Difference Between Primary And Secondary Data

Difference Between Primary Data And Secondary Data

The main dissimilarities or difference between primary and secondary data can be pointed out as follows:

1. Introduction

Primary Data: Information or data gathered by conducting original research and investigation. It is new and fresh data.

Secondary Data: Information or data already gathered by other person. It is already available data.

2. Originality

Primary Data: It provides original and fresh information

Secondary Data: It provides historical information and data

3. Information Type

Primary Data: Generally, it provides qualitative information

Secondary Data: Generally, it provides quantitative information

4. Coverage

Primary Data: It has a limited coverage because it provides only raw information

Secondary Data: It has a wider coverage because it provides refined information

5. Validity, Reliability And Accuracy

Primary Data: It ensures more validity, reliability and accuracy by providing real time and fresh data.

Secondary Data: It may lack validity, reliability and accuracy because it provides past or historical data.

6. Time Required

Primary Data: It consumes more time to conduct survey and collect data

Secondary Data: It does not consume more time because data are already collected

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Difference Between Quantitative And Qualitative Data

7. Cost And Effort

Primary Data: It requires more cost and effort to collect fresh data

Secondary Data: It is less costly and requires less labor

8. Sources Of Data

Primary Data: Surveys, experiments, investigation, research, interviews etc. are the major sources of collecting primary data.

Secondary Data: Articles, journals, blogs, magazines etc. are the main sources of secondary data.

Primary Data Vs Secondary Data (Comparison Chart)

Basis For Difference	Primary Data	Secondary Data
Introduction	Fresh data gathered by conducting original research and investigation	Data already gathered by others
Originality	Yes	No
Information Type	Qualitative	Quantitative
Coverage/Scope	Limited	Wider
Validity/Reliability	More	Less
Required Time	More	Less
Cost And Effort	More	Less
Sources Of Data	Investigation, survey, research, interviews etc.	Blogs, magazines, articles, journals etc.

I hope this post is helpful to understand the difference between primary data and secondary data and to make comparison between them.