Comparative Research Methods Questions
The main sources of data used in comparative research are primarily divided into two categories: primary sources and secondary sources.
Primary sources refer to data that is collected firsthand by the researcher specifically for the purpose of their study. This can include conducting surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments. Primary sources provide original and unique data that is directly relevant to the research question.
Secondary sources, on the other hand, are data that has already been collected by someone else for a different purpose. These sources can include government reports, academic articles, books, statistical databases, or archival records. Secondary sources are valuable for comparative research as they provide existing data that can be analyzed and compared across different cases or countries.
Both primary and secondary sources are essential for comparative research as they allow researchers to gather a wide range of data, examine different perspectives, and make meaningful comparisons between cases or countries.