Secondary data sets can provide useful pilot information to support competitive research proposals, serve as a data source for publishable research papers, and through data mining, provide ideas for new lines of research. Reviewers at funding agencies increasingly expect to see prior empirical work in support of grant proposals. Secondary data sets can be a valuable resource for college faculty to make a strong proposal submission.
A useful compendium of databases, ranging from those focusing on Syracuse data to cross- national information, can be found on the Syracuse University Library website. A particularly useful resource for secondary datasets is the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), which is free to SU faculty.