The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Using an Existing Data Set to Answer New Research Questions: A Methodological Review
Abstract
The vast majority of the research methods literature assumes that the researcher designs the study subsequent to determining research questions. This assumption is not met for the many researchers involved in secondary data analysis. Researchers doing secondary data analysis need not only understand research concepts related to designing a new study, but additionally must be aware of challenges specific to conducting research using an existing data set. Techniques are discussed to determine if secondary data analysis is appropriate. Suggestions are offered on how to best identify, obtain, and evaluate a data set; refine research questions; manage data; calculate power; and report results. Examples from nursing research are provided. If an existing data set is suitable for answering a new research question, then a secondary analysis is preferable since it can be completed in less time, for less money, and with far lower risks to subjects. The researcher must carefully consider if the existing data set’s available power and data quality are adequate to answer the proposed research questions.
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“The dataset was designed in collaboration with the academic team at the inception of this service, thus ensuring that the measurement tools and data would be appropriate to research purposes [44, 45].”
From An enhanced individual placement and support (iPS) intervention based on the model of human occupation (MOHO); a prospective cohort study (2020) · cites this paper as [44]
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Items 101–122 of 122
Smith, A. (2020) · Sheffield Hallam University · doi:10.7190/shu-thesis-00313
“Doolan and Froelicher (2009) suggest that: “For secondary analysis to be appropriate, the PI must have an important research question and a data set that is adequate to address the question.”
BackgroundInfluentialUsing an Electronic Health Record to Examine Nurse Continuity and Pressure Ulcers
Keenan, G. M., Wilkie, D. J., Lopez, K. D., Yao, Y., Khokhar, A., Stifter, E., Johnson, A. E., Ansari, R., Suarez, M. L., Angulo, V., et al. (2014)
Yıldız, O. (2021) · İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.46928/iticusbe.768930
“The factors in question are the purpose of the research, the sampling structure, the limitations of the study, the time it was conducted, and the research content (Doolan & Froelicher, 2009; Magee, Lee, Giuliano & Munro, 2006).”
BackgroundDuBroy, M. (2021) · Evidence Based Library and Information Practice · doi:10.18438/eblip29936
Exploring online identities of influential users in online communities: A mixed methods approach
Richardson, S. (2021) · UWE Research Repository (UWE Bristol)
An Analysis of Innovation in Entrepreneurship and its link to Sustainable Development Goals
KALAMBO, S. (2018) · doi:10.15224/978-1-63248-151-1-53
“This approach to using existing data sets has the advantage of greatly reducing the time and cost of doing research even though provides little or no control over the study population, design, or measurements [18-19].”
MethodPurdy, L. M. (2023) · ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository (University of Louisville) · doi:10.18297/etd/4101
Abbo, U. (2024) · AKSU Journal of Administration and Corporate Governance · doi:10.61090/aksujacog.2024.006
Moradi, M., & Kheiri, B. (2024) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4855449
Lawan, U. M., & Akparibo, R. (2024) · Journal of Public Health and Primary Care · doi:10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_16_23
Anikina, Z., Girfanova, K. A., & Goncharova, L. (2024) · Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s10734-024-01292-0
“This is paramount to ensure the validity and reliability of secondary data analysis (Doolan & Froelicher, 2009; Smith, 2008).”
Masipa, S., Vermeulen, A., & Pretorius, J. H. C. (2025) · Springer proceedings in business and economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72490-9_45
“Go and get it checked”: Exploring the decision to attend the emergency department for low back pain
Whitcomb, H., Roberts, L. C., & Ryan, C. (2025) · Musculoskeletal Science and Practice · doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103325
Yıldız, O. (2020) · DergiPark (Istanbul University)
Regulation, Power, and the Compliance Paradox: A Longitudinal Study of Smart HomesPreprint
Albayaydh, W. S., & Fléchais, I. (2026) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.6811530
Psychological Inflexibility and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer
Makhnevych, I., & Statsenko, Y. A. (2026) · Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences · doi:10.3390/jmms13030014
“As a secondary analysis, this study was constrained by the original study design and available variables [43,44].”
Gehrmann, J., Stephan, J., Stullich, A., Roick, J., Hoffmann, L., & Richter, M. (2026) · BMC Medical Research Methodology · doi:10.1186/s12874-026-02945-7
Terzidis, A. (2026) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.7478717
Sentia, P. D., & Sari, C. M. A. (2026) · Progress in Disaster Science · doi:10.1016/j.pdisas.2026.100746 · Cited by 1
Metadata
- Authors
- Doolan, D. M., & Froelicher, E. S.
- Affiliations
- University of San Francisco (US)
- ORCID
- Froelicher, Erika S.
- Venue
- Research and Theory for Nursing Practice
- Publisher
- Springer Publishing Company
- Published
- 2009-08
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 203-215
- ISSN
- 0889-7182 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-6577
- 1945-7286
- OpenAlex
- W2081922487
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 10.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research and theory for nursing practice (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Data Analysis and Archiving
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Methodologies in Health Research and Practice
- Keywords
- secondary analysis, research question refinement, statistical power, data management, data quality, nursing research, research design
- MeSH terms
- Data Collection, Humans, Research Design, Review Literature as Topic, Reproducibility of Results, Nursing Research, Nursing Methodology Research, Case-Control Studies
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