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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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a secondary data

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a secondary data" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "secondary data" without the article "a." Example: "In this research, we will analyze secondary data collected from various sources."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A secondary data analysis of the matched dataset was conducted.

Hence the potential of social media as a secondary data source is considerable.

As a secondary data source, the researchers also reviewed various project document examples.

A conceptual path model was tested using a secondary data analysis research design.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was done using correlations and hierarchical multiple regression.

For this reason, it was decided to perform a secondary data analysis of the interview data that were collected earlier.

We used the documents as a secondary data source, providing insight into the context and for substantiating constructs.

Nonetheless, since this is a secondary data analysis, the robustness of such control cannot be trusted absolutely.

Design: This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey.

Used as a secondary data source, remotely sensed imagery may support spatial interpolation of sparsely sampled soil property data.

Science

Geoderma

As comprehensive, nationally representative survey data from SASS08 were used for this study, the limitations of this study were mostly tied to using a secondary data set.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "secondary data" without the indefinite article "a". The term functions as a noun phrase, not a countable noun.

Common error

Avoid using "a" before "secondary data". The term is non-countable in most contexts. Consider if you need to specify "a dataset" or "secondary source" instead, if you want to refer to a single instance.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

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Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

"A secondary data" functions as a noun phrase, but its usage is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI highlights that the correct form is "secondary data" without the article "a". While it appears in various contexts, it violates standard English grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

77%

News & Media

19%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a secondary data" appears in numerous contexts, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is simply "secondary data" without the indefinite article. This term is frequently used in scientific research, news reporting, and business analysis to refer to pre-existing data used for a new purpose. As Ludwig AI points out, using the correct form ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing. Always remember to avoid the article "a" when referring to "secondary data".

FAQs

What is the correct way to refer to data that was not originally collected for the current study?

The correct term is "secondary data" without the article "a". It refers to data that was collected for a different purpose but is being reused for a new analysis.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a secondary data analysis"?

While the phrase "a secondary data analysis" appears in some contexts, it's generally more accurate to say "secondary data analysis" without the article before "data". The article applies to the analysis, not the data itself.

What are some synonyms for "secondary data"?

Depending on the context, you might use "supplementary data", "existing data", or "archival data" as alternatives.

When should I use "secondary data" in research?

Use "secondary data" when you are analyzing data that has already been collected by someone else, whether from public databases, previous studies, or other sources. This is often done to save time and resources.

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Most frequent sentences: