Primary and Secondary Data

Distinguishing between primary and secondary data is important to help make your research credible. Primary sources make more credible data than secondary sources.

Primary data is data gathered first hand and for the purpose of the investigation at hand. This data contains original materials gathered by the “investigator”. An example of primary data is medical charts; they are gathered by the doctor for the purpose of your office visit.

Secondary data is data gathered from other sources and initially gathered for another purpose. Secondary data describes, interprets, analyzes, evaluates or explains a primary source. An example of secondary data is a review article. This type of data describes, interprets, analyzes, evaluates or explains a primary source (whatever the article is about, for example an article reviewing a medical journal article).

Since primary data is gathered in the form of original documents or statistics, these are more credible than secondary data which is basically second-hand information.

There are several examples of data that can be primary in one case and secondary in another. The example from earlier, medical charts is one. As primary data, it is collected by your physician for your current visit. It can be used as secondary data when transferred to another physician. This second physician did not gather the information contained; therefore, making it secondary.

Source:

Rabianski, J. S. (2003). Primary and Secondary Data: Concepts, Concerns, Errors, and Issues. Appraisal Journal, 71(1), 43-55. 

Plagiarism:

Using someone else's work without giving proper credit, is plagiarism. If you use my work, please reference it.