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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Secondary evidence - historical and personal documents
When sociologists study society, they don't always collect new data themselves. Often, they analyse information that already exists. This is called secondary evidence - data that was originally collected by someone else for different purposes.
Key Definitions:
Primary evidence is data collected directly by the researcher specifically for their study (e.g., interviews, surveys).
Secondary evidence is pre-existing data that was originally collected for other purposes but is repurposed by sociologists for their research.
Secondary evidence allows sociologists to:
Historical documents provide sociologists with windows into the past, allowing them to understand how societies have changed over time. These documents weren't created for sociological research, but they can reveal important social patterns and changes.
Government documents, census data, birth/death records, parliamentary debates and legal documents.
Example: Using census data to track changes in family structure over decades.
Newspapers, magazines, TV archives, advertisements and films from different time periods.
Example: Analysing newspaper coverage of immigration to understand changing public attitudes.
Records from schools, hospitals, prisons, churches and businesses.
Example: Examining school punishment records to study changing disciplinary approaches.
Peter Townsend used workhouse records from the 19th century to study poverty in Britain. These records showed who entered workhouses, why they were there and how they were treated. This helped him understand how attitudes towards poverty have changed over time and influenced his research on relative poverty in modern Britain.
Personal documents offer unique insights into people's lives, thoughts and experiences. They can reveal aspects of social life that might not be captured in official records or statistics.
One of the most famous uses of personal documents in sociology is Thomas and Znaniecki's study "The Polish Peasant in Europe and America" (1918-1920). They analysed over 700 personal letters between Polish immigrants in America and their families back home. These letters revealed how immigration affected family relationships, cultural identity and social integration. This groundbreaking study showed how personal documents could provide rich insights into social processes.
When using historical and personal documents, sociologists need to ask critical questions:
Sociologist Stanley Cohen used newspaper articles from the 1960s to analyse how the media portrayed conflicts between "mods" and "rockers" at British seaside resorts. By examining media coverage, he developed his theory of "moral panics" - showing how the media can amplify social concerns and create "folk devils" (groups portrayed as threats to social values). This research demonstrates how historical media documents can reveal important social processes that continue to be relevant today.
The most effective sociological research often combines different types of evidence. Historical and personal documents are frequently used alongside other methods:
Using multiple sources to verify findings and build a more complete picture.
Example: Combining census data, newspaper reports and personal diaries to study changing family structures.
Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches together.
Example: Analysing statistical trends in historical records alongside the content of personal letters.
Working with historians, archivists and other specialists.
Example: Partnering with museum curators to interpret historical artefacts alongside sociological theory.
Secondary evidence in the form of historical and personal documents provides sociologists with valuable insights into social life across different time periods. While these sources have limitations, they offer unique perspectives that might not be accessible through primary research methods. By critically analysing these documents and combining them with other research approaches, sociologists can develop deeper understandings of social structures, relationships and changes over time.
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