Social Science Research Sources

Click each of the sources to learn more.

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

When you are done reviewing, test your knowledge

Primary Sources

• Surveys
  • Surveys have predetermined questions and are often administered anonymously. Because they can be collected many at a time (i.e. surveying a class) this is an efficient way to gather information.
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• Interviews
  • This is a really good way to learn information about a person or group of people in a way that can be altered depending upon their responses – new questions may be added at any time. An interview may be very formal or quite relaxed and may happen in person, on the phone, or online in writing.
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• Participant Observation
  • This involves the researcher spending time observing a person or group either with our without their knowledge. This may provide the most unbiased results to a research question because people are not asked to interpret their own behaviour.
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• Focus Groups
  • This is when a group of people (who may or may not have identified opinions or knowledge on a specific topics) are brought together in a group setting. The person running the focus group may ask prompting questions. They are interested both in the responses of individuals as well as the conversation that takes place between participants on the topic.
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• Case Studies
  • These often center around one event which is an excellent example, or one person who is an expert on a specific topic. The case study allows for a more in depth analysis than other primary research methods.
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Secondary Sources

• Journal Articles and Literature Reviews
  • Each branch of academic and professional study has peer reviewed periodicals. To have your work published you must first have it approved by a panel of professionals in the field who ensure that the methodology and findings are replicable and ethical.
• News Sources
  • Stories that are told in the news (online, television or print) have already been researched and are presented in such a way that they are accessible and easily understood by the general population.
• Documentaries
  • While movies are often either fictional or designed to provide entertainment, documentaries are more likely (but not guaranteed) to be based on interviews or participant observation but were compiled and produced by someone other than the researcher.
• Official Statistics
  • This may include data sources such as Statistics Canada or census results.

Quiz

1. A researcher wants to gather information from a large group of university students regarding their use of financial aid to pay their tuition.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Survey.

2. A researcher wants to gather detailed information from individuals regarding their experiences while traveling to countries with very different cultural practices.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Interview.

3. A researcher wants to gather information on how visible minority woman are treated while entering upscale stores in the mall.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Participant Observation

4. A researcher wants to gather firsthand information on how a Nobel prize winner completed their research.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Case Study

5. A researcher wants to gather information on how people interact while discussing emotionally charged issues such as political viewpoints.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Focus Group

6. A researcher wants to compile the results of experiments performed by other noted social scientists regarding social anxiety.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Journal Article

7. A researcher wants to gather information on how terrorism is perceived in pop culture.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: News Source

8. A researcher wants to gain introductory information on a topic and to see different examples described.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Documentary

9. A researcher wants to gather historical data in order to compare and contrast the quality of health care and education in two different countries.
   • Survey
   • Case Study
   • Official Statistics
   • Interview
   • Focus Group
   • News Source
   • Participant Observation
   • Journal Article
   • Documentary

   Answer: Official Statistics