Final answer:
Using secondary data like the Administration on Aging report to assess low-income pensioners has the strength of being nonreactive, thus not influencing subject behavior, but the weakness is that the data may be outdated, limiting current relevancy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing the impact of low income on pensioners using secondary data, it's important to consider both strengths and weaknesses. One significant strength of using secondary data is that it is a form of nonreactive research, which means it does not involve direct contact with the subjects, preventing any influence on their behavior.
This allows researchers to analyze existing data without the cost and risks involved in primary research. An example of this benefit is found in the report from the Administration on Aging, which utilizes existing data to assess the economic well-being of older Americans following the 2008 financial crisis.
A noted weakness, as mentioned by Tran, is that secondary data may be outdated, which questions its relevance to current conditions. Tran reflects on the potential usefulness of old data by extrapolating trends, but this also shows a limitation in the ability to reflect current situations accurately. Researchers looking to assess current impacts may thus be hampered by the age of the data. This weakness suggests a need for careful evaluation of the sources and consideration of whether the data can reasonably extrapolate to the present.