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Primary vs Secondary Research: Differences, Methods, Sources, and More

Table of Contents

Primary vs Secondary Research – What’s the Difference?

In the search for knowledge and data to inform decisions, researchers and analysts rely on a blend of research sources. These sources are broadly categorized into primary and secondary research, each serving unique purposes and offering different insights into the subject matter at hand. But what exactly sets them apart?

Primary research is the process of gathering fresh data directly from its source. This approach offers real-time insights and specific information tailored to specific objectives set by stakeholders. Examples include surveys , interviews, and observational studies.

Secondary research , on the other hand, involves the analysis of existing data, most often collected and presented by others. This type of research is invaluable for understanding broader trends, providing context, or validating hypotheses. Common sources include scholarly articles, industry reports, and data compilations.

The crux of the difference lies in the origin of the information: primary research yields firsthand data which can be tailored to a specific business question, whilst secondary research synthesizes what's already out there. In essence, primary research listens directly to the voice of the subject, whereas secondary research hears it secondhand .

When to Use Primary and Secondary Research

Selecting the appropriate research method is pivotal and should be aligned with your research objectives. The choice between primary and secondary research is not merely procedural but strategic, influencing the depth and breadth of insights you can uncover.

Primary research shines when you need up-to-date, specific information directly relevant to your study. It's the go-to for fresh insights, understanding consumer behavior, or testing new theories. Its bespoke nature makes it indispensable for tailoring questions to get the exact answers you need.

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Secondary research is your first step into the research world. It helps set the stage by offering a broad understanding of the topic. Before diving into costly primary research, secondary research can validate the need for further investigation or provide a solid background to build upon. It's especially useful for identifying trends, benchmarking, and situating your research within the existing body of knowledge.

Combining both methods can significantly enhance your research. Starting with secondary research lays the groundwork and narrows the focus, whilst subsequent primary research delves deep into specific areas of interest, providing a well-rounded, comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Primary vs Secondary Research Methods

In the landscape of market research , the methodologies employed can significantly influence the insights and conclusions drawn. Let's delve deeper into the various methods underpinning both primary and secondary research, shedding light on their unique applications and the distinct insights they offer.

Primary Research Methods:

• Surveys: Survey research is a cornerstone of primary research, offering a quantitative approach to gathering data directly from the target audience. By employing structured questionnaires, researchers can collect a vast array of data ranging from customer preferences to behavioral patterns. This method is particularly valuable for acquiring statistically significant data that can inform decision-making processes and strategy development. The application of statistical approaches for analysing this data, such as key drivers analysis, MaxDiff or conjoint analysis can also further enhance any collected data.
• One on One Interviews: Interviews provide a qualitative depth to primary research, allowing for a nuanced exploration of participants' attitudes, experiences, and motivations. Conducted either face-to-face or remotely, interviews enable researchers to delve into the complexities of human behavior, offering rich insights that surveys alone may not uncover. This method is instrumental in exploring new areas of research or obtaining detailed information on specific topics.
• Focus Groups: Focus groups bring together a small, diverse group of participants to discuss and provide feedback on a particular subject, product, or idea. This interactive setting fosters a dynamic exchange of ideas, revealing consumers' perceptions, experiences, and preferences. Focus groups are invaluable for testing concepts, exploring market trends, and understanding the factors that influence consumer decisions.
• Ethnographic Studies: Ethnographic studies involve the systematic watching, recording, and analysis of behaviors and events in their natural setting. This method offers an unobtrusive way to gather authentic data on how people interact with products, services, or environments, providing insights that can lead to more user-centered design and marketing strategies.

Secondary Research Methods:

• Literature Reviews: Literature reviews involve the comprehensive examination of existing research and publications on a given topic. This method enables researchers to synthesize findings from a range of sources, providing a broad understanding of what is already known about a subject and identifying gaps in current knowledge.
• Meta-Analysis: Meta-analysis is a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies to arrive at a comprehensive conclusion. This method is particularly useful in secondary research for aggregating findings across different studies, offering a more robust understanding of the evidence on a particular topic.
• Content Analysis: Content analysis is a method for systematically analyzing texts, media, or other content to quantify patterns, themes, or biases . This approach allows researchers to assess the presence of certain words, concepts, or sentiments within a body of work, providing insights into trends, representations, and societal norms. This can be performed across a range of sources including social media, customer forums or review sites.
• Historical Research: Historical research involves the study of past events, trends, and behaviors through the examination of relevant documents and records. This method can provide context and understanding of current trends and inform future predictions, offering a unique perspective that enriches secondary research.

Each of these methods, whether primary or secondary, plays a crucial role in the mosaic of market research, offering distinct pathways to uncovering the insights necessary to drive informed decisions and strategies.

Primary vs Secondary Sources in Research

Both primary and secondary sources of research form the backbone of the insight generation process, when both are utilized in tandem it can provide the perfect steppingstone for the generation of real insights. Let’s explore how each category serves its unique purpose in the research ecosystem.

Primary Research Data Sources

Primary research data sources are the lifeblood of firsthand research, providing raw, unfiltered insights directly from the source. These include:

• Customer Satisfaction Survey Results: Direct feedback from customers about their satisfaction with a product or service. This data is invaluable for identifying strengths to build on and areas for improvement and typically renews each month or quarter so that metrics can be tracked over time.
• NPS Rating Scores from Customers: Net Promoter Score (NPS) provides a straightforward metric to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction. This quantitative data can reveal much about customer sentiment and the likelihood of referrals.
• Ad-hoc Surveys: Ad-hoc surveys can be about any topic which requires investigation, they are typically one off surveys which zero in on one particular business objective. Ad-hoc projects are useful for situations such as investigating issues identified in other tracking surveys, new product development, ad testing, brand messaging, and many other kinds of projects.
• A Field Researcher’s Notes: Detailed observations from fieldwork can offer nuanced insights into user behaviors, interactions, and environmental factors that influence those interactions. These notes are a goldmine for understanding the context and complexities of user experiences.
• Recordings Made During Focus Groups: Audio or video recordings of focus group discussions capture the dynamics of conversation, including reactions, emotions, and the interplay of ideas. Analyzing these recordings can uncover nuanced consumer attitudes and perceptions that might not be evident in survey data alone.

These primary data sources are characterized by their immediacy and specificity, offering a direct line to the subject of study. They enable researchers to gather data that is specifically tailored to their research objectives, providing a solid foundation for insightful data analysis and strategic decision-making.

Secondary Research Data Sources

In contrast, secondary research data sources offer a broader perspective, compiling and synthesizing information from various origins. These sources include:

• Books, Magazines, Scholarly Journals: Published works provide comprehensive overviews, detailed analyses, and theoretical frameworks that can inform research topics, offering depth and context that enriches primary data.
• Market Research Reports: These reports aggregate data and analyses on industry trends, consumer behavior, and market dynamics, providing a macro-level view that can guide primary research directions and validate findings.
• Government Reports: Official statistics and reports from government agencies offer authoritative data on a wide range of topics, from economic indicators to demographic trends, providing a reliable basis for secondary analysis.
• White Papers, Private Company Data: White papers and reports from businesses and consultancies offer insights into industry-specific research, best practices, and market analyses. These sources can be invaluable for understanding the competitive landscape and identifying emerging trends.

Secondary data sources serve as a compass, guiding researchers through the vast landscape of information to identify relevant trends, benchmark against existing data, and build upon the foundation of existing knowledge. They can significantly expedite the research process by leveraging the collective wisdom and research efforts of others.

By adeptly navigating both primary and secondary sources, researchers can construct a well-rounded research project that combines the depth of firsthand data with the breadth of existing knowledge. This holistic approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the research topic, fostering informed decisions and strategic insights.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Research in Marketing

In the realm of marketing, both primary and secondary research methods play critical roles in understanding market dynamics, consumer behavior, and competitive landscapes. By comparing examples across both methodologies, we can appreciate their unique contributions to strategic decision-making.

Example 1: New Product Development

Primary Research: Direct Consumer Feedback through Surveys and Focus Groups

• Objective: To gauge consumer interest in a new product concept and identify preferred features.
• Process: Surveys distributed to a target demographic to collect quantitative data on consumer preferences, and focus groups conducted to dive deeper into consumer attitudes and desires.
• Insights: Direct insights into consumer needs, preferences for specific features, and willingness to pay. These insights help in refining product design and developing a targeted marketing strategy.

Secondary Research: Market Analysis Reports

• Objective: To understand the existing market landscape, including competitor products and market trends.
• Process: Analyzing published market analysis reports and industry studies to gather data on market size, growth trends, and competitive offerings.
• Insights: Provides a broader understanding of the market, helping to position the new product strategically against competitors and align it with current trends.

Example 2: Brand Positioning

Primary Research: Brand Perception Analysis through Surveys

• Objective: To understand how the brand is perceived by consumers and identify potential areas for repositioning.
• Process: Conducting surveys that ask consumers to describe the brand in their own words, rate it against various attributes, and compare it to competitors.
• Insights: Direct feedback on brand strengths and weaknesses from the consumer's perspective, offering actionable data for adjusting brand messaging and positioning.

Secondary Research: Social Media Sentiment Analysis

• Objective: To analyze public sentiment towards the brand and its competitors.
• Process: Utilizing software tools to analyze mentions, hashtags, and discussions related to the brand and its competitors across social media platforms.
• Insights: Offers an overview of public perception and emerging trends in consumer sentiment, which can validate findings from primary research or highlight areas needing further investigation.

Example 3: Market Expansion Strategy

Primary Research: Consumer Demand Studies in New Markets

• Objective: To assess demand and consumer preferences in a new geographic market.
• Process: Conducting surveys and interviews with potential consumers in the target market to understand their needs, preferences, and cultural nuances.
• Insights: Provides specific insights into the new market’s consumer behavior, preferences, and potential barriers to entry, guiding market entry strategies.

Secondary Research: Economic and Demographic Analysis

• Objective: To evaluate the economic viability and demographic appeal of the new market.
• Process: Reviewing existing economic reports, demographic data, and industry trends relevant to the target market.
• Insights: Offers a macro view of the market's potential, including economic conditions, demographic trends, and consumer spending patterns, which can complement insights gained from primary research.

By leveraging both primary and secondary research, marketers can form a comprehensive understanding of their market, consumers, and competitors, facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning. Each method brings its strengths to the table, with primary research offering direct consumer insights and secondary research providing a broader context within which to interpret those insights.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Primary and Secondary Research?

When it comes to market research, both primary and secondary research offer unique advantages and face certain limitations. Understanding these can help researchers and businesses make informed decisions on which approach to utilize for their specific needs. Below is a comparative table highlighting the pros and cons of each research type.

Navigating the Pros and Cons

• Balance Your Research Needs: Consider starting with secondary research to gain a broad understanding of the subject matter, then delve into primary research for specific, targeted insights that are tailored to your precise needs.
• Resource Allocation: Evaluate your budget, time, and resource availability. Primary research can offer more specific and actionable data but requires more resources. Secondary research is more accessible but may lack the specificity or recency you need.
• Quality and Relevance: Assess the quality and relevance of available secondary sources before deciding if primary research is necessary. Sometimes, the existing data might suffice, especially for preliminary market understanding or trend analysis.
• Combining Both for Comprehensive Insights: Often, the most effective research strategy involves a combination of both primary and secondary research. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the market, leveraging the broad perspective provided by secondary sources and the depth and specificity of primary data.

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Home » Primary Vs Secondary Research

Primary Vs Secondary Research

Table of Contents

Primary and secondary research are two different types of research methods used to gather information for a study or research project.

Primary Research

Primary Research involves collecting original data for a specific research purpose. This type of research is designed to answer specific research questions and is often conducted through methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or experiments. Primary research is time-consuming and requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the data collected is valid and reliable. However, it provides researchers with first-hand information that is relevant to their specific research questions and can be tailored to their specific needs.

