What is primary data? Discuss the various method of collecting primary data.
Well, before answering what a primary data is lets understand the importance of data in a research. What does each and every research study require to obtain results? It is nothing else but data. It assists in answering questions, get awareness of a particular issue or test a hypothesis.
When the data is gathered directly by the researcher for the first time it is called primary data. By nature, it is original and is pertinent to a research issue under study. A benefit of primary data is that researchers are gathering details for the particular purposes of their study. Here, the researchers gather the data by themselves, with the help of surveys, interviews and direct observations. Some of the methods for collecting primary data are as follows:
Interview method
This method is the most common method of primary data collection. The interviewer can 1) pose questions personally 2) ask questions through e-mail 3) get answers through telephonic conversation.
Questionnaire method
Questionnaires are also one of the most common methods of primary data collection. It consists of a set of questions pertaining to the research problem. This is more feasible if the data are to be gathered from a huge population. The questions in this method can be either open-ended or close-ended.
Focus group interview
This is also one of the common methods of primary data collection. Here, a small group of individuals joins to talk about the problem.
Schedule method
Sometimes it so happens that the informants are not very much educated. Here the data cannot be gathered by mailed questionnaire method. Here, a scheduled method is used to gather data. The enumerators send the questionnaires to collect information.
Observation method
This method lets one to assess the dynamics of a situation. This is a systematic way of data collection. Researchers make use of all their senses to evaluate people in naturally occurring situations.
If you need any help with Ph.D Primary data collection Visit : http://bit.ly/2kRSN5V