Which data type is collected directly by researchers for a specific study?

Which data type is collected directly by researchers for a specific study?

• A. Secondary data
• B. Primary data
• C. Tertiary data
• D. Meta data

Answer: (B)

Collecting data directly for a specific study is called primary data. This is gathered firsthand to answer the study’s exact questions, giving researchers control over how it’s collected, what’s measured, and how it’s recorded. Examples include surveys, experiments, interviews, and direct observations conducted for the project. This differs from secondary data, which comes from data collected for other purposes and is reused, such as existing reports or datasets. Tertiary data are summaries or compilations based on primary and secondary sources. Metadata, on the other hand, is information about the data itself (like when and how it was collected) rather than the raw data. Because the question focuses on data collected directly for the study, primary data is the best fit.

Collecting data directly for a specific study is called primary data. This is gathered firsthand to answer the study’s exact questions, giving researchers control over how it’s collected, what’s measured, and how it’s recorded. Examples include surveys, experiments, interviews, and direct observations conducted for the project. This differs from secondary data, which comes from data collected for other purposes and is reused, such as existing reports or datasets. Tertiary data are summaries or compilations based on primary and secondary sources. Metadata, on the other hand, is information about the data itself (like when and how it was collected) rather than the raw data. Because the question focuses on data collected directly for the study, primary data is the best fit.