Primary and

Secondary Data
 Secondary Data
Pre-existing data not gathered for purposes of
the current research
Not ‘new’ data – ‘second
hand’
Secondary data
‘Back up’ data – secondary
in use
•Data gathered by another source (e.g. research
study, survey, interview)
•Secondary data is gathered BEFORE primary
data. WHY?
•Because you want to find out what is already
known about a subject before you decline into
your own investigation. WHY?
•Because some of your questions can possibly
have been already answered by other
investigators or authors.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
• Resource implications – usually easier to gather than
primary data
• Unobtrusive – already collected
• Longitudinal study may be possible
• Quality and permanence of data – eg. government
surveys

Disadvantages
• Suitability
• Cost and access – may still be difficult in spite of
resource advantages
• Validity of some secondary data (eg. Internet sources)
 Primary Data
• Data never gathered before.
• Advantage: find data you need to suit your
purpose
• Disadvantage: usually more costly and time
consuming than collecting secondary data
• Collected after secondary data is collected
 Types of Primary Data
• Demographic/Socioeconomic
– Age, Sex, Income, Marital Status, Occupation
• Psychological/Lifestyle
– Activities, Interests, Personality Traits
• Attitudes/Opinions
– Preferences, Views, Feelings, Inclinations
• Awareness/Knowledge
– Facts about product, features, price, uses
• Intentions
– Planned or Anticipated Behavior
• Motivations
– Why People Buy (Needs, Wants, Wishes, Ideal-Self)
• Behavior
– Purchase, Use, Timing, Traffic Flow
 Primary Data Can Be Gathered By:
• Communication Methods
– Interacting with respondents
– Asking for their opinions, attitudes,
motivations, characteristics
• Observation Methods
– No interaction with respondents
– Letting them behave naturally and drawing
conclusions from their actions
Communication Methods of Primary Data
Collection
• Methods include:
– Surveys
– Focus Groups
– Panels
• Highly versatile in terms of types of data
• Generally more speedy
• Typically more cost effective
– Electronic media have made observation cheaper
– Activities, Interests, Personality Traits
 Pros and Cons of Telephone as a Data
Collection Method
• Relatively fast • Does not handle long
• Relatively strong interviews well
response rates, but • Cannot use visuals
getting worse • Difficult to contact
• Sequence of questions business respondents
can be easily changed • Unlisted numbers make
• Data entry at time of sample frame
completion is possible questionable
• Ability of supervisor to
oversee interviewers
Pros and Cons of Mail as a Data Collection
Method
• Easy to generate • Little control over
stratified sample frame exactly who completes
• No interviewer bias survey
• Assures anonymity of • Low response rate
respondent • Long response time
• Wide distribution • No ability to probe on
• Best for sensitive or open-ended questions
personal questions • Cannot change
• Generally least sequence of questions
expensive
 Sampling Techniques
Population - total group of respondents that
the researcher wants to study. Populations
are too costly and time consuming to study
in entirety.

Sample - selecting and surveying

respondents (research participants)
from the population.
 Sampling Techniques

A probability sample is one that gives every

member of the population a known chance
of being selected.
– simple random sample - anyone
– stratified sample - different groups (ages)
– cluster sample - different areas (cities)
All are selected randomly.
 Sampling Techniques

A non-probability sample is an arbitrary

grouping that limits the use of some
statistical tests. It is not selected randomly.
• convenience sample - readily available
• quota sample - maintain representation
 Personal Interviews as a Data Collection Method
(in-home and mall intercept)
• Probably highest • Generally narrow
response rate distribution
• Allows any type of • Typically most expensive
questions/questionnaires method
• Easy to ensure • Often tough to gain
representative sample identity of respondent
• Know who is completing • Can be time consuming in
questionnaire the case of in-home
• Mall intercept can be • Tough to supervise
relatively quick
 Constructing the Questionnaire
Select the correct types of questions:
• open ended – harder to score but get “richer”
information
• closed ended, dichotomous – offer two
either/or responses (true/false; yes/no; for/against
• multiple choice – select one or more than one
• scaled response – gather range of “values”
(strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neutral,
somewhat agree, strongly agree
1. Have you had any of the following
medical preventive tests/exams?

_____ mammogram (if a women)

_____ prostate exam (if a man)
_____ lung x-ray
_____ electrocardiogram
_____ stress test
2. Do you currently smoke?

_____ YES

_____ NO
3. Please evaluate the following statement:

I understand the University’s code of

conduct as it relates to plagiarism.
____absolutely agree
____somewhat agree
____neutral
____somewhat disagree
____absolutely disagree
 Important characteristics of good
questionnaires
• Plan a user-friendly format
• Gather demographic data – age, gender, etc., when
necessary.
• Guarantee anonymity
• Ensure ease of tabulation – Scantron forms
• Ask well-phrased and unambiguous questions that
can be answered
• Develop for completeness – get all the data
• Pilot test the instrument
 Electronic Media as a Data Collection Method
(email, online, fax)
• Typically low cost, • Limited sample frame
especially marginal cost – representative
of additional responses – ability to locate
• Wide distribution • Expense of infrastructure
possible and expertise
• Very quick (15 minutes-2 • SPAM backlash
days) • Legal problems
• Fairly decent response
rates
• Easy point-of-purchase
feedback
• Automatic data entry
 Increasing Response Rates for
Communication Methods
• Pre-notification letters
• Cover letters/purpose statements
• Incentives
– Money
– Donations to charity
– Gifts
• Postage-paid returns
 Observation Methods: What Can Be
Observed?

• Physical Actions
• Verbal Behaviors
• Expressive behaviors
• Special Relations and Locations
• Temporal Patterns
• Physical Evidence
 Primary Research Methods
• Focus Groups – bring together respondents with
common characteristics
• Observation - actually view respondents
• Experiment - controlled variables and respondent
groups.
• Non-personal survey – on site, telephone, mail,
fax, computer, panel
• Personal interview - one-on-one survey with
respondents
• Company records – internal document survey
research
THANKYOU