Secondary Research

Secondary research involves gathering data that has already been collected by someone else. This type of research can be conducted through various sources, such as academic journals, books, government reports, and online databases. Secondary research is less time-consuming and less expensive than primary research, as the data has already been collected and analyzed. However, the data may not be specific to the researcher’s research questions or may be outdated. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the quality and relevance of the data collected through secondary research carefully.

Difference Between Primary and Secondary Research

Here are some key differences between primary and secondary research:

Also see Research Methods

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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• Primary vs Secondary Research Methods: 15 Key Differences

When carrying out a systematic investigation, you can choose to be directly involved in the data collection process or to rely on already acquired information. While the former is described as primary research, the latter is known as secondary research. 

The distinguishing factor between primary research and secondary research is the degree of involvement of the research with the data gathering process . In this article, we’ll be detailing other key differences between primary and secondary research, and also show you how to conduct primary research with Formplus. 

What is Primary Research?

Primary research is a type of research that requires the researcher to participate directly in the data-gathering process. In primary research, the researcher does not depend on already existing data, rather he or she collects first-hand information which serves as research materials for the systematic investigation. 

This type of research gives the researcher absolute ownership of the data which is extremely important for businesses and organisations in fast-paced markets. These organisations utilise primary research to gather valuable information about consumer needs and preferences before launching a new product or service.  

Usually, primary research focuses on the specific needs of the research contexts. However, this type of research is expensive, time-consuming and it usually requires a lot of skilled resources that may not be readily available and this is why many businesses outsource this to 3rd party market research companies. 

What is Secondary Research?

Secondary research is a type of research approach in which the researcher relies solely on existing research materials rather than gather data directly for research. This research approach is less expensive and time-efficient unlike primary research.. 

Data for secondary research can be accessed from the internet, archive, libraries, educational institutions and organisational reports. However, extra care must be taken by the researcher to ensure that the data is valid as this can have a negative impact on the research process and outcomes. 

Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research

Primary research is a research approach that involves gathering data directly while secondary research is a research approach that involves relying on already existing data when carrying out a systematic investigation. 

This means that in primary research, the researcher is directly involved in the data collection and categorization process. In secondary research, on the other hand, the researcher simply depends on existing materials for the research without any need to collect raw information from the field. 

• Sources of Data

Surveys, interviews, focus groups and observation techniques are common sources of data in primary research. In secondary research, the researcher collects existing research materials through a number of sources like the internet, libraries and archives.

These data collection methods require some sort of interaction with the research subjects in order to gather first-hand information that will be useful in the research. Many times,secondary sources are free to access but some of them will require you to pay an access fee before you can make use of the information. 

• Other Names

Secondary research is also known as desk research because it does not necessarily require the researcher to move from one place to another. Meanwhile, primary research is also referred to as a field research design because it requires the researcher to get totally involved with the data collection process.

In secondary research, researchers can easily access information from the comfort of their desk; especially when using the internet to source for research materials. In some cases, the researcher would need to co-exist with the research subjects for a specific period of time in order to get information for the research. 

• Advantages of Primary Research over Secondary Research

Unlike secondary research, primary research gives the researcher 100% ownership of the research data which is extremely useful for organisations in highly competitive markets. Data from secondary research can be accessed by everyone and does not yield any specific benefits to organisations. 

Also, in primary research, the researcher can fully account for the authenticity of the data because he or she is an active participant in the data collection process. Because the researcher is not directly involved in gathering secondary research data, he or she cannot ascertain the authenticity of the research materials. 

• Advantages of Secondary Research over Primary Research.

Unlike primary research that is expensive and time-consuming, secondary research can be completed in limited time and with limited resources. Since the research data already exists, the secondary researcher does not need to invest time or resources to gather first-hand information. 

Also, secondary research helps to prevent knowledge repetition by mapping out already existing research efforts and this helps the primary researcher to concentrate on exploring new areas of knowledge. Hence, it is important for every research effort to begin with secondary research. 

Common tools used to collect data in secondary research include bots, internet-enabled devices like laptops, smartphones and tablets. On the other hand, surveys, questionnaires and interviews are common data gathering tools in primary research.

Secondary research devices help researchers to access sources of secondary data like libraries, archives and peer-reviewed journals; without needing to go to the field.  Primary research tools help the researcher to access first-hand information about the characteristics, dispositions and behaviours of research subjects in line with the context of the systematic investigation.  

Primary research makes use of real-time information while secondary research makes use of past or already existing research materials. During primary research, the research is ultimately concerned with gathering first-hand information about the research subjects and contexts while in secondary research, the researcher simply re-examines existing data. 

Hence, the type of data used in secondary research is described as “past data” because it reflects past occurrences and only provides insights into dealing with present situations. The role of the secondary researcher is primarily to specify how this past data informs his or her current research.

• Research Purpose

The purpose of primary research is to gather real-time data that will be useful in solving a specific problem. On the other hand, the purpose of secondary research is to gather existing research materials that may not directly address the problem at hand. 

The primary research process is carefully tailored towards the specific research problem from start to finish and this is why it relies on first-hand data. Secondary research is not tailored towards solving a specific problem rather, it provides general information that can prove useful for primary research. 

• When to Conduct Primary and Secondary Research

Primary or field research is usually carried out when an individual or organization needs to gather recent data that is useful for a specific research context. When organisations need to gather information on the changing needs of target markets, they typically employ primary research methods. 

Secondary research, on the other hand, is used when the researcher needs to identify existing knowledge that can provide useful insight in research. With this information, the researcher can identify knowledge gaps which would form the core of his or her research efforts. 

• Data Recency

Primary research relies on recent data for its systematic investigation because it addresses present situations. As earlier asserted, primary research efforts are ultimately tailored towards the needs of a specific research context from start to finish;hence, the primary researcher must gather real-time data in order to arrive at relevant research outcomes. 

Secondary research, on the other hand, makes use of past data in an attempt to understand existing research efforts, identify knowledge gaps and map out the recent research to fill these knowledge gaps. This, findings from secondary research do not necessarily apply to specific research contexts.  

• Feasibility

Secondary research is more feasible than primary research. For example, it may be improbable for a company to attempt to observe the buying culture of all the individuals in its target market. 

In this case, the researcher may have to depend on existing research findings that detail the buying culture of the target market. Alternatively, the researcher can use other sampling methods that would help him or her gather feedback from a section of the market. 

Examples of primary research data are student thesis, market research and first-person accounts of trauma survivors while examples of secondary research data include newspapers, books, academic journals and magazines. 

Secondary research data often represent an aggregation of already existing information with little or no additions while primary data contains new information. Usually, primary research collects data from the original source unlike secondary research that relies on reported information. For example, a student who wants to write a thesis would need to either interact with the research subjects in their natural environment or carry out an experiment. 

• Specificity

Primary research is more specific than secondary research because primary research is aimed at addressing issues peculiar to a business, organisation or institution. On the other hand, secondary research that does not cater to the specific needs of an organization. 

For example, when carrying out a primary research on consumer satisfaction for a product, the entirety of the research process is tailored towards the product in question. In secondary research, however, the data collected may not be exactly what the researcher needs. 

In primary research, the researcher has 100% ownership and control over the data and he or she can choose to make such information available to others or not. This means that the primary researcher has absolute discretion over the research materials. 

In secondary research, however, the researcher does not own the data and as such, he or she does not have absolute discretion over it. Secondary research can aptly be described as a “free-for-all” situation because everyone can gain access to the data. 

• Data Accuracy

Data gathered through primary research is more accurate than secondary research data. In primary research, the researcher is fully involved in the data collection process and he or she takes care to collect valid data that can be easily authenticated. 

The secondary researcher, on the other hand, has no control over the data and he or she cannot account for the validity of the research materials. For instance, there is a lot of inaccurate information on the internet which can affect research outcomes when used as the basis of a systematic investigation.  

Similarity between Primary and Secondary Research

Primary and secondary research makes use of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data collection methods such as surveys and questionnaires are used to gather numerical data while qualitative data collection methods like observation are used to gather descriptive data . 

How to Conduct Primary Research with Formplus 

Primary research can be conducted with Formplus using a survey or questionnaire . Here is a step-by-step guide on how to go about this. 

• Sign into Formplus

With Formplus, you can create different types of surveys and questionnaires for primary research. Sign into your Formplus account to access the form builder where you can seamlessly add and modify different form fields for your primary research survey. 

Once you sign in, click on “create new form” to begin. 

In the builder page, you can specify your form title to be “Primary Research Survey” in the title box. Next, click on or drag your desired form fields into your survey form from the builder’s inputs section. 

• Edit fields
• Click on “Save”
• Preview form. 
• Form Customization

In the form customization section in the form builder, you can easily personalize your primary research survey by modifying its outlook to suit your needs. Formplus allows you to change your form theme, add background images and even change the font according to your needs. 

• Multiple Sharing Options

With Formplus, you can easily share your primary research survey with respondents using the available multiple sharing options. You can use the direct social media sharing buttons to share your form link to your organization’s social media pages. 

You can send out your survey form as email invitations to your research subjects too. If you wish, you can share your form’s QR code or embed it in your organization’s website for easy access. 

Conclusion   

Many times, researchers combine primary and secondary data collection methods in order to arrive at the most valid outcomes at the end of a systematic investigation. Usually, they start off with secondary research to effectively map out a relevant scope for their research effort, before proceeding to conduct primary research. 

It is important for you to consider the strengths and weaknesses of secondary and primary research before opting for any of these research methods. More importantly, you should pay attention to the overall aim of your systematic investigation as this is the fundamental determinator for choosing primary or secondary research.

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• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Primary and Secondary Research

On the contrary, Secondary research is a research method which involves the use of data, already collected through primary research. The main difference between primary and secondary research lies in the fact that whether the research is conducted previously or not.

Content: Primary Research Vs Secondary Research

Comparison chart.

Definition of Primary Research

A type of research, wherein the research aims at acquiring new and original data by primary sources, is known as Primary Data. As the term ‘primary’ implies ‘first and foremost’ and when it is linked with research, it means an in-depth exploration of facts by the researcher himself and that too with the one to one communication with the people, who know about the subject.

It is a bit difficult to conduct primary research because it requires a lot of time, money, resources and some prior information about the subject. With a view to getting needed information, the researcher has to start from scratch. The research can be performed through interviews, questionnaires, observations, etc.

Definition of Secondary Research

The research which involves analysis, interpretation and summarization of primary research, is called secondary research. In finer terms, the research in which data is obtained from readily available sources is secondary. As the data available is already analysed and interpreted, the researcher only needs to figure out the data of his choice, i.e. the relevant information for the project.

In this type of research, the researcher uses information gathered by government agencies, associations, labour unions media sources and so on. The data assembled is primarily published in newsletters, magazines, pamphlets, newspapers, journals, reports, encyclopaedias etc.

Key Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research

You can find out the difference between primary and secondary research, in the following points in detail:

• Research conducted to gather first-hand information, for the current problem is called Primary Research. Secondary Research is one that involves the use of information obtained originally by primary research.
• Primary Research is based on raw data, whereas secondary research is based on analysed and interpreted information.
• The primary research, the data is collected by the researcher himself or by the person hired by him. As against this, the secondary research, the data collection is performed by someone else.
• The primary research process is very involved which deeply explores the topic. Conversely, the secondary research process is fast and easy, which aims at gaining broad understanding about the subject.
• In primary research, as the researcher conducts the research, the data collected is always specific to the needs of the researcher. As opposed to secondary research, wherein the data lacks particularity, i.e. it may or may not be as per the requirements of the researcher.
• Primary research is an expensive process; wherein high cost is involved in the exploration of data and facts from various sources. Unlike Secondary research, is an economical process wherein the low cost is involved in acquiring pertinent information because the data is already collected by someone else.
• Primary research consumes a lot of time as the research is done from scratch. However, in the case of secondary research, the collection of data is already done, the research takes comparatively less time.

Both primary and secondary research have their advantages and disadvantages. While primary data is need-specific and quality is also up to the mark, but it is expensive and consumes more time. Secondary research, on the other hand, is cheap, and the data collection is easy, but it is also possible that the data may be outdated and does not suit your requirements. So, before choosing any of these two, first examine your requirements, sources, costs, etc. to choose the best research type for your project.

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Primary Research vs Secondary Research: A Comparative Analysis

Understand the differences between primary research vs secondary research. Learn how they can be used to generate valuable insights.

Primary research and secondary research are two fundamental approaches used in research studies to gather information and explore topics of interest. Both primary and secondary research offer unique advantages and have their own set of considerations, making them valuable tools for researchers in different contexts.

Understanding the distinctions between primary and secondary research is crucial for researchers to make informed decisions about the most suitable approach for their study objectives and available resources.

What is Primary Research?

Primary research refers to the collection and analysis of data directly from original sources. It involves gathering information directly to address specific research objectives and generate new insights. This research method conducts surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, or focus groups to obtain data that is relevant to the research question at hand. By engaging directly with subjects or sources, primary research provides firsthand and up-to-date information, allowing researchers to have control over the data collection process and adjust it to their specific needs.

Types of Primary Research

There are several types of primary research methods commonly used in various fields:

Surveys are the systematic collection of data through questionnaires or interviews, aiming to gather information from a large number of participants. Surveys can be conducted in person, over the phone, through mail, or online.

Interviews entail direct one-on-one or group interactions with individuals or key informants to obtain detailed information about their experiences, opinions, or expertise. Interviews can be structured (using predetermined questions) or unstructured (allowing for open-ended discussions).

Observations

Observational research carefully observes and documents behaviors, interactions, or phenomena in real-life settings. It can be done in a participant or non-participant manner, depending on the level of involvement of the researcher.

Data analysis

Examining and interpreting collected data, data analysis uncovers patterns, trends, and insights, providing a deeper understanding of the research topic. It enables drawing meaningful conclusions for decision-making and guides further research.

Focus groups

Focus groups facilitated group discussions with a small number of participants who shared their opinions, attitudes, and experiences on a specific topic. This method allows for interactive and in-depth exploration of a subject.

Benefits of Primary Research

Original and specific data: Primary research provides first hand data directly relevant to the research objectives, ensuring its freshness and specificity to the research context .

Control over data collection: Researchers have control over the design, implementation, and data collection process, allowing them to adapt the research methods and instruments to suit their needs.

Depth of understanding: Primary research methods, such as interviews and focus groups, enable researchers to gain a deep understanding of participants’ perspectives, experiences, and motivations.

Validity and reliability: By directly collecting data from original sources, primary research enhances the validity and reliability of the findings, reducing potential biases associated with using secondary or existing data.

Challenges of Primary Research

Time and Resource-intensive: Primary research requires careful planning, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. It may require recruiting participants, conducting interviews or surveys, and analyzing data, all of which require time and resources.

Sampling limitations : Primary research often relies on sampling techniques to select participants. Ensuring a representative sample that accurately reflects the target population can be challenging, and sampling biases may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Subjectivity: The involvement of researchers in primary research methods, such as interviews or observations, introduces the potential for subjective interpretations or biases that can influence the data collection and analysis process.

Limited generalizability: Findings from primary research may have limited generalizability due to the specific characteristics of the sample or context. It is essential to acknowledge the scope and limitations of the findings and avoid making broad generalizations beyond the studied sample or context.

What is Secondary Research?

It is a method of research that relies on data that is readily available, rather than gathering new data through primary research methods. Secondary research relies on reviewing and analyzing sources such as published studies, reports, articles, books, government databases, and online resources to extract relevant information for a specific research objective.

Sources of Secondary Research

Published studies and academic journals.

Researchers can review published studies and academic journals to gather information, data, and findings related to their research topic. These sources often provide comprehensive and in-depth analyses of specific subjects.

Reports and white papers

Reports and white papers produced by research organizations, government agencies, and industry associations provide valuable data and insights on specific topics or sectors. These documents often contain statistical data, market research, trends, and expert opinions.

Books and reference materials

Books and reference materials written by experts in a particular field can offer comprehensive overviews, theories , and historical perspectives that contribute to secondary research.

Online databases

Online databases, such as academic libraries, research repositories, and specialized platforms, provide access to a vast array of published research articles, theses, dissertations, and conference proceedings.

Benefits of Secondary Research

Time and Cost-effectiveness: Secondary research saves time and resources since the data and information already exist and are readily accessible. Researchers can utilize existing resources instead of conducting time-consuming primary research.

Wide range of data: Secondary research provides access to a wide range of data sources, including large-scale surveys, census data, and comprehensive reports. This allows researchers to explore diverse perspectives and make comparisons across different studies.

Comparative analyses: Researchers can compare findings from different studies or datasets, allowing for cross-referencing and verification of results. This enhances the robustness and validity of research outcomes.

Ethical considerations: Secondary research does not involve direct interaction with participants, which reduces ethical concerns related to privacy, informed consent, and confidentiality.

Challenges of Secondary Research

Data availability and quality: The availability and quality of secondary data can vary. Researchers must critically evaluate the credibility, reliability, and relevance of the sources to ensure the accuracy of the information used in their research.

Limited control over data: Researchers have limited control over the design, collection methods, and variables included in the secondary data. The data may not perfectly align with the research objectives, requiring careful selection and analysis.

Potential bias and outdated information: Secondary data may contain inherent biases or limitations introduced by the original researchers. Additionally, the data may become outdated, and newer information or developments may not be captured.

Lack of customization: Since secondary data is collected for various purposes, it may not perfectly align with the specific research needs. Researchers may encounter limitations in terms of variables, definitions, or granularity of data.

Comparing Primary and Secondary Research

Primary research vs secondary research.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Research

Examples of primary research.

• Conducting a survey to collect data on customer satisfaction and preferences for a new product directly from the target audience.
• Designing and conducting an experiment to test the effectiveness of a new teaching method by comparing the learning outcomes of students in different groups.
• Observing and documenting the behavior of a specific animal species in its natural habitat to gather data for ecological research.
• Organizing a focus group with potential consumers to gather insights and feedback on a new advertising campaign.
• Conducting interviews with healthcare professionals to understand their experiences and perspectives on a specific medical treatment.

Examples of Secondary Research

• Accessing a market research report to gather information on consumer trends, market size, and competitor analysis in the smartphone industry.
• Using existing government data on unemployment rates to analyze the impact of economic policies on employment patterns.
• Examining historical records and letters to understand the political climate and social conditions during a particular historical event.
• Conducting a meta-analysis of published studies on the effectiveness of a specific medication to assess its overall efficacy and safety.

How to Use Primary and Secondary Research Together

Having explored the distinction between primary research vs secondary research, the integration of these two approaches becomes a crucial consideration. By incorporating primary and secondary research, a comprehensive and well-informed research methodology can be achieved. The utilization of secondary research provides researchers with a broader understanding of the subject, allowing them to identify gaps in knowledge and refine their research questions properly.

Primary research methods, such as surveys or interviews, can then be employed to collect new data that directly address these research questions. The findings from primary research can be compared and validated against the existing knowledge obtained through secondary research. By combining the insights from both types of research, researchers can fill knowledge gaps, strengthen the reliability of their findings through triangulation, and draw meaningful conclusions that contribute to the overall understanding of the subject matter.

Ethical Considerations for Primary and Secondary Research

In primary research, researchers must obtain informed consent from participants, ensuring they are fully aware of the study’s purpose, procedures, and any potential risks or benefits involved. Confidentiality and anonymity should be maintained to safeguard participants’ privacy. Researchers should also ensure that the data collection methods and research design are conducted in an ethical manner, adhering to ethical guidelines and standards set by relevant institutional review boards or ethics committees.

In secondary research, ethical considerations primarily revolve around the proper and responsible use of existing data sources. Researchers should respect copyright laws and intellectual property rights when accessing and using secondary data. They should also critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of the sources to ensure the validity of the data used in their research. Proper citation and acknowledgment of the original sources are essential to maintain academic integrity and avoid plagiarism .

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Primary vs Secondary Research – Definitions, Differences, and Examples

Introduction

In market research , one normally has to make a choice: either primary research or secondary research methodologies. Both serve entirely different purposes and give different insights into the market or topic concerned. This article should indicate the differences clearly and, hopefully, would help the researcher or student to understand which approach best fits their needs and how they might be applied effectively in practice.

What is Primary Research?

Primary research involves the direct collection of new and original data, which is specifically tailored to the researcher’s unique requirements. This method is highly valued in both academic and commercial settings due to its ability to deliver highly relevant and specific information that addresses precise questions, a capability that secondary research often cannot match.

The primary data collection process is a proactive strategy that involves various methodologies to gather fresh data. Researchers choose primary research when they need data that are both specific and timely for their particular studies or business decisions. This approach is instrumental in filling gaps left by existing data, allowing for a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Advantages of Primary Research

The major advantages related to primary research are its accuracy and specificity. Information is generated at the time of the researcher’s query, and therefore, is of high value in the testing of new theories or products. The study variables can be controlled, and demographic groups targeted out by the researcher’s own efforts.

Examples of Primary Research

• Surveys: Deploying online or in-person questionnaires to gather consumer opinions.
• Interviews: One-on-one discussions to explore deep insights into individual behaviors or preferences.
• Experiments: Controlled setups to evaluate outcomes of specific actions or interventions.

Disadvantages of Primary Research

The drawbacks include higher costs and time requirements. Designing and implementing studies, collecting data, and analyzing results require significant resources. There’s also the risk of biased data if the sample isn’t adequately representative.

Primary Research Methods

Methods include qualitative approaches like focus groups and in-depth interviews, and quantitative methods such as surveys and controlled experiments. The choice of method depends largely on the research question and the nature of the data needed.

What is Secondary Research?

Secondary research, also known as desk research, involves the analysis of data that has already been collected and published by other researchers and institutions. This type of research is based on existing studies, reports, and analyses and is aimed at obtaining general information about a problem without the need for new data collection. It is cost-effective, quick, and thus the best option for gaining a broad overview. Secondary research is particularly useful for validating findings, identifying trends, and guiding hypothesis formation, making it a crucial tool for academic studies, business planning, and policy-making

Advantages of Secondary Research

It’s cost-effective and time efficient. Researchers can access a vast array of data quickly, which is useful for gaining background information or supporting primary research findings.

Disadvantages of Secondary Research

The main issues with secondary research are potential relevance and recency. The data might not be specifically pertinent to the researcher’s current questions, or it might be outdated, potentially leading to incorrect conclusions.

Examples of Secondary Research

• Literature Reviews: Synthesizing findings from multiple studies to establish a comprehensive understanding of a subject.
• Industry Reports: Utilizing published data to assess market trends and business opportunities.
• Statistical Analysis: Analyzing existing data sets to identify patterns or test hypotheses.

Secondary Research Methods

This type primarily involves desk research, such as literature reviews and analysis of data from various sources, including journals, books, and online databases.

Comparing Primary vs Secondary Research

The decision between primary and secondary research typically depends on the nature of the project goals, the resources available to the project, and the timetable for the project. Primary research is best when new, specific insights are needed, especially in the attempt to answer novel issues or targeted at answering issues within specific demographic groups. These are pieces of information that are directly collected through methods such as surveys, interviews, or observations. On the other hand, secondary research would be used for baseline understanding, preliminary data analysis, or in tight budgetary or time constraints. This is drawn from sources like academic studies, industry reports, or government documents, providing an inexpensive way to survey a broad topic.

Both primary and secondary research are integral to conducting any market research and are complementary to each other. By the researcher knowing the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two methods, he can strategically apply one over the other so as to effectively and efficiently answer the research question in hand.

What is the main difference between primary and secondary research?

