Primary and Secondary Data

11 Key excerpts on "Primary and Secondary Data"

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  eBook - ePub

  The Marketing Research Guide

  • Robert E Stevens, David L Loudon, Morris E Ruddick, Bruce Wrenn, Philip K Sherwood(Authors)
  • 2012(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  secondary data. Primary data are those data that are collected for the first time by the researcher for the specific research project at hand. Secondary data are data previously gathered for some other purpose. The terms “primary” and “secondary” may cause some confusion. These terms have nothing to do with the relative importance of the information. Whether the data are primary or secondary is determined by whether they originated with the specific study in consideration or not.

  The first tenet of data gathering among researchers is to exhaust all sources of secondary data before engaging in a search for primary data. Many research questions can be answered more quickly and with less expense through the proper use of secondary information. However, caution must be used to ensure that primary sources of secondary data are used since they are generally more accurate and complete than secondary sources of secondary data.

  SECONDARY DATA SOURCES

  The first problem that confronts a researcher in initiating a secondary data search is the massive amount, wide variety, and many locations of secondary data. Some method of logically summarizing the sources of secondary data is helpful. Most textbooks on the subject divide secondary data sources into two groups: internal data sources and external data sources.

  Internal secondary data sources are closest at hand since they are found within the organization initiating the research process. These internal data have been collected for other purposes but are available to be consolidated, compared, and analyzed to answer the new research question being posed. This is particularly true of organizations that have sophisticated management information systems that routinely gather and consolidate useful marketing, accounting, and production information.

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  Basics Of Research Methodology

  • Ekwal Imam(Author)
  • 2021(Publication Date)
  • NEW INDIA PUBLISHING AGENCY (NIPA)

    (Publisher)

  Chapter – 2 Collection of Data Studying this chapter will enable us:  To understand the meaning and purpose of data collection  To distinguish between primary and secondary sources  To know the mode of data collection 2.1. INTRODUCTION The purpose of collecting data is to collect evidence for reaching a sound and clear solution to a problem. In this chapter we will study the sources of data, mode of data collection and its techniques. Sources and Types of Data Statistical data can be obtained from two sources: (i) Primary and (ii) Secondary The enumerator (person who collects the data) may collect the data by conducting an enquiry or an investigation or experiment. Such data are called Primary Data, as they are based on first hand information. Thus, the data are considered to be primary when it is collected and processed for the first time. If the data have been collected and processed (scrutinized and tabulated) by some other agency and used by another agency, such type of data are called Secondary Data. Generally, Secondary Data is collected 11 Basics of Research Methodology 12 from already published data. Secondary data can be obtained either from published sources or from any other sources like a web site, scientific journals, books, reports, etc. 2.2. PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION METHODS In primary data collection, we collect the data ourselves using methods such as experiments, observations, interviews and questionnaires. The key point here is that the data we collect is unique to us and our research and, until we publish, no one else has access to it. There are many methods of collecting primary data and the main methods include: 2.2.1. Research, Experiment and Observation Research is a systematic investigation in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. It is used to discover or verify information presented. A research may be based on laboratory experiment or observation of nature or natural objects in the field.

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  Marketing Research

  • V. Kumar, Robert P. Leone, David A. Aaker, George S. Day(Authors)
  • 2018(Publication Date)
  • Wiley

    (Publisher)

  Often, the immediate and unique needs of a decision maker require collecting original, or primary data, which is the topic of the rest of the book. Secondary Data Secondary data are data that were collected by persons or agencies for purposes other than solving the problem at hand. They are one of the least expensive, quickest, and easiest means of access to information. Hence, the first thing a researcher should do is search for secondary data Data sources Primary data Secondary data Internal records Sales/patronage results (outcomes) Marketing activity (inputs) Cost information Distributor reports and feedback Customer feedback • • • • • Government Trade associations Periodicals Newspapers Books Annual reports Private studies • • • • • • • Store audits Warehouse withdrawal services Consumer purchase panels Single–source data Nielsen's television index Starch scores Arbitron panel Multimedia services • • • • • • • • Blogs Competitors Web sites • • • External sources Published data Internet Standardized sources of marketing data Printed Electronic Web FIGURE 5.1 Sources of Secondary Data. SECONDARY SOURCES OF MARKETING DATA 100 available on the topic. The amount of secondary data available is overwhelming, and researchers have to locate and utilize the data that are relevant to their research. Most search procedures fol- low a distinctive pattern, which begins with the most available and least costly sources. Figure 5.1 shows the various sources of secondary data. The order from top to bottom corresponds roughly to the order in which the alternative sources should be considered, or to the likelihood of that type of data being incorporated into the marketing information system. That is, almost all information systems initially are based on routinely collected internal data and expand through the inclusion of data from published and standardized sources. Uses of Secondary Data Secondary data can be used by researchers in many ways.

