Using Official Statistics and Other Secondary Sources

Using Official Statistics and Other Secondary Sources

1. Sources

   • examination results
   • applications by students of higher education
   • number of school leavers entering education
   • absence rates
   • pupils characteristics
   • surveys on education

2. Uses

   • Official statistics like exam results, statistics on gender or ethnicity and achievement, and school attendance are collected on a regular basis from all schools
     • They are therefore usually representative and reliable, and this can save sociological researchers times an money
   • Comparisons between different institutions or groups and identification of changes over time are possible

3. Problems and limitations

   • The categories used to collect these statistics may not be those required by sociologists
   • There may be issues about the validity of indicators used
   • There may be ethical issues relating to the use of personal documents on education