The main difference between primary and secondary research is that primary research involves collecting original, first-hand data directly from the source, while secondary research involves analyzing and synthesizing existing data sources that have been previously collected by others.

When should primary research be used?

Primary research should be used when there is a need for specific, tailored, and in-depth insights that are not available through existing data sources. It is particularly useful when studying unique or niche markets, understanding consumer behavior, or testing new products or services.

What are some examples of secondary research sources?

Some examples of secondary research sources include published reports, academic papers, government statistics, industry publications, market research databases, and online repositories.

What are the advantages of secondary research?

The main advantages of secondary research include cost-effectiveness, time savings, access to a broad range of existing data sources, and the ability to identify historical trends and patterns.

Can primary and secondary research be combined?

Yes, primary and secondary research methods can be combined in a research project. Secondary research can provide a foundation and context for the study, while primary research can offer more specific and targeted insights.

What are some limitations of primary research?

Some limitations of primary research include being time-consuming and resource-intensive, potential for biases or errors in data collection and analysis, limited sample size and generalizability of results, and difficulty in accessing certain target populations.

How can researchers ensure the quality of secondary data sources?

To ensure the quality of secondary data sources, researchers should assess the credibility and reputation of the source, evaluate the data collection methods and sampling techniques used, check for potential biases or limitations, and cross-reference the data with other reliable sources.

What are some common primary research methods?

Common primary research methods include surveys (online, telephone, or in-person), interviews (one-on-one or focus groups), observations (ethnographic studies or field research), and experiments (A/B testing or product testing).

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Primary Research vs. Secondary Research: Choosing the Right Approach for Your Study

Research activities involve making many key decisions, including whether to use primary research, secondary research, or a combination of both. Each approach has its distinct advantages and challenges, influencing the outcome of your study.

Primary research provides unique insights that are directly relevant to your specific questions, allowing for tailored data collection through methods such as surveys, interviews, and observations. However, it often demands considerable time, effort, and resources to execute effectively. On the other hand, secondary research offers a more accessible and cost-effective alternative by leveraging existing data from sources such as databases and reports. While this method can be less time-consuming, it requires proficiency in databases and analytical skills.

Choosing the right research method requires thoughtful consideration of your research goals and available resources. In this guide, we will delve into the key differences between primary and secondary research, exploring how each method can enhance your study, and how to determine the most suitable approach based on your research objectives.

What is Primary Research?

Primary research involves collecting firsthand data directly from the source, rather than using information previously collected and published by others. The main objectives of this research can be categorized into types: exploratory and conclusive.

Exploratory Research focuses on topics that are not well understood or clearly defined. It aims to uncover initial insights and develop a deeper understanding of the subject, often laying the groundwork for further research. It is open-ended and seeks to explore new information rather than provide definitive answers. In contrast, conclusive research is designed to deliver specific answers and support decision-making with clear, actionable findings. It is characterized by well-defined objectives and data requirements, and it is used to verify and quantify results obtained from exploratory research. 

Research Methods

Researchers use various methods to gain valuable insights into their target audience and test hypotheses. The following are some of the most used methods in primary research and emerging techniques that are gaining popularity in the research landscape:

• Surveys: A widely used method to collect qualitative and quantitative data from a large group of respondents to assess opinions, preferences, and behaviors. They can be conducted online, allowing for rapid outreach to a broad audience, or by mail, which is effective for targeting specific groups.
• Interviews : Conducted either by telephone or in-person, interviews allow researchers to delve deeply into specific topics and gather detailed information from a smaller number of participants. This method is particularly valuable for exploring complex issues and obtaining insights from experts in a given field.
• Questionnaires : Similar to surveys, questionnaires can be distributed online or by mail. However, they tend to be more structured and focused, featuring a specific set of questions designed to collect targeted information.
• Focus groups: Involve assembling a small group of participants for a guided discussion on a particular topic. This approach enables researchers to observe group dynamics, gain detailed insights, and explore new ideas through interactive dialogue among participants.
• Observation: A method of collecting data by monitoring behaviors, events, or physical traits in their natural environment. It can be conducted overtly, where subjects are aware of being observed, or covertly, where subjects remain unaware of the observer. This technique provides valuable insights into how individuals interact with products, services, or each other, helping researchers identify patterns and trends that may not be evident through other methods.

In addition to traditional methods, researchers are embracing emerging techniques such as mobile-first surveys, social media analytics, and eye tracking to enhance data collection. Mobile-first surveys are specifically designed for seamless use on smartphones, ensuring a user-friendly experience and broad accessibility across devices. Meanwhile, social media analytics harnesses the extensive data generated by social platforms to yield insights into consumer behavior, brand perception, and the effectiveness of marketing strategies. Additionally, eye tracking technology monitors where users direct their gaze, providing valuable information about what captures attention and how individuals interact with various designs. By integrating these innovative techniques, researchers can gather richer data and uncover deeper insights to inform their studies.

Common Pitfalls

Conducting primary research can be affected by common pitfalls that jeopardize the quality and reliability of the data.

One significant pitfall is biased methodology and sampling, which occurs when certain groups within a population are disproportionately represented in the sample. This can lead to results that do not accurately reflect the entire population. To mitigate this risk, researchers should clearly define their target population, use appropriate sampling methods such as random sampling, and ensure that their sample demographics align with those of the broader population.

Another challenge is the failure to account for all relevant factors that may influence research outcomes. Researchers might focus too narrowly on a limited set of variables, overlooking crucial contextual elements such as cultural, social, or economic factors that, while not directly part of the study, can significantly impact the results. Ignoring these factors can result in incomplete or misleading conclusions.

Additionally, researchers must be aware of the gap between what respondents say they do and their actual behaviors. Individuals can report intentions or preferences in surveys or interviews that do not align with their real-life actions. For instance, a respondent may claim they would spend more on eco-friendly products yet choose the cheaper option when shopping. Recognizing this disparity is essential for accurately interpreting research findings and drawing valid conclusions.

Ethical Considerations

In primary research, adhering to ethical guidelines is essential for maintaining the integrity of the study and ensuring that participants are treated with respect and care.

First, researchers must obtain informed consent from participants, clearly outlining the study’s purpose, the requirements involved, and any potential risks or benefits. It is vital that participants understand their right to withdraw from the study at any time without facing any negative consequences. Any form of coercion—whether through pressure, incentives, or authority—is unethical and undermines the integrity of the research.

Additionally, protecting participants’ privacy is paramount. Researchers should ensure that data is securely stored, and that participants’ identities are not disclosed in published results. Participants should be informed about how their information will be used and stored, and they should have the option to remain completely anonymous if they wish.

Moreover, researchers must prioritize participants’ well-being by carefully assessing and minimizing any potential physical or psychological risks. Sensitive topics or procedures that could cause distress should be avoided unless they are essential to the research. Most importantly, researchers should monitor participants for signs of discomfort and allow them to take breaks or withdraw from the study as needed. By following these ethical guidelines, researchers can foster a respectful and safe environment for all participants involved in the study.

Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages

When planning a research project, it is crucial to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of primary research to decide if it is the best option for your study and determine how to maximize its effectiveness. In the below table, we will explore the key pros and cons of primary research, providing insights to help you make an informed decision.

What is Secondary Research?

Secondary research, often referred to as desk research, involves the analysis of data that has already been collected and published by others. This method allows researchers to leverage existing information from various sources, such as statistical offices, international databases, and industry reports, to address specific research questions or build upon established knowledge. The primary purpose of secondary research is to provide detailed information on a certain topic or to supplement primary research efforts. By using secondary research, researchers can identify patterns, validate previous findings, and gain a comprehensive understanding of a topic.

Research Sources

The success of your secondary research hinges on the quality and reliability of your sources. Whether you are looking for comprehensive industry overviews or specific statistical data, knowing how to locate the right information is essential. Below, we will discuss some of the most valuable and commonly used sources for secondary research.

• Databases: Are crucial for accessing a wide array of information and can be categorized into free and premium types. Free databases, like UN Data and World Bank Data, provide general information on various topics, while premium databases such as Bloomberg and S&P Capital IQ offer specialized and detailed data. Additionally, industry-specific databases, including those from the International Labor Organization and the International Energy Agency, deliver targeted insights, while regional and global economic data can be accessed through sources like Eurostat and the OECD.
• Official Government Sources: Are vital for obtaining reliable and comprehensive data. National statistical offices, such as the U.S. Census Bureau and Eurostat, provide detailed information across diverse topics, including the economy, environment, and demographics. Ministries, such as the Ministry of Health and Finance, supply specific data on public health and financial policies. Central banks, including the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, offer crucial financial data, such as interest rates and monetary policies, which are essential for assessing economic stability.
• Industry Reports: Are indispensable for understanding market trends and competition. Published by firms like Mordor Intelligence and MarketsAndMarkets, these reports deliver detailed analyses of market size, growth potential, and sector-specific data. They can cover large industries or focus on niche markets, offering insights into distribution channels, market drivers, and key players, thereby aiding businesses and researchers in making informed decisions.
• News Publications: News publications, including newspapers, magazines, and online outlets, provide up-to-date information on current events and industry trends. Trusted sources like The New York Times, The Financial Times, and Reuters offer timely updates and expert perspectives, helping researchers understand ongoing developments and their broader implications.

Key Considerations

When conducting secondary research, it’s important to recognize certain challenges that can affect the accuracy and relevance of your findings. Being aware of these considerations is crucial for ensuring that the data you use is reliable and relevant.

One common challenge is encountering outdated, incomplete, or unavailable data, particularly in niche industries, emerging markets, or private companies that do not disclose financial information. Additionally, valuable data is often accessible through subscriptions to premium databases and market reports, making access costly.

Another important factor in secondary research is ensuring data reliability. Not all sources are equally trustworthy, and discrepancies between different sources can complicate your findings. These inconsistencies may arise from varying data collection methods, reporting standards, or source credibility. Leveraging unreliable sources, such as personal blogs or unverified platforms, can lead to biased or inaccurate results. To understand how you can overcome these challenges, check our article on how to balance the benefits and challenges of secondary research.

Assessing the Pros and Cons

Secondary research, like any research method, comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing these advantages and disadvantages is essential for determining when secondary research is the most suitable option for your study. The following are some of the pros and cons of secondary research:

Comparing Primary vs. Secondary Research

Understanding the distinctions between primary and secondary research is crucial for making informed decisions that align with your research goals. In the following section, we will explore these differences in detail, examining factors such as purpose, data types and sources, time, and costs to provide you with a comprehensive comparison of these two essential research methods.

Infomineo: Your Partner in Secondary Research and Targeted Primary Insights

Infomineo has extensive experience in secondary research, catering to a diverse range of clients that includes consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies, governments, and financial institutions.

Our strength lies in formulating effective approaches for complex research questions and identifying relevant sources to provide concrete answers for your projects. We go beyond merely providing raw data, conducting in-depth analysis to identify discrepancies in data, validating information across multiple sources, and complementing our secondary research findings through primary research such as expert interviews.

What is the main purpose of primary research?

The purpose of primary research is to collect original data directly from sources to address specific research questions. It includes exploratory research, which uncovers initial insights into new defined topics, and conclusive research, which provides specific answers to support decision-making. Together, these approaches help verify and quantify findings, guiding informed decisions and strategies.

What are the common methods used in primary research?

Common methods in primary research include surveys, interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, and observation. Each technique offers a distinct way of gathering qualitative or quantitative data directly from participants.

What is the purpose of secondary research?

The purpose of secondary research is to analyze existing data from various sources to address specific research questions and enhance established knowledge. By leveraging available information, researchers can identify patterns, validate previous findings, and gain a comprehensive understanding of a topic, providing valuable insights for further analysis.

What are common sources for secondary research?

Secondary research sources include public and premium databases, official government sources, industry reports, and news publications. Each source provides a diverse range of information, with some being more industry-specific and others offering broader insights.

What are the advantages of secondary research?