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  Research Methods and Statistics

  • Bernard C. Beins, Maureen A. McCarthy(Authors)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Cambridge University Press

    (Publisher)

  You can also use the database’s thesaurus, which tells you what terms to use when searching for a given concept. Table 3.8 gives a glimpse of the possibilities for expanding your search. By experimenting, you may be able to figure out alternate strategies for increasing the number of hits. Different Sources of Information There is a wealth of sources of information about psychological research. Some of that infor- mation is useful, some is suspect, and some is of unknown quality. When you read reports that the researchers themselves have written, you are dealing with primary sources. In general, if an article appears in a peer-reviewed research journal, you can have confidence that there is merit to the information in the article. There may be limitations to the work, but it is probably generally valid. Sometimes a writer will refer to the research by another psychologist, describing the meth- ods, results, and interpretations. This type of work is a secondary source. The original research is likely to be valid if it appeared in a professional journal, but at this point, the new authors are giving their own interpretations of the original ideas. The secondary source is going to present a reduced version of the original, so there may be departures from what the original writers either wrote or intended. Secondary sources can be valuable, but you are not going to be getting a com- plete picture of the original work. At times you may need to refer to a secondary source, as when you cannot get the original, but using primary sources is preferable when possible. You may also see tertiary sources. These are descriptions of research based on somebody else’s description of yet somebody else’s original research. The farther you Primary source—The original source of research results or theory such as a journal or book chapter. Secondary source—A source written by an author who describes somebody else’s work.

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  Principles of Data Management and Presentation

  • Dr. John P. Hoffmann(Author)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • University of California Press

    (Publisher)

  Under a strict definition, such a dataset is considered secondary. Yet, it could also be considered primary since the researchers collected the data and organ-ized them so they would be useful to the particular research project. In order to simplify things a bit, this type of compiled dataset is discussed in the next chapter that addresses pri-mary and linked administrative data. WHY USE SECONDARY DATA? A large and perhaps even growing tendency in the social science community is to use sec-ondary sources of data in research projects. Although it is diffi cult to find good information on the percentage of research articles in the social sciences that are based on secondary data, I looked at the last two years of a few journals in my academic field and found that about three-fourths of the articles used secondary data in one form or another. But why is this so common? There are several advantages of secondary data, including the following: • Cost. It is expensive to collect primary data. Even a modest survey of only 100 people can set researchers back several thousand dollars. Although there are some cost-effi cient ways to conduct surveys—such as by utilizing online survey software—it is typically a high-cost endeavor, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of time. Many secondary datasets may be accessed via the Internet for free; others are available after paying relatively low fees. Moreover, since the data are already available and often in pretty good shape (but this needs careful evaluation), researchers may save quite a bit of time on their projects. • Longitudinal data. Primary data collection tends to be expensive, but think about a project in which one collects data repeatedly for a number of years. This can be very expensive, even if the sample is restricted to a single community or school.

