Will I be able to use what I learn at work?

Yes. In the labs, you build the same documents analysts prepare at the start of a real assignment: a defined research problem, a research scope statement with deliberate exclusions, and a complete secondary research plan. You can reuse these as templates the next time a stakeholder hands you a market research request.

Do I need generative AI tools or a paid database subscription?

No. You only need a computer with a modern web browser, a reliable internet connection, and a word processor such as Microsoft Word Online or Google Docs. Generative AI tools are introduced in Course 3 of this specialization, AI-Assisted Market Research.

Will I get to practice what I learn?

Yes. Short practice labs let you define a research problem, scope the research, and build a research plan using realistic business scenarios. A role-play and two scenario activities give you quick practice making research decisions, and the course ends with a final project based on a market-entry scenario.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Planning Secondary Market Research

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Planning Secondary Market Research

This course is part of Secondary Market Research and Analysis Specialization

Instructors: SkillUp

Included with Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Advanced level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Advanced level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explain the role, applications, and limits of secondary market research, and when to use it instead of primary research.
Identify the main types of secondary sources and spot weak evidence, such as outdated or unverified statistics.
Translate an ambiguous business problem into focused research objectives, questions, and sub-questions.
Create a scoped secondary research plan covering sources, search strategy, evidence standards, and workflow.

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Secondary Market Research and Analysis Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Vague questions. Drifting scope. Hours of searching that never answer the real business question. Most market research goes wrong before the first search.

This course will teach you to plan secondary market research so that every hour of searching moves a business decision forward. You will learn when secondary research is the right choice over primary research, which types of sources fit which questions, and how to spot weak evidence such as outdated figures and unverified statistics. You will turn an ambiguous business problem into focused research objectives and research questions, define research scope across market, geography, customer, competitor, product, and timeframe, and build a secondary research plan covering sources, search strategy, evidence standards, and workflow. Practice labs, scenario activities, and a role-play let you apply these skills to realistic business scenarios. Designed for marketing, insights, strategy, and business professionals, this course will help you scope research faster, avoid wasted effort, and deliver research plans that stakeholders trust.

In this module, you will build the foundations for advanced secondary market research. You will examine what secondary research is, where it is used, and how it supports business decisions, then compare primary and secondary approaches so you can judge when each is the right tool. You will survey the major types of secondary research and information sources, and close by looking at where secondary research commonly goes wrong, outdated figures, mismatched definitions, and unverified aggregator statistics, so you can recognize weak evidence before you rely on it. A short scenario activity gives you practice spotting these pitfalls in realistic research excerpts.

What's included

4 videos4 readings3 assignments

4 videosTotal 15 minutes

Course Introduction3 minutes
Introduction to Secondary Market Research4 minutes
Primary vs Secondary Research4 minutes
Common Pitfalls in Secondary Research4 minutes

4 readingsTotal 13 minutes

Course Overview2 minutes
How to Make the Most of This Course2 minutes
Types of Secondary Research5 minutes
Summary and Highlights: Understanding Secondary Market Research4 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 33 minutes

Graded Quiz: Understanding Secondary Market Research21 minutes
Practice Quiz: Foundations of Secondary Research6 minutes
Practice Quiz: Types, Sources, and Pitfalls in Secondary Research6 minutes

In this module, you will convert an ambiguous business problem into a focused, researchable one. You will learn to diagnose the underlying business decision, translate it into research objectives and well-formed research questions, and test those questions for answerability before you commit research effort to them. You will then set explicit scope boundaries across market, geography, customer, competitor, product, and timeframe, treating scope as a deliberate, documented decision rather than something that drifts as research proceeds. Two hands-on labs and a scenario activity give you practice applying these skills to realistic business situations.

What's included

2 videos4 readings3 assignments1 plugin

2 videosTotal 8 minutes

From Business Problem to Research Problem4 minutes
Defining Research Scope4 minutes

4 readingsTotal 44 minutes

Lab: Define the Research Problem20 minutes
Developing Research Questions5 minutes
Lab: Scope the Research15 minutes
Summary and Highlights: Framing the Research Problem4 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 33 minutes

Graded Quiz: Framing the Research Problem21 minutes
Practice Quiz: From Business Problem to Research Question6 minutes
Practice Quiz: Setting Research Scope6 minutes

1 pluginTotal 10 minutes

Scenario: Setting the Boundaries10 minutes

In this module, you will turn a framed research problem into a complete, actionable secondary research plan. You will build a research framework that maps your information requirements to your research questions, choose an organizing structure, and match information needs to candidate source types. You will then design a search strategy, set evidence requirements, and plan a research workflow, including how to estimate effort, set stopping rules, and anticipate data gaps. The module closes with a hands-on lab in which you assemble a complete research plan for a market-entry scenario — the same type of plan you will build independently in the course final project.

What's included

2 videos4 readings3 assignments1 plugin

2 videosTotal 8 minutes

Building a Research Framework4 minutes
Creating a Secondary Research Plan4 minutes

4 readingsTotal 34 minutes

Choosing and Applying an Organizing Structure5 minutes
Anticipating and Working Around Data Gaps5 minutes
Lab: Build a Secondary Research Plan20 minutes
Summary and Highlights: Building the Secondary Research Plan4 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 33 minutes

Graded Quiz: Building the Secondary Research Plan21 minutes
Practice Quiz: Building the Research Framework6 minutes
Practice Quiz: From Search Strategy to a Complete Plan6 minutes

1 pluginTotal 10 minutes

Activity: Scenario: Planning Under Constraints10 minutes

In this final module, you will consolidate your learning by completing a comprehensive final project that brings together problem framing, scoping, and research planning from across the course. You will take an unstructured business scenario and produce a complete secondary research plan: research objectives, sub-questions, documented scope boundaries, intended sources, and evidence requirements. You will then review key terms in the course glossary and complete a final exam covering all three content modules, before wrapping up with a look ahead to Course 2 of the specialization.

What's included

1 video3 readings2 assignments

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Frequently asked questions

Secondary market research answers business questions using information that already exists, such as government statistics, industry and analyst reports, company filings, and internal sales records. Organizations rely on it for decisions such as market entry, market sizing, competitor tracking, and trend monitoring, and it often frames the questions before any primary research is commissioned.

This is an advanced course, so it is not an introduction to marketing or research. There are no formal prerequisites, but you should be familiar with fundamental marketing concepts and basic online research, be comfortable using web search and common productivity tools, and be able to read business material such as annual reports and market summaries.

This course is for you if you need to plan market research before you start searching for evidence. It is designed for marketing professionals, market research, insights, and competitive intelligence analysts, business, strategy, and consulting analysts working on market entry or sizing, entrepreneurs and founders validating a market opportunity, and anyone preparing for a research-intensive analyst role.

Yes. This course is designed for working professionals, not beginners. If you usually start searching as soon as a request comes in and refine the question as you go, this course gives you a structured, repeatable way to plan the work first. You will confirm the decision the research supports, write focused research questions, set clear scope boundaries, and agree on sources and evidence standards before you begin, so your research is faster to complete and easier to defend to stakeholders.

To access course materials, assignments, and earn a Certificate, you'll need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. Eligible learners may also have the option to start with a Free Trial. Some courses may also offer a Full Course, No Certificate option. This lets you access course materials, submit required assessments, and receive a final grade, but you won't be able to earn or purchase a Certificate.