Secondary research offers access to a diverse array of data from reliable sources across various industries, allowing researchers to draw robust conclusions and generate impactful insights. While it is more time-efficient and cost-effective than primary research, it demands expertise in identifying relevant sources and transforming data into actionable insights.

When deciding between primary and secondary research, it is essential to consider your specific research goals, budget, and time constraints. Primary research offers the advantage of collecting new, tailored data directly from the source, making it invaluable for gaining in-depth insights and answering specific questions. However, it can be time-consuming and costly, requiring careful planning to avoid common pitfalls such as biased sampling and overlooking critical factors.

On the other hand, secondary research provides a more cost-effective way to access existing data, enabling researchers to build on previous studies, identify trends, and gain a broader understanding of a topic. Yet, it presents some challenges such as data limitations, reliability concerns, and the potential need for additional primary research to address data gaps.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on the unique needs of your study. In many cases, a combination of both methods may yield the most comprehensive and reliable results. By carefully evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, you can choose the one that best aligns with your research objectives and available resources.

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Understanding the differences: primary vs secondary research

May 31, 2023

Primary vs secondary research

Most B2B insight projects involve at least some primary research. It provides a competitive edge, by uncovering exclusive insights only your business has access to (unless you share them to position your brand as a thought leader).

But too often, secondary research – also known as desk research – is underused. It can be a cost-effective way of giving businesses rich information that helps solve their challenges.

Yet not enough market research companies use secondary research methods when they should. Instead, they sometimes fixate on the results of their primary research and deliver a project with key gaps in their reporting.

In B2B market research :

• Primary research methods engage directly with the business decision-makers to uncover unique insights into their attitudes and behavior
• Secondary research methods use publicly available data to answer questions about decision-maker attitudes and behaviors

No matter what information you need, there’s a good chance that at least some of it will be available via a secondary research process. Let’s start with some simple examples. 

Company X has a new product idea that’s best suited to small companies with fewer than 100 staff members. As a starting point, they want to know how many firms meet that criteria in the US.

Based on publicly available data from NAICS , 89% of US companies have under 100 staff. They can also use some other data sources for comparison.

Next, let’s say Company X also estimates their product will be most popular with millennials in the workforce. Desk research shows that a few years ago, 35% were millennials, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – further searching may provide more recent existing data too.

Company X can continue with secondary research to get more specific market sizing data in the US, before moving on to other markets as well if necessary.

But ultimately, when Company X is ready to begin new product development , the insights will then need to come from primary research.

It will need to test and learn how the target audience responds to concepts, pricing, UX, marcomms, and so on.

Naturally, that data won’t be available anywhere online, so Company X will need to conduct primary research as well, to get the information required.

That’s one example of how the use cases differ between primary and secondary research, but there are many more. To begin, let’s take a look at the research objectives supported by secondary research and the sources you can use.

How to do secondary research

Benefits of secondary research

Best practices for secondary research in B2B

How to do primary research

Benefits of primary research

Best practices for primary research in B2B

There’s much more to secondary research than just typing a few words into Google’s search engine and browsing through the results.

To get accurate data, you need a more targeted approach. These are the ten main types of data sources we recommend using for B2B secondary research:

• Regular government datasets: e.g. Bureau of Labor Statistics or Census.gov
• Special government reports: e.g. FTC rulings
• Company directories and databases: e.g. Zoominfo, Crunchbase, or D&B
• Market research reports: e.g. Statista or Marketresearch.com
• Company websites: In particular, look for annual reports on an Investor Relations page if they’re public companies
• Online communities: e.g. LinkedIn groups
• Academia: e.g. Google Scholar
• Trade associations
• General, business, and trade press
• Social and search tools

Information gathered through secondary research can often assist with the design of primary research questions. For example, if you need a list of competitors for each market you operate in, desk research is a great option. 

And of course, secondary research also supports some of the core objectives for common project types.

There are eight common B2B research objectives that these secondary research sources can help with. These are:

• Market size & structure
• Brand perceptions
• Market Intelligence
• List building
• Buying process
• Content marketing
• Industry trends
• Risk analysis

Here are some examples of how secondary research can support each objective:

#1 Market size & structure

Analyzing government datasets can give estimates for the size of a new market and identify where to find customers. Other sources will provide a view of the competitive landscape.

#2 Brand perceptions

Review sites, analyst reports, and online forums reveal how the market perceives each brand in the market. Social media research tools such as Hootsuite can show the challenges that decision-makers are discussing.

#3 Market Intelligence

Competitors’ websites, marketing collateral, and investor relations reports can share intelligence on their strategic plans, revenues, marketing activity, and product specs.

#4 List building

To build a list of potential prospects, directories, and tools such as Kred can identify key influencers or experts in an industry.

#5 Buying process

Explore how customers and prospects search for products like yours. Also, tools such as Google Analytics reveal how they behave on your website during the buying process .

#6 Content marketing

Keyword research tools such as Moz and Ahrefs identify customers’ search intent and therefore the marketing and thought leadership topics that should have the most impact. 

#7 Industry trends

Business and trade press insights keep you up-to-date with the political, demographic, economic, or technological trends that could affect your industry.

#8 Risk analysis

These same publications can also identify financial, operational, compliance, technological, strategic, or reputational risks that require monitoring.

#1 Capture secondary research data systematically

Unlike primary research, which has tried-and-tested analysis formats – data tables, interview transcripts, etc. – there is no uniform way to capture secondary research data.

A simple approach is to copy and paste relevant information found online into a Word doc, or a cloud-based Google doc.

But without a clear structure, secondary research in this format will be difficult to analyze – particularly if the document is tens of pages long, or if there are several documents.

The best desk research format greatly depends on your research objectives. In many cases, it helps to treat desk research like a quasi-quantitative exercise, by collating the data you find in a spreadsheet.

Even if the insights you’re looking for are qualitative, collecting information in spreadsheets with clearly labeled columns and rows will mean it’s easy for anyone to pick up and scan.

#2 Define secondary research parameters clearly

There are 1.13bn websites out there, according to Forbes Advisor . But thankfully, only 18% are active! 

Still, that means there are over 200m websites – some with vast databases of information, so it goes without saying that you can’t browse them all.

A common trap with secondary research is to set a scope that’s too broad, usually because it’s not precisely defined enough. Asking desk researchers to find all the data you want in these circumstances falls into the ‘boiling the ocean’ category – it’s impossible.

Instead, successful desk research has SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

#3 Be ready to pivot to primary research quickly if needed

This is particularly important – it’s worth setting a sensible time limit around the number of desk research hours.

If experienced researchers can’t find the information in that timeframe, that probably means the data isn’t publicly available.

In this case, you will need to include the relevant question in primary research to find the answer.

Want to know if your research objectives require primary and/or secondary research? 

Primary research methods involve recruiting, interviewing, and analyzing the responses of a target audience to get insights into their views, attitudes, and behavior.

The two types of primary research are quantitative and qualitative. In short, the different functions of quantitative vs qualitative research are:

• Quantitative research (a.k.a. quant) tests or validates information that is countable, measurable, and ratable using numerical data collection methods – revealing what people do or think
• Qualitative research (a.k.a. qual) analyzes information based on communication – telling you why people act or think a certain way

Using the right primary research methodology can help you make many types of decisions.

For example, the insights could inform the way you optimize sales and growth strategies , or find areas where you could reduce costs and resources.

Alternatively, you can conduct primary research to pinpoint the most effective marcomms strategy or see how to target customers efficiently.

Typical product types can help you:

• Find an optimal pricing strategy
• Evaluate reactions to content
• Develop a go-to-market strategy
• Create thought leadership
• Generate new product concepts

And more. But different project types require different methodologies – some need quant, others need qual, and some need both:

Primary research can have a wide range of benefits, depending on your business objectives. These include:

• Understanding how to sell more effectively
• Segmenting a target audience
• Assessing new markets
• Informing brand development activities
• Analyzing customers’ buying process
• Tracking customer perceptions
• Informing product development

But arguably what matters most is the part it can play in helping businesses to grow. 

Data that is robust enough will evidence-based decisions, with the potential to achieve better results. For example, data-driven B2B sales can lead to a 15-25% growth in profits, a McKinsey study shows .

And according to Think With Google , companies that are highly data-driven have been three times as likely to see major improvements in decision-making. Yet 62% still prefer to rely more on advice or experience, instead of data.

However, the insights behind informed decisions shouldn’t only be statistical. Many of the most valuable insights come from a qual research method, because you need to understand the reasons why particular decisions will have an effect.

Overall, primary research provides a competitive edge by delivering unique and bespoke insights that can’t be found elsewhere. They’re not publicly available – they take time and the right level of expertise to uncover.

#1 Design the research with a B2B audience in mind

In many ways, B2C and B2B marketers have the same job description – creating and maintaining demand for their employer’s products and services.

And the research industry tends to have more systems in place for consumer research. As an example, the vast majority of research panels are B2C – and that makes sense because there are many more consumers than businesses in any country.

However, in primary research, it doesn’t make sense to use a standardized B2C approach for a business audience.

There are many ways B2B research differs from consumer research – for example, because:

• Senior B2B decision-makers are time-poor
• A product or service purchase decision-making process tends to be longer and more complex in B2B
• Decision-making usually involves multiple stakeholders

These factors should impact how you design a primary research method to get the most accurate, highest-quality results. 

For instance, marketing focus groups rarely work well for a time-poor B2B audience. Instead, you’ll likely need to consider one-to-one interviews or perhaps, a private online community or mobile diary study.

These considerations also affect things like how to incentivize a senior audience, or how to ask about their decision-making criteria, and so on.

#2 Take extra steps to improve B2B respondent quality

For any particular research project in B2B, the insights will only be valuable if they come from respondents who accurately reflect your target audience.

That’s not straightforward though. Not only do senior decision-makers have little time for research – gatekeepers will protect their schedule and it’s difficult to incentivize B2B decision-makers to take part .

Moreover, the target market is much smaller compared to B2C research, so there are far fewer eligible respondents.

As mentioned, it’s rarely the case that research panels will have the B2B respondents you’re looking for, even though many will claim otherwise. Instead, key resources for finding them include:

• Online forums
• Trade press
• Events or conferences
• Industry associations
• Buying a list

Other efficient options include leveraging your existing data in a CRM, recruiting visitors already on your website, or browsing your competitors’ marketing e.g. for clients’ names and job titles.

Strict screening and sampling criteria are also essential to make sure that only high-quality, reliable B2B respondents participate in your study.

#3 Tailor your primary research process for different markets

If you operate in several countries, international B2B market research can be very useful in shaping your strategy.

Just bear in mind that the more markets you want insights for, the more complex the primary research requirements.

For starters, you’ll need to localize your research materials. They need to be translated and checked by native speakers, to pick up all the nuances – Google Translate can’t do this.

Qualitative research will need fluent moderators to discuss complex topics and pick up on non-verbal cues, the emotions behind what respondents are saying, and more.

Also, fieldwork dates or times of day that work well in one country may be bad in another. Lastly, research in some countries may even require a different methodology – in some markets, B2B respondents expect a face-to-face approach, so an online survey won’t suit them.

Looking to run a program of primary and secondary B2B research?

Primary vs. secondary research

Do your business objectives need primary or secondary research (or both)? The difference between primary and secondary research is:

Primary research methods engage directly with the business decision-makers to uncover unique insights into their attitudes and behavior. 

Secondary research methods use publicly available data to answer questions about business decision-maker attitudes and behaviors.

These are the ten main types of data sources we recommend using for B2B secondary research: 

Regular government datasets; special government reports; company directories and databases; market research reports; company websites; online communities; academia; trade associations; general, business, and trade press; social and search tools.

There are eight common B2B research objectives that these secondary research sources can help with. These are: 

Market size & structure; brand perceptions; market intelligence; list building; buying process; content marketing; industry trends; risk analysis.

