the research point that fits in with your topic
and answer the following points
• Author history
• When written?
• Publisher – academic or commercial?
• Where was it written?
• Faults in secondary material/research methods
• Bias (ideology) or neutrality
• Funding
Make sure you use the research evaluation pro forma sheets to keep a record of
your references, sources and evaluation of your research.
....Course Proformasreasearch evaluation.doc
To do this you will need the research the history behind the text/source.
