Tools of data collection (primary and secondary)

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY)

Data collection is a process of collecting information from all the relevant sources to find answers to the research problem, test the hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes. Data collection methods can be divided into two categories: primary methods of data collection and secondary methods of data collection.

1. Primary Data: 

Primary data refers to the data collected from primary sources, i.e., the data collected by the investigator himself. Primary data is also collected since it is collected for the first time by a person who is going to use them. The process of collecting primary data is termed as collection of statistics. Primary data are always collected by the investigator, in the field and from the original sources.

Advantages of primary data:

1. Primary data are the first-hand account of the situation.
2. There is a greater scope for reliability of the information.
3. Primary data are the logical starting point for research in several disciplines.
4. Primary data are the only source to understand one’s opinions, personal qualities, attitudes, etc.

Disadvantages of primary data:

1. For primary data collection, interview coverage is restricted and more researchers are needed.  
2. Collecting data takes time and effort. By the time the data is acquired, evaluated, and reported, the research problem is significant or outdated. So, the study may fail.  
3. It has design problems like how to design the surveys. The questions must be simple to understand and respond.
4. Some respondents don’t answer. Sometimes respondents give nice, socially acceptable answers to hide the truth.
5. Data collecting costs more with more people, time, and effort. The research’s importance may decrease.
6. Primary data collecting methods lack control. Incomplete questionnaires always hurt research.
7. Data collecting requires training. Inexperienced data collectors may provide poor study data.

2. Secondary Data: 

The facts and figures that have already been collected are called secondary data. The secondary data exists before the investigation starts. According to Blair “The data which are used in an investigation, but which have been gathered originally by someone else for some purpose are known as secondary data.

Advantages of secondary data:

1. It is cheaper and faster to access.
2. It provides a way to access the work of the best scholars all over the world.
3. It gives a frame of mind to the researcher that in which direction he/she should go for the specific research.
4. It saves time, effort and money and adds to the value of the research study.

Disadvantages of Secondary data:

1. Third-party data may be unreliable, lowering data accuracy.
2. Data collected in one location may not be suitable for the other one due to variable environmental factors.
3. With the passage of time, the data becomes obsolete and very old.
4. Secondary data can skew studies. Modifying secondary data requires great consideration.
5. Secondary data can also raise issues of authenticity and copyright.

It’s important to note that the choice of data collection tool depends on the research objectives, available resources, and the nature of the data being sought. Researchers often employ a combination of primary and secondary data collection methods to obtain comprehensive and reliable information.