We recommend that you: capture secondary research data systematically; define secondary research parameters clearly; be ready to pivot to primary research quickly if needed.

The two types of primary research are quantitative and qualitative – the differences are:

Quantitative research (a.k.a. quant) tests or validates information that is countable, measurable, and ratable using numerical data collection methods – revealing what people do or think.

Qualitative research (a.k.a. qual) analyzes information based on communication – telling you why people act or think a certain way.

Primary research can have a wide range of benefits, depending on your business objectives. These include: 

Understanding how to sell more effectively; segmenting a target audience; assessing new markets; informing brand development activities; analyzing customers’ buying process; tracking customer perceptions; informing product development; identifying the path to growth.

We recommend that you: design the research with a B2B audience in mind; take extra steps to improve B2B respondent quality; tailor your primary research process for different markets.

Chris Wells

Chris Wells is a B2B marketing researcher and strategist. He was previously on the management team at B2B research specialist Circle Research, winners of the Best Research Agency at the 2016 MRS Awards. Chris has helped to deliver hundreds of research and strategy projects for B2B organizations.

Got a B2B market research project you’d like to discuss?

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June 4, 2024

The Adience guide to how B2B market research can inform and help shape a comprehensive ESG strategy in several ways.

December 13, 2023

We explain the benefits of a B2B market segmentation, the different types and data sources, plus how to do the primary research.

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• v.106(15); 2009 Apr

Types of Study in Medical Research

Bernd röhrig.

1 MDK Rheinland-Pfalz, Referat Rehabilitation/Biometrie, Alzey

Jean-Baptist du Prel

2 Zentrum für Präventive Pädiatrie, Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Mainz

Daniel Wachtlin

3 Interdisziplinäres Zentrum Klinische Studien (IZKS), Fachbereich Medizin der Universität Mainz

Maria Blettner

4 Institut für Medizinische Biometrie, Epidemiologie und Informatik (IMBEI), Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz

The choice of study type is an important aspect of the design of medical studies. The study design and consequent study type are major determinants of a study’s scientific quality and clinical value.

This article describes the structured classification of studies into two types, primary and secondary, as well as a further subclassification of studies of primary type. This is done on the basis of a selective literature search concerning study types in medical research, in addition to the authors’ own experience.

Three main areas of medical research can be distinguished by study type: basic (experimental), clinical, and epidemiological research. Furthermore, clinical and epidemiological studies can be further subclassified as either interventional or noninterventional.

Conclusions

The study type that can best answer the particular research question at hand must be determined not only on a purely scientific basis, but also in view of the available financial resources, staffing, and practical feasibility (organization, medical prerequisites, number of patients, etc.).

The quality, reliability and possibility of publishing a study are decisively influenced by the selection of a proper study design. The study type is a component of the study design (see the article "Study Design in Medical Research") and must be specified before the study starts. The study type is determined by the question to be answered and decides how useful a scientific study is and how well it can be interpreted. If the wrong study type has been selected, this cannot be rectified once the study has started.

After an earlier publication dealing with aspects of study design, the present article deals with study types in primary and secondary research. The article focuses on study types in primary research. A special article will be devoted to study types in secondary research, such as meta-analyses and reviews. This article covers the classification of individual study types. The conception, implementation, advantages, disadvantages and possibilities of using the different study types are illustrated by examples. The article is based on a selective literature research on study types in medical research, as well as the authors’ own experience.

Classification of study types

In principle, medical research is classified into primary and secondary research. While secondary research summarizes available studies in the form of reviews and meta-analyses, the actual studies are performed in primary research. Three main areas are distinguished: basic medical research, clinical research, and epidemiological research. In individual cases, it may be difficult to classify individual studies to one of these three main categories or to the subcategories. In the interests of clarity and to avoid excessive length, the authors will dispense with discussing special areas of research, such as health services research, quality assurance, or clinical epidemiology. Figure 1 gives an overview of the different study types in medical research.

Classification of different study types

*1 , sometimes known as experimental research; *2 , analogous term: interventional; *3 , analogous term: noninterventional or nonexperimental

This scheme is intended to classify the study types as clearly as possible. In the interests of clarity, we have excluded clinical epidemiology — a subject which borders on both clinical and epidemiological research ( 3 ). The study types in this area can be found under clinical research and epidemiology.

Basic research

Basic medical research (otherwise known as experimental research) includes animal experiments, cell studies, biochemical, genetic and physiological investigations, and studies on the properties of drugs and materials. In almost all experiments, at least one independent variable is varied and the effects on the dependent variable are investigated. The procedure and the experimental design can be precisely specified and implemented ( 1 ). For example, the population, number of groups, case numbers, treatments and dosages can be exactly specified. It is also important that confounding factors should be specifically controlled or reduced. In experiments, specific hypotheses are investigated and causal statements are made. High internal validity (= unambiguity) is achieved by setting up standardized experimental conditions, with low variability in the units of observation (for example, cells, animals or materials). External validity is a more difficult issue. Laboratory conditions cannot always be directly transferred to normal clinical practice and processes in isolated cells or in animals are not equivalent to those in man (= generalizability) ( 2 ).

Basic research also includes the development and improvement of analytical procedures—such as analytical determination of enzymes, markers or genes—, imaging procedures—such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging—, and gene sequencing—such as the link between eye color and specific gene sequences. The development of biometric procedures—such as statistical test procedures, modeling and statistical evaluation strategies—also belongs here.

Clinical studies

Clinical studies include both interventional (or experimental) studies and noninterventional (or observational) studies. A clinical drug study is an interventional clinical study, defined according to §4 Paragraph 23 of the Medicines Act [Arzneimittelgesetz; AMG] as "any study performed on man with the purpose of studying or demonstrating the clinical or pharmacological effects of drugs, to establish side effects, or to investigate absorption, distribution, metabolism or elimination, with the aim of providing clear evidence of the efficacy or safety of the drug."

Interventional studies also include studies on medical devices and studies in which surgical, physical or psychotherapeutic procedures are examined. In contrast to clinical studies, §4 Paragraph 23 of the AMG describes noninterventional studies as follows: "A noninterventional study is a study in the context of which knowledge from the treatment of persons with drugs in accordance with the instructions for use specified in their registration is analyzed using epidemiological methods. The diagnosis, treatment and monitoring are not performed according to a previously specified study protocol, but exclusively according to medical practice."

The aim of an interventional clinical study is to compare treatment procedures within a patient population, which should exhibit as few as possible internal differences, apart from the treatment ( 4 , e1 ). This is to be achieved by appropriate measures, particularly by random allocation of the patients to the groups, thus avoiding bias in the result. Possible therapies include a drug, an operation, the therapeutic use of a medical device such as a stent, or physiotherapy, acupuncture, psychosocial intervention, rehabilitation measures, training or diet. Vaccine studies also count as interventional studies in Germany and are performed as clinical studies according to the AMG.

Interventional clinical studies are subject to a variety of legal and ethical requirements, including the Medicines Act and the Law on Medical Devices. Studies with medical devices must be registered by the responsible authorities, who must also approve studies with drugs. Drug studies also require a favorable ruling from the responsible ethics committee. A study must be performed in accordance with the binding rules of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) ( 5 , e2 – e4 ). For clinical studies on persons capable of giving consent, it is absolutely essential that the patient should sign a declaration of consent (informed consent) ( e2 ). A control group is included in most clinical studies. This group receives another treatment regimen and/or placebo—a therapy without substantial efficacy. The selection of the control group must not only be ethically defensible, but also be suitable for answering the most important questions in the study ( e5 ).

Clinical studies should ideally include randomization, in which the patients are allocated by chance to the therapy arms. This procedure is performed with random numbers or computer algorithms ( 6 – 8 ). Randomization ensures that the patients will be allocated to the different groups in a balanced manner and that possible confounding factors—such as risk factors, comorbidities and genetic variabilities—will be distributed by chance between the groups (structural equivalence) ( 9 , 10 ). Randomization is intended to maximize homogeneity between the groups and prevent, for example, a specific therapy being reserved for patients with a particularly favorable prognosis (such as young patients in good physical condition) ( 11 ).

Blinding is another suitable method to avoid bias. A distinction is made between single and double blinding. With single blinding, the patient is unaware which treatment he is receiving, while, with double blinding, neither the patient nor the investigator knows which treatment is planned. Blinding the patient and investigator excludes possible subjective (even subconscious) influences on the evaluation of a specific therapy (e.g. drug administration versus placebo). Thus, double blinding ensures that the patient or therapy groups are both handled and observed in the same manner. The highest possible degree of blinding should always be selected. The study statistician should also remain blinded until the details of the evaluation have finally been specified.

A well designed clinical study must also include case number planning. This ensures that the assumed therapeutic effect can be recognized as such, with a previously specified statistical probability (statistical power) ( 4 , 6 , 12 ).

It is important for the performance of a clinical trial that it should be carefully planned and that the exact clinical details and methods should be specified in the study protocol ( 13 ). It is, however, also important that the implementation of the study according to the protocol, as well as data collection, must be monitored. For a first class study, data quality must be ensured by double data entry, programming plausibility tests, and evaluation by a biometrician. International recommendations for the reporting of randomized clinical studies can be found in the CONSORT statement (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, www.consort-statement.org ) ( 14 ). Many journals make this an essential condition for publication.

For all the methodological reasons mentioned above and for ethical reasons, the randomized controlled and blinded clinical trial with case number planning is accepted as the gold standard for testing the efficacy and safety of therapies or drugs ( 4 , e1 , 15 ).

In contrast, noninterventional clinical studies (NIS) are patient-related observational studies, in which patients are given an individually specified therapy. The responsible physician specifies the therapy on the basis of the medical diagnosis and the patient’s wishes. NIS include noninterventional therapeutic studies, prognostic studies, observational drug studies, secondary data analyses, case series and single case analyses ( 13 , 16 ). Similarly to clinical studies, noninterventional therapy studies include comparison between therapies; however, the treatment is exclusively according to the physician’s discretion. The evaluation is often retrospective. Prognostic studies examine the influence of prognostic factors (such as tumor stage, functional state, or body mass index) on the further course of a disease. Diagnostic studies are another class of observational studies, in which either the quality of a diagnostic method is compared to an established method (ideally a gold standard), or an investigator is compared with one or several other investigators (inter-rater comparison) or with himself at different time points (intra-rater comparison) ( e1 ). If an event is very rare (such as a rare disease or an individual course of treatment), a single-case study, or a case series, are possibilities. A case series is a study on a larger patient group with a specific disease. For example, after the discovery of the AIDS virus, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA collected a case series of 1000 patients, in order to study frequent complications of this infection. The lack of a control group is a disadvantage of case series. For this reason, case series are primarily used for descriptive purposes ( 3 ).

Epidemiological studies

The main point of interest in epidemiological studies is to investigate the distribution and historical changes in the frequency of diseases and the causes for these. Analogously to clinical studies, a distinction is made between experimental and observational epidemiological studies ( 16 , 17 ).

Interventional studies are experimental in character and are further subdivided into field studies (sample from an area, such as a large region or a country) and group studies (sample from a specific group, such as a specific social or ethnic group). One example was the investigation of the iodine supplementation of cooking salt to prevent cretinism in a region with iodine deficiency. On the other hand, many interventions are unsuitable for randomized intervention studies, for ethical, social or political reasons, as the exposure may be harmful to the subjects ( 17 ).

Observational epidemiological studies can be further subdivided into cohort studies (follow-up studies), case control studies, cross-sectional studies (prevalence studies), and ecological studies (correlation studies or studies with aggregated data).

In contrast, studies with only descriptive evaluation are restricted to a simple depiction of the frequency (incidence and prevalence) and distribution of a disease within a population. The objective of the description may also be the regular recording of information (monitoring, surveillance). Registry data are also suited for the description of prevalence and incidence; for example, they are used for national health reports in Germany.

