What kind of data is defined as "secondary data"?

Secondary data refers to information that has already been collected and analyzed by someone other than the user. This data has been gathered for a different purpose or research project and can be repurposed for new analyses. The advantage of using secondary data lies in its accessibility and the potential cost savings in time and resources, as researchers do not need to go through the process of data collection themselves. This can include data from sources such as books, articles, reports, and databases, making it a rich resource for contextual insights and background information in a variety of fields.

In contrast, the other options describe different types of data collection methods or utilization. Information collected directly for a specific research project is classified as primary data, which is gathered specifically for the current study. Unprocessed raw data usually refers to newly collected data that has not yet been analyzed or organized. Lastly, information used in real-time data analysis typically pertains to live data streams or data that is analyzed on-the-fly, which also does not fit the definition of secondary data.