Primary and Secondary data

Question 1

What is primary data?

Answer 1

Information sources/data that is directly collected by the researcher firsthand e.g. they collect data through a questionnaire, experiment, interviews etc. for their research

Question 2

What is a strength of primary data?

Answer 2

Strengths: researcher has control over the study. This includes ethics (BPS guidelines), validity and reliability.

Question 3

What is a weakness of primary data?

Answer 3

Weaknesses: lengthy and expensive. Cannot examine historic trends.

Question 4

What is secondary data?

Answer 4

Information sources/data that have not been directly collected /created by the researcher e.g. use of methods such as content analysis of existing data, or literature reviews.

Question 5

Strengths of secondary data?

Answer 5

• Quick, easy and cheap.
• Can produce historical data looking at several studies.
• Stats have already been done.
• More ethical as looking at material rather than producing a study.

Question 6

Weaknesses of secondary data?

Answer 6

• Data may not fit the needs of your study.
• Researcher has no control over validity or reliability.
• Researcher is unaware of any ethical issues that could have happened in the study