In the simplest case, cohort studies involve the observation of two healthy groups of subjects over time. One group is exposed to a specific substance (for example, workers in a chemical factory) and the other is not exposed. It is recorded prospectively (into the future) how often a specific disease (such as lung cancer) occurs in the two groups ( figure 2a ). The incidence for the occurrence of the disease can be determined for both groups. Moreover, the relative risk (quotient of the incidence rates) is a very important statistical parameter which can be calculated in cohort studies. For rare types of exposure, the general population can be used as controls ( e6 ). All evaluations naturally consider the age and gender distributions in the corresponding cohorts. The objective of cohort studies is to record detailed information on the exposure and on confounding factors, such as the duration of employment, the maximum and the cumulated exposure. One well known cohort study is the British Doctors Study, which prospectively examined the effect of smoking on mortality among British doctors over a period of decades ( e7 ). Cohort studies are well suited for detecting causal connections between exposure and the development of disease. On the other hand, cohort studies often demand a great deal of time, organization, and money. So-called historical cohort studies represent a special case. In this case, all data on exposure and effect (illness) are already available at the start of the study and are analyzed retrospectively. For example, studies of this sort are used to investigate occupational forms of cancer. They are usually cheaper ( 16 ).

Graphical depiction of a prospective cohort study (simplest case [2a]) and a retrospective case control study (2b)

In case control studies, cases are compared with controls. Cases are persons who fall ill from the disease in question. Controls are persons who are not ill, but are otherwise comparable to the cases. A retrospective analysis is performed to establish to what extent persons in the case and control groups were exposed ( figure 2b ). Possible exposure factors include smoking, nutrition and pollutant load. Care should be taken that the intensity and duration of the exposure is analyzed as carefully and in as detailed a manner as possible. If it is observed that ill people are more often exposed than healthy people, it may be concluded that there is a link between the illness and the risk factor. In case control studies, the most important statistical parameter is the odds ratio. Case control studies usually require less time and fewer resources than cohort studies ( 16 ). The disadvantage of case control studies is that the incidence rate (rate of new cases) cannot be calculated. There is also a great risk of bias from the selection of the study population ("selection bias") and from faulty recall ("recall bias") (see too the article "Avoiding Bias in Observational Studies"). Table 1 presents an overview of possible types of epidemiological study ( e8 ). Table 2 summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of observational studies ( 16 ).

1 = slight; 2 = moderate; 3 = high; N/A, not applicable.

*Individual cases may deviate from this pattern.

Selecting the correct study type is an important aspect of study design (see "Study Design in Medical Research" in volume 11/2009). However, the scientific questions can only be correctly answered if the study is planned and performed at a qualitatively high level ( e9 ). It is very important to consider or even eliminate possible interfering factors (or confounders), as otherwise the result cannot be adequately interpreted. Confounders are characteristics which influence the target parameters. Although this influence is not of primary interest, it can interfere with the connection between the target parameter and the factors that are of interest. The influence of confounders can be minimized or eliminated by standardizing the procedure, stratification ( 18 ), or adjustment ( 19 ).

The decision as to which study type is suitable to answer a specific primary research question must be based not only on scientific considerations, but also on issues related to resources (personnel and finances), hospital capacity, and practicability. Many epidemiological studies can only be implemented if there is access to registry data. The demands for planning, implementation, and statistical evaluation for observational studies should be just as high for observational studies as for experimental studies. There are particularly strict requirements, with legally based regulations (such as the Medicines Act and Good Clinical Practice), for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of clinical studies. A study protocol must be prepared for both interventional and noninterventional studies ( 6 , 13 ). The study protocol must contain information on the conditions, question to be answered (objective), the methods of measurement, the implementation, organization, study population, data management, case number planning, the biometric evaluation, and the clinical relevance of the question to be answered ( 13 ).

Important and justified ethical considerations may restrict studies with optimal scientific and statistical features. A randomized intervention study under strictly controlled conditions of the effect of exposure to harmful factors (such as smoking, radiation, or a fatty diet) is not possible and not permissible for ethical reasons. Observational studies are a possible alternative to interventional studies, even though observational studies are less reliable and less easy to control ( 17 ).

A medical study should always be published in a peer reviewed journal. Depending on the study type, there are recommendations and checklists for presenting the results. For example, these may include a description of the population, the procedure for missing values and confounders, and information on statistical parameters. Recommendations and guidelines are available for clinical studies ( 14 , 20 , e10 , e11 ), for diagnostic studies ( 21 , 22 , e12 ), and for epidemiological studies ( 23 , e13 ). Since 2004, the WHO has demanded that studies should be registered in a public registry, such as www.controlled-trials.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov . This demand is supported by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) ( 24 ), which specifies that the registration of the study before inclusion of the first subject is an essential condition for the publication of the study results ( e14 ).

When specifying the study type and study design for medical studies, it is essential to collaborate with an experienced biometrician. The quality and reliability of the study can be decisively improved if all important details are planned together ( 12 , 25 ).

Acknowledgments

Translated from the original German by Rodney A. Yeates, M.A., Ph.D.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest in the sense of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

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• Knowledge Base

Methodology

Research Methods | Definitions, Types, Examples

Research methods are specific procedures for collecting and analyzing data. Developing your research methods is an integral part of your research design . When planning your methods, there are two key decisions you will make.

First, decide how you will collect data . Your methods depend on what type of data you need to answer your research question :

• Qualitative vs. quantitative : Will your data take the form of words or numbers?
• Primary vs. secondary : Will you collect original data yourself, or will you use data that has already been collected by someone else?
• Descriptive vs. experimental : Will you take measurements of something as it is, or will you perform an experiment?

Second, decide how you will analyze the data .

• For quantitative data, you can use statistical analysis methods to test relationships between variables.
• For qualitative data, you can use methods such as thematic analysis to interpret patterns and meanings in the data.

Table of contents

Methods for collecting data, examples of data collection methods, methods for analyzing data, examples of data analysis methods, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research methods.

Data is the information that you collect for the purposes of answering your research question . The type of data you need depends on the aims of your research.

Qualitative vs. quantitative data

Your choice of qualitative or quantitative data collection depends on the type of knowledge you want to develop.

For questions about ideas, experiences and meanings, or to study something that can’t be described numerically, collect qualitative data .

If you want to develop a more mechanistic understanding of a topic, or your research involves hypothesis testing , collect quantitative data .

You can also take a mixed methods approach , where you use both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Primary vs. secondary research

Primary research is any original data that you collect yourself for the purposes of answering your research question (e.g. through surveys , observations and experiments ). Secondary research is data that has already been collected by other researchers (e.g. in a government census or previous scientific studies).

If you are exploring a novel research question, you’ll probably need to collect primary data . But if you want to synthesize existing knowledge, analyze historical trends, or identify patterns on a large scale, secondary data might be a better choice.

Descriptive vs. experimental data

In descriptive research , you collect data about your study subject without intervening. The validity of your research will depend on your sampling method .

In experimental research , you systematically intervene in a process and measure the outcome. The validity of your research will depend on your experimental design .

To conduct an experiment, you need to be able to vary your independent variable , precisely measure your dependent variable, and control for confounding variables . If it’s practically and ethically possible, this method is the best choice for answering questions about cause and effect.

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Your data analysis methods will depend on the type of data you collect and how you prepare it for analysis.

Data can often be analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. For example, survey responses could be analyzed qualitatively by studying the meanings of responses or quantitatively by studying the frequencies of responses.

Qualitative analysis methods

Qualitative analysis is used to understand words, ideas, and experiences. You can use it to interpret data that was collected:

• From open-ended surveys and interviews , literature reviews , case studies , ethnographies , and other sources that use text rather than numbers.
• Using non-probability sampling methods .

Qualitative analysis tends to be quite flexible and relies on the researcher’s judgement, so you have to reflect carefully on your choices and assumptions and be careful to avoid research bias .

Quantitative analysis methods

Quantitative analysis uses numbers and statistics to understand frequencies, averages and correlations (in descriptive studies) or cause-and-effect relationships (in experiments).

You can use quantitative analysis to interpret data that was collected either:

• During an experiment .
• Using probability sampling methods .

Because the data is collected and analyzed in a statistically valid way, the results of quantitative analysis can be easily standardized and shared among researchers.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Chi square test of independence
• Statistical power
• Descriptive statistics
• Degrees of freedom
• Pearson correlation
• Null hypothesis
• Double-blind study
• Case-control study
• Research ethics
• Data collection
• Hypothesis testing
• Structured interviews

Research bias

• Hawthorne effect
• Unconscious bias
• Recall bias
• Halo effect
• Self-serving bias
• Information bias

Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.

Quantitative methods allow you to systematically measure variables and test hypotheses . Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.

In mixed methods research , you use both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods to answer your research question .

A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.

In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.

The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question .

• If you want to measure something or test a hypothesis , use quantitative methods . If you want to explore ideas, thoughts and meanings, use qualitative methods .
• If you want to analyze a large amount of readily-available data, use secondary data. If you want data specific to your purposes with control over how it is generated, collect primary data.
• If you want to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables , use experimental methods. If you want to understand the characteristics of a research subject, use descriptive methods.

Methodology refers to the overarching strategy and rationale of your research project . It involves studying the methods used in your field and the theories or principles behind them, in order to develop an approach that matches your objectives.

Methods are the specific tools and procedures you use to collect and analyze data (for example, experiments, surveys , and statistical tests ).

In shorter scientific papers, where the aim is to report the findings of a specific study, you might simply describe what you did in a methods section .

In a longer or more complex research project, such as a thesis or dissertation , you will probably include a methodology section , where you explain your approach to answering the research questions and cite relevant sources to support your choice of methods.

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• The 4 Types of Reliability in Research | Definitions & Examples
• The 4 Types of Validity in Research | Definitions & Examples
• Transcribing an Interview | 5 Steps & Transcription Software
• Triangulation in Research | Guide, Types, Examples
• Types of Interviews in Research | Guide & Examples
• Types of Research Designs Compared | Guide & Examples
• Types of Variables in Research & Statistics | Examples
• Unstructured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples
• What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods
• What Is a Case-Control Study? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Conceptual Framework? | Tips & Examples
• What Is a Controlled Experiment? | Definitions & Examples
• What Is a Double-Barreled Question?
• What Is a Focus Group? | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples
• What Is a Likert Scale? | Guide & Examples
• What Is a Prospective Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Retrospective Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples
• What Is an Observational Study? | Guide & Examples
• What Is Concurrent Validity? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Content Validity? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Convenience Sampling? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Convergent Validity? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Criterion Validity? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Data Cleansing? | Definition, Guide & Examples
• What Is Deductive Reasoning? | Explanation & Examples
• What Is Discriminant Validity? | Definition & Example
• What Is Ecological Validity? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Ethnography? | Definition, Guide & Examples
• What Is Face Validity? | Guide, Definition & Examples
• What Is Non-Probability Sampling? | Types & Examples
• What Is Participant Observation? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples
• What Is Predictive Validity? | Examples & Definition
• What Is Probability Sampling? | Types & Examples
• What Is Purposive Sampling? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Qualitative Observation? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Qualitative Research? | Methods & Examples
• What Is Quantitative Observation? | Definition & Examples
• What Is Quantitative Research? | Definition, Uses & Methods

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Primary Research: Methods and Best Practices

Introduction

What is the definition of primary research, what are examples of primary research, primary vs. secondary research, types of primary research, when to use primary research.

Conducting research involves two types of data: primary data and secondary data . While secondary research deals with existing data, primary research collects new data . Ultimately, the most appropriate type of research depends on which method is best suited to your research question .

While this article discusses the difference between primary and secondary research, the main focus is on primary research, the types of data collected through primary research, and considerations for researchers who conduct primary research.

Simply put, researchers conduct primary research to gather new information. When existing data cannot address the research inquiry at hand, the researcher usually needs to collect new data to meet their research objectives.

How do you identify primary research?