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  An Essential Guide to Business Statistics

  • Dawn A. Willoughby(Author)
  • 2016(Publication Date)
  • Wiley

    (Publisher)

  40 Differences between primary data and secondary data are as follows: • Primary data are collected by the researcher, whereas secondary data have been collected by someone else and are used by the researcher. • Primary data are usually raw data, whereas secondary data have often been processed before being made available. Primary Advantage: when collecting your own data, they can be processed and presented in ways which best suit your research and results. Disadvantage: it is difficult and time-consuming to use data collection methods to gather information from large samples of the population. Secondary Advantage: you could have easy and quick access to a large database of information that has been collected over a long period of time. Disadvantage: it is likely that secondary data have already been processed and so may not be presented in the way you would prefer. 42 A N E S S E N T I A L G U I D E T O B U S I N E S S S T A T I S T I C S

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  Research Recipes for Midwives

  • Caroline J. Hollins Martin(Author)
  • 2023(Publication Date)
  • Wiley-Blackwell

    (Publisher)

  135 Research Recipes for Midwives, First Edition. Caroline J. Hollins Martin. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published 2024 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. CHAPTER 7 Data Collection Methods 7.1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA Primary data is new and original data gathered directly by the researcher as part of following a research proposal. As such, primary data is collected firsthand by the researcher through their direct endeavours and for the purpose of answering their specified research question. As such, primary data is raw data gathered via specified methods, which may include collected physical samples, completed surveys, recorded observations, audiotaped interviews or focus groups, or analysed histor- ical records. In contrast, secondary data is secondhand material gathered from already published research papers, organizational records, reports, websites, meeting minutes, letters, case notes, etc. Often the midwifery researcher will carry out secondary data analysis in the form of a literature review (see Chapter 3). To view a summary of differences between Primary and Secondary Data, see Table 7.1). We will now move on and discuss types of data collection tools, but first, we will define this term. The phrase ‘data collection tools’ refers to the instruments the researcher uses to gather data for their study, which may include paper or online questionnaire(s), gathering specimens, interviews, or focus groups. 7.2 DATA COLLECTION METHODS AND TOOLS Data are a compilation of information, evidence, or facts from which the researcher draws conclusions. In relation to the two research approaches (see Chapter 2), data collected can be quantitative (deductive and numeric in form) or qualitative (inductive and involve individualized discussion with participants to induce many themes). Whatever approach you take, the data collection tools you select are implemented for the purpose of gathering data that will provide evidence to answer the research question(s).

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  Quantitative Methods in Social Science Research

  • Stephen Gorard(Author)
  • 2003(Publication Date)
  • Continuum

    (Publisher)

  14 Quantitative Methods in Social Science in each region of England in relation to the local population density (and decide, for example, whether 'truancy' in secondary schools is higher in towns and cities than in rural areas). I could do this because the relevant figures already exist. As long as I can get access to them I can then run my own analysis. Now, of course, these findings may be of little interest to you and I have certainly never done any research on these topics. They are simply examples of using what is termed in this chapter 'secondary data', which is data used by a researcher who did not also collect it. Most researchers, especially new researchers carrying out small-scale studies on a limited budget, tend to go out and collect their own new (primary) data. It takes a little experience to appreciate the value of secondary (second-hand) information, and to know what to do with it when you get it. This chapter and the next help provide that experience. My prediction is that once you have experienced the power and economy of secondary analysis you will not want to design any further studies without incorporating at least an element of it. It can transform a post-graduate dissertation from something that gathers dust on a library shelf to a project worthy of further dissemination through publication and worthy of further attention by other researchers in your field. Yet it can take less time to complete and cost less to produce than a small questionnaire survey or a handful of interviews. WHY USE SECONDARY DATA? The call to make better use of existing records in social science dates back at least to the writing of Bulmer (1980) or perhaps to the 'statists' of the seventeenth century concerned to improve life chances for the very poor. In a loose sense of the term, all academics already use secondary findings in constructing their review of literature (Hakim 1982).

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  Postgraduate Research in Business

  A Critical Guide

  • Sarah Quinton, Teresa Smallbone(Authors)
  • 2006(Publication Date)
  • SAGE Publications Ltd

    (Publisher)

  The aim of this chapter is to help you to learn how to identify the appropriate areas of literature for your assignments and dissertation. You can spend a lot of time read-ing and collecting secondary information that turns out to be worthless, so it is important to develop your skills to assess it in advance for its rigour and value. Secondary Data Using secondary data in your assignment or dissertation can be defined as ‘re-analysing data collected already for some other purpose’, as well as published summaries of that data. Basically, secondary information is all the data that has been collected by others but is available to you as a student of business and management. Whatever you are working on for an assignment or dissertation, you are bound to need to look at some secondary data. This chapter covers the types and relative value of different sources of secondary information, including the Internet and its uses and abuses, and when and how to use newspaper sources and trade journals, as well as the value of secondary data in general. Whether you are writing coursework or for a dissertation, one key criterion for a good piece of work is that you draw on a ‘wide range’ of secondary literature. There is no problem in finding it – the Internet gives you access to vast resources undreamed of by earlier generations of students. The problem thus rapidly comes down to what to include and what to exclude, and how to make sense of it all. Types of secondary data In an effort to make it more manageable, various authors of textbooks on research meth-ods try to distinguish different categories of secondary information. Saunders et al. (2003) distinguish three types, which they categorize as documentary, multiple source, and sur-vey data. By documentary, they mean both written documents, such as organizational records and academics’ notes, and non-written materials such as television programmes.

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  Research & Evaluation for Busy Students and Practitioners 2e

  A Time-Saving Guide

  • Kara, Helen(Authors)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Policy Press

    (Publisher)

  EIGHT

  Primary data

  Introduction

  The collection of data is often the first thing people think of in connection with research or evaluation. A common misconception is that more data always leads to better research. As we saw in Chapter Four, this is not the case.

  There’s a danger of people burying themselves in data. Don’t ask too many research questions. Set the agenda firmly at the beginning and find out only what you need to know, or you will be drowning in numbers and information which is nice to have but not necessary.

  Too much data, particularly qualitative data or data in a variety of formats, can become unwieldy and difficult to analyse. When it came to analysing data I think I dumped about a third of the questions that were asked which weren’t relevant to what we were doing.

  Collecting data that you don’t use is unethical because it places an unnecessary burden on participants. However, insufficient data will definitely lead to poorer quality research. It isn’t always easy to figure out how much data you need.

  When you’re planning your data collection, try to work out: the smallest amount of data you can collect that is likely to provide an adequate answer to your research questions.

  You don’t have to collect data using one method alone. In fact, using more than one method can be helpful, and this is known as ‘triangulation’. The term has its origins in physical sciences, such as land surveying and water navigation, where two known points are used to find the location of a third. In social research, collecting data using two or more different methods can help you to look at your research topic in different ways. Triangulation doesn’t apply only to primary data collection. Depending on your research question, you may be able to: use more than one theory to underpin your work; collect more than one kind of document or literature; analyse your data in different ways; and so on. I am not suggesting that you should try to do all of this, or even any of it if it is not relevant to your research or evaluation. However, it is important for you to know that it is an option, and to do the necessary thinking to decide whether or not you want to take it up. If you are interested, there is a section on mixed methods research in Chapter Three which would be relevant for you to read or re-read.

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  Research and Evaluation for Busy Students and Practitioners

  A Time-Saving Guide

  • Kara, Helen(Authors)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Policy Press

    (Publisher)

  133 EIGHT Primary data Introduction The collection of data is often the first thing people think of in connection with research or evaluation. A common misconception is that more data always leads to better research. As we saw in Chapter Four, this is not the case. There’s a danger of people burying themselves in data. Don’t ask too many research questions. Set the agenda firmly at the beginning and find out only what you need to know, or you will be drowning in numbers and information which is nice to have but not necessary. Too much data, particularly qualitative data or data in a variety of formats, can become unwieldy and difficult to analyse. When it came to analysing data I think I dumped about a third of the questions that were asked which weren’t relevant to what we were doing. Collecting data that you don’t use is unethical because it places an unnecessary burden on participants. However, insufficient data will definitely lead to poorer quality research. It isn’t always easy to figure out how much data you need. 134 Research and evaluation for busy students and practitioners When you’re planning your data collection, try to work out: the smallest amount of data you can collect that is likely to provide an adequate answer to your research questions. You don’t have to collect data using one method alone. In fact, using more than one method can be helpful, and this is known as ‘triangulation’. The term has its origins in physical sciences, such as land surveying and water navigation, where two known points are used to find the location of a third. In social research, collecting data using two or more different methods can help you to look at your research topic in different ways. Triangulation doesn’t apply only to primary data collection. Depending on your research question, you may be able to: use more than one theory to underpin your work; collect more than one kind of document or literature; analyse your data in different ways; and so on.

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