To carry out a successful statistical study, one of the basic and most important elements that help in data acquisition, in which primary data are the most important.
Primary data is one of the two basic forms of data, or in short, it is the simplest of all data that is required for statistical processing. This article will tell you everything you need to know about the types of primary data.
What is primary data?
Primary data are those “raw” and “unprocessed” data that investigators assemble straight from primary sources: polls (online or live), interviews, experiments, and so on. This is why they are regarded as the best type of data because they come from reliable sources.
But before you start any research, you need to determine its goals and target group. Who might want your experiment? The sources from which you will extract primary data are also selected and tailored precisely to the demands of the specific source.
Examples of primary data
We’ll provide a few examples to illustrate how primary data collection occurs.
- Market research
Carried out primarily as a point of a major line of business planning, the market survey gathers data about the target market and customers
Companies that perform market studies on a new product they are about to release (let’s say a phone) collect information on customer purchasing power, feature preferences, and many other things that may be involved in using a smartphone. A new study needs to be done each time, as the results of the previous ones will be considered irrelevant due to product changes.
- Student Dissertation
This type of research, as has become clear, is done by students when writing a diploma or any other research paper. The types of data will also depend on the type of research: laboratory, social, statistical, and so on.
For example, a student who wants to find out how eating fast food affects a person’s weight would have to select several people, feed them fast food every day, and record changes in their weight. This will be called primary data.
- Surviving trauma
Everyone experiences trauma differently, whether it is physical or psychological trauma. If you want to do research that will help you understand the commonalities, you need to interview people with these experiences using an online survey or questionnaire.
Methods for collecting primary data
The first method is the interview. What are the pros and cons of this type of interview?
Pros:
- You will have access to detailed information
- Abstinence or insincerity can be noticed and noted in your research
- Ability to control samples
Cons:
- Too time-consuming
- Expensive
Surveys and questionnaires.
Pros:
- Participants have a lot to think about when answering
- Not expensive
Cons:
- Multiple missing answers can lead to systematic error
- Slow
Observation.
Pros:
- All data are objective
- Does not affect past or future events
Cons:
-
- Information is limited
- It’s expensive