Primary research uses collected data that hasn't been previously documented. Primary research typically means collecting data straight from the source (e.g., interviewing a research participant , observing a cultural practice or phenomenon firsthand).

Note that other divides that you should also consider include that of collecting quantitative or qualitative data , and of conducting basic or applied research . Each of these dimensions informs and is informed by your research inquiry.

What are the advantages of primary research?

New data, particularly that which addresses a research gap, can contribute to a novel inquiry and prove compelling to the research audience. When a researcher conducts a literature review and generates a problem statement for their research, they can identify what new data needs to be collected and what primary research method can be used to collect it.

Primary research studies ultimately contribute to theoretical developments and novel insights that an analysis of existing data might not have identified. Research publications in some fields may place a premium on primary research for its potential to generate new scientific knowledge as a result.

What are the disadvantages of primary research?

Primary research is time-consuming and potentially expensive to conduct, considering the equipment and resources needed to collect new data as well as the time required to engage with the field and collect data.

Moreover, primary research relies on new data that has yet to be documented elsewhere, meaning that the research audience is less familiar with the primary data being presented. This might raise issues of transparency and research rigor (e.g., how does the audience know that the data they are shown is trustworthy?).

Primary research is common in various fields of research. Let's look at some typical examples of primary research in three different areas.

Education research

Teaching and learning is a field that relies on evidence-based data to make policy recommendations affecting teachers, learning materials, and even classroom requirements. As a result, there are countless methods for collecting relevant data on the various aspects of education.

Observations , interviews , and assessments are just some of the primary research methods that are employed when studying education contexts. Education research acknowledges the full variety of situated differences found in the diversity of learners and their schooling contexts. This makes collecting data that is relevant to the given context and research inquiry crucial to understanding teaching and learning.

Market research

Businesses often rely on primary research to understand the target market for their products and services. Since competing businesses tend not to share research on customer insights with each other, primary research collecting original data can be a necessity.

Focus groups , surveys , and user research are typical research tools employed by businesses. Within market research, the goal is typically to understand customers' preferences and use cases for specific products and services.

Cultural studies

Fields such as anthropology and sociology count on primary research for understanding cultures and communities. Ethnographic research acknowledges that thick description of cultures and phenomena is more meaningful than only generating universal theories, making the collection of primary data essential to understanding the full diversity of the social world.

Researchers examining culture often collect data through interviews, observations, and photovoice, among other research methods. These methods look at the social world through the eyes of the research participants to generate an immersive view of cultures and groups with which audiences may not be familiar.

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Primary research data stands in contrast to secondary research data, which is any data that has been previously collected and documented. In some situations, existing data may be abundant and available, making secondary research a more feasible approach to generating theory and identifying key insights.

Secondary research methods are employed in all fields of research. Market researchers conduct secondary research when there is already existing data about a target market. In particular, secondary market research might look at previous trends in the popularity of products to make predictions about the demand for new products.

Scholarly researchers can use secondary sources such as corpora, news articles, and online videos to make assertions about language and culture. Analytical approaches such as discourse analysis and content analysis can be well suited to analyzing data collected through secondary research methods.

Ultimately, primary and secondary research go hand in hand. The main function of research in building knowledge does not necessarily depend on the use of primary data collection . Rather, it is a matter of whether data needs to be collected in order to address your research inquiry, or relevant data already exists and you can access it.

There are many research methods used to collect data for primary research. The research method that works best for you depends on what you are looking to do with your research project.

This section lists some of the common primary data collection methods that researchers rely on.

One-on-one interviews are useful for capturing perspectives from research participants. Direct interactions can tell researchers what perspectives their research participants have and the thinking behind those perspectives.

Interview research is a complex and detailed methodology that includes several types of interviews to suit various research inquiries. Researchers can choose between structured interviews , semi-structured interviews , and unstructured interviews , depending on the nature of interaction they are looking to establish.

Focus groups

Focus groups are discussions that involve multiple research participants and are led by a moderator. Similar to interviews, the primary goal is to gather information about people's perspectives. Yet focus groups are distinct, because they can capture how people interact and build meaning when discussing a particular topic.

Market researchers may consider conducting a focus group discussion when they want to know more about how a particular group feels about a product or service. Researchers in linguistics and anthropology might be interested in observing how a group of people construct meaning with each other.

Observations

In research involving naturalistic inquiry and the social world, the researcher can gather information directly from the field through observational research methods . Primary data takes the form of field notes , audio and video recordings , their resulting transcripts , and even images of objects of interest.

For quantitative research inquiries, observation entails measuring the amount of activity or the frequency of particular phenomena. Qualitative observations look for patterns in cultural or social practices and document significant events in the field.

When the objective is to capture perspectives from large numbers of people, surveys are a good research method for collecting novel data. In-person questionnaires and online surveys can be used to quickly collect data at scale.

Surveys are used for conducting primary research in both quantitative and qualitative research . The structure of survey questions provide data that can be measured quantitatively, while open-ended survey responses require qualitative data analysis .

Experiments

While the above methods emphasize or are involved with naturalistic inquiry, experiments are a different form of primary research that is far more controlled. When you want to understand the relationship between various elements in a certain context (e.g., the effect of water and fertilizer on plant growth), a controlled experiment is a typical research approach to empirically establish scientific knowledge.

Experiments focus on a specific set of factors from the research phenomenon to understand causal relationships between variables. Experiments are a common primary research method in physical sciences, but they are also extensively used in psychology, education, and political science, among other areas.

The decision to conduct a primary or secondary study is a question of whether existing data is sufficient to satisfy the research inquiry at hand. Where data does not exist, primary research should be conducted.

Consider an example research study regarding ideal teaching methods in elementary school contexts in a developing country in Asia. Just because there is abundant data on the same topic in elementary schools in Western countries does not preclude the possibility of novel theoretical developments in schools in Asia. This becomes particularly important if insights based on existing data from other contexts may not be applicable to the present context.

Note that this does not mean that a secondary research study is any less novel than a primary study. Indeed, many fields and methodologies rely extensively on analyzing existing data. For example, studies that employ discourse analysis and content analysis typically (though not always) rely on existing sources of data to facilitate understanding of language use in real-world situations.

As a result, the choice between primary and secondary research can be seen as more of a practical consideration than a matter of a study's potential contribution to scientific knowledge. Novelty in research is as much about the data collection as it is about the resulting analysis. If you require data for your study where none exists, then data from primary research is your best option.

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• Lesson Plans
• Teacher's Guides
• Media Resources

Primary and Secondary Sources: Foundations of Historical Research

Advertisement for fugitive slave from July 1837 issue of unidentified anti-slavery publication

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library Digital Collections

Contemporary accounts created by people who were present or intimately involved in historical events – known as primary sources – are the bedrock of historical research and writing. In order to complete the research process, historians also rely on secondary sources: well-researched scholarship written after the historical event in question.  

In this lesson plan, students will learn how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources and how to use them for historical research. The central type of primary sources used in this lesson plan are fugitive slave advertisements: short, concise, detailed, and engaging primary sources that convey the history of slavery and freedom seeking in striking terms. Once completed, students will have cultivated valuable research skills with which further historical questions can be investigated and answered.  

This resource is a product of Claiming Freedom in the Revolutionary Era – a partnership of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the National Park Service, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Park Foundation, and the Greening Youth Foundation. 

Guiding questions.

Why do historians use both primary and secondary sources to understand the past? 

How are we creators of primary sources for historians 100 years from now? 

Learning Objectives

Differentiate between a primary and secondary source. 

Analyze a primary source by using a graphic organizer. 

Lesson Plan Details

A familiarity with the historical research method sparks curiosity in students and teaches them to be critical clickers as they combat misinformation on the Internet.    

The Historical Method in Three Phases 

Historians are scrupulous researchers and detailed investigators. Traditionally, historians employ what is called the historical method in three general phases.  

First, historians scour physical and digital archives in search of sources like diary entries, artifacts of clothing, first-hand interviews, or fugitive slave advertisements to obtain a solid idea of what the past was really like. These are primary sources: contemporary accounts created by people who were present or intimately involved in historical events.  

In the second phase of the historical method, historians critically read scholarly articles and books to stay up to date on how their peers have interpreted the same subject. Books and articles are two prime examples of secondary sources. They offer valuable context and fresh insight into historical events after those historical events have ended.  

Thirdly and finally, historians place it all in conversation with each other. The sources they discovered in the archive inform and are informed by the secondary source reading they have completed. The result is a more accurate and inclusive telling of the past.   

The Historical Method and the Digital World 

The same analytical habit of critically reading one’s sources can also be used by students to navigate the digital landscape—the ever evolving and full scope of information accessible through media, online, via applications and social media. Indeed, the historical method can be usefully translated by educators to help students become critical clickers . That is, students who are responsible online researchers and who are adept at distinguishing reliable information from misinformation .   

Many archives in the United States are free and publicly accessible, scholarly books are widely published, and an increasing amount of information is openly available online. But, ironically, because nearly anyone in the world can publish information on the Internet, the digital landscape can be a dangerous place to conduct historical research. With misinformation around every corner, how do historians navigate the digital landscape?  

“The very nature of information on the Internet requires a shift in the way we evaluate the credibility and worthiness of the information we encounter.”   ~ Christy Coleman , on Reframing History  

Unlike the materials one finds in the archive, the Internet is an unregulated space. Not every website found online is subject to a vetting process. So, in addition to critiquing the validity of a single document online, deciphering the veracity of online databases and repositories can be extremely tricky. But how studying historical research methods aid educators in helping students to alternate between critical reading and critical clicking ? 

Some sites are clearly trustworthy. The National Archives and Records Administration or the Library of Congress are two great examples. Just as some digitally accessible academic and government organizations are certainly reliable: articles published in the American Historical Review and the Journal of African American History, or content from the National Park Service .   

But other websites and resources trigger more skepticism. And they must be questioned on a case-by-case basis. Some questions can be answered before the researcher even clicks on a link. Upon launching a question in a search engine, historians can begin to gauge the reliability of a website. What is the ending of the URL? Is it a “.com,” “.org,” “.gov,” or a “.edu” site? But sometimes these inquiries are too superficial to separate an unreliable website from a reliable one . In our current digital age, merely confirming the author of an article or the publisher of a website is not enough to combat misinformation.  

Just like with a physical primary source, the researcher must cross-examine the website. When faced with an unknown resource, online researchers (who are also critical clickers) investigate other websites to determine whether a source is reliable. This method is known as “lateral reading.” Similarly, historians of the Underground Railroad search for plantation records or correspondence to see how a fugitive slave advertisement fits into a history of freedom seeking. The practice of cross-examination is honed through the historical research method becomes invaluable in combatting online misinformation.  

Students are sure to find other examples of how the historical research method can aid in combatting online misinformation as they work their way through this lesson plan. Indeed, one of the main goals of this lesson plan is to foster a curiosity equipped with critical clicking.   

D1.5.9-12. Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources, the types of sources available, and the potential uses of the sources. 

D2.His.11.9-12. Critique the usefulness of historical sources for a specific historical inquiry based on their maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose. 

D2.His.12.9-12. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources. 

This lesson is designed to introduce students to primary source analysis. There are no prior concepts that students need to review before implementing this lesson plan.  

However, it may be useful for teachers to review the modeling key for activity three (below) and to read / listen to: “The Case of the Misunderstood Historical Method,” from Reframing History, produced by the American Association of State and Local History. 

Activity 1: Defining primary and secondary sources 

Begin by reading the  Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources  handout independently, in small groups, or with the entire class. This brief document uses engaging language to articulate the key differences between primary and secondary sources. It also poses some common questions that historians ask of primary and secondary sources in order to fully comprehend their value and context. A group discussion is encouraged.  

“Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources” ends with a prompt: If a historian in 2075 wanted to study classrooms in 2023, what objects around us would serve as excellent primary sources in their research? Answers may range, although some common responses might include: desks, chairs, pens, pencils, markers, projectors, lockers, worksheