Which is an example of primary data?

answers to the researcher's own questionnaire. The researcher collected it first-hand.

Which is an example of secondary data?

government figures on births. It already existed before the research began.

Which is a strength of quantitative data?

it shows patterns and trends that are easy to compare. Numbers can be counted and compared.

Which is a strength of qualitative data?

it gives detailed insight into meanings and reasons. Depth gives validity.

A sociologist studies letters written by soldiers in a war a hundred years ago. What type of data is this?

secondary and qualitative. The letters already exist, and they are in words.

Primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative data

In plain words

There are two questions to ask of any piece of evidence. Who collected it: the researcher, or somebody else? And what form is it in: numbers, or words? The answers give four kinds of data, and each kind has its uses.

8 things to know

Primary data is collected by the researcher first-hand, for the purpose of the study. Examples are the results of the researcher's own questionnaire, interviews or observation.
Secondary data already exists. It was collected by someone else. Examples are official statistics, diaries, newspapers and earlier studies.
Primary data: strengths. It is up to date, and it fits the research question exactly, because the researcher decides what is collected and how.
Primary data: limitations. It takes time and money to collect, and the researcher may not be able to reach the people needed.
Secondary data: strengths. It is quick and cheap to use, it may cover huge numbers of people, and it is the only way to study the past.
Secondary data: limitations. It was collected for someone else's purpose, so it may not fit the question. The researcher cannot be sure how it was collected, and it may be out of date or biased.
Quantitative data is in the form of numbers. It shows patterns and trends, is easy to compare and put in graphs, and is usually reliable. It lacks depth and does not explain reasons.
Qualitative data is in the form of words. It gives detail, feelings and reasons, so it is high in validity. It is hard to compare, slow to analyse and usually comes from small samples.

Worked example

Classify each as primary or secondary, and as quantitative or qualitative: government figures on divorce; a researcher's own unstructured interviews with divorced couples.

Government figures were collected by someone else, so they are secondary. They are numbers, so they are quantitative.
The interviews are carried out by the researcher, so they are primary. They produce words, so they are qualitative.
Used together, the figures show how much divorce there is, and the interviews show what it is like.

Tips and tricks

Primary or secondary is about who collected the data. Quantitative or qualitative is about its form. Any combination is possible.
When asked for a strength of one type of data, say what it lets the sociologist do: "numbers can be compared across years, so trends can be seen".

5 questions, about 2 minutes.

It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.

Primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative data: 5 questions and answers

These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.

Which is an example of primary data?
- answers to the researcher's own questionnaire (the answer)
- a diary written a century ago
- official statistics on crime
- a newspaper article
The researcher collected it first-hand.
Which is an example of secondary data?
- an interview carried out by the researcher
- government figures on births (the answer)
- the researcher's own observation notes
- a pilot study
It already existed before the research began.
Which is a strength of quantitative data?
- it explains people's feelings in depth
- it comes from small samples
- it cannot be put in a graph
- it shows patterns and trends that are easy to compare (the answer)
Numbers can be counted and compared.
Which is a strength of qualitative data?
- it gives detailed insight into meanings and reasons (the answer)
- it is quick to analyse
- it is always representative
- it is easy to turn into statistics
Depth gives validity.
A sociologist studies letters written by soldiers in a war a hundred years ago. What type of data is this?Stretch
- primary and quantitative
- primary and qualitative
- secondary and quantitative
- secondary and qualitative (the answer)
The letters already exist, and they are in words.

5 questions

Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.

Worksheet

3 questions, 10 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.

Primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative data

Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 · 10 marks · papermunch.org

Name ______________________________ Date ______________

What is meant by the term "secondary data"?[2]
Show answerHide answer
Data that already exists, which was collected by someone other than the researcher.
I got this one
Describe two differences between quantitative and qualitative data.[4]
Show answerHide answer
Quantitative data is in the form of numbers, and qualitative data is in the form of words. Quantitative data shows patterns and trends from large samples, and qualitative data gives in-depth detail about meanings and feelings, usually from small samples.
I got this one
Explain one strength and one limitation of primary data.[4]
Show answerHide answer
Strength: the researcher collects exactly the information needed for the study, so it fits the research question and is up to date. Limitation: it is time-consuming and expensive to collect (or: access to the people needed may be difficult).
I got this one

Answers: Primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative data

1. Data that already exists, which was collected by someone other than the researcher.
2. Quantitative data is in the form of numbers, and qualitative data is in the form of words. Quantitative data shows patterns and trends from large samples, and qualitative data gives in-depth detail about meanings and feelings, usually from small samples.
3. Strength: the researcher collects exactly the information needed for the study, so it fits the research question and is up to date. Limitation: it is time-consuming and expensive to collect (or: access to the people needed may be difficult).