What best describes archival research?

• A. Requires new experiments.
• B. Always takes longer than longitudinal studies.
• C. Analyzes existing data rather than collecting new data.
• D. Involves manipulating environments to observe behavior.

Answer: (C)

Archival research relies on existing data rather than generating new data through fresh collection. Researchers analyze records, datasets, or documents that were gathered in the past, such as archives, databases, or survey datasets, to answer questions. This approach is usually faster and less costly because the data are already available, but it comes with limitations like less control over how data were collected and potential issues with missing or inconsistent measures.

That’s why the option describing analyzing existing data rather than collecting new data best fits archival research. The other statements don't describe it: creating new experiments involves collecting new data under controlled conditions; archival work doesn’t inherently require longer time than longitudinal studies (time can vary); and manipulating environments to observe behavior reflects experimental manipulation, not archival analysis.