Primary & Secondary Data

• Define primary data?

  When information is obtained first hand by the researcher for an investigation
• what are the strengths of primary data?


  • It is relevant to the conducted study, increeasing the internal validity of the findings, data fits their aims and objectives
• What are the limitations of primary data?


  • It requires time and effort
  • Not cost effective which may reduce the appropriateness of data collection
• Define secondary data?


  When information is collected by someone else other than the researcher - but used by the researcher for their investigation
• what is secondary research also known as?


  Desk Research
• Give examples of primary data?


  Questionnaires, interviews, observations
• Give examples of secondary data?


  Articles, websites, books
• What are the strengths of secondary data?


  • It is time and cost effective as it can be easily accessed online
  • Data is accessed so requires minimal effort to collect
• What are the limitations of secondary data?


  • Data may be outdated (obsolete) so incomplete
  • The data may be unreliable, the researhcer would not have been there when the study was conducted so lijkely to be unsure of the validity of the results