Question 1: What is a secondary source in sociology? Give one example.

Answer: A secondary source is information that has been collected and recorded by someone else, not directly by the researcher. An example is a newspaper article about society.

Question 2: Why might sociologists use secondary sources instead of conducting their own surveys?

Answer: Sociologists might use secondary sources because they are quicker, cheaper, and already contain useful data. They also provide information from a larger group of people.

Question 3: Name two types of secondary sources that sociologists might use in their research.

Answer: Examples include government reports and newspaper articles.

Question 4: Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of using secondary sources in sociological research.

Answer: An advantage is that secondary sources are often easier and faster to access. A disadvantage is that the data might be outdated or not exactly suited to the specific research question.

Question 5: A sociologist wants to find out how crime rates have changed over the last decade. Should they use primary or secondary sources? Why?

Answer: They should use secondary sources, such as crime statistics from the government, because these are already collected and show changes over time.

Question 6: Describe what a government report on education might include as a secondary source.

Answer: It might include statistics about exam results, information about school attendance, or data on funding for schools.

Question 7: Sketch a simple chart or graph that could show the trend of unemployment rates over a year.

Answer: A correct sketch would be a line graph with time (months) on the bottom axis and unemployment rate on the side axis, showing an upward or downward trend.

Question 8: Why is it important for sociologists to check the date of a secondary source?

Answer: Because the data might be outdated, and society changes over time. Using recent sources ensures the information is relevant.

Question 9: Imagine you are studying family sizes in the UK. Would you look at a recent newspaper article or an old government report? Why?

Answer: I would look at a recent government report because it provides up-to-date and accurate data about current family sizes.

Question 10: Identify one limitation of relying solely on secondary sources for research.

Answer: A limitation is that the data might not be specific enough to answer the researcher’s particular question, or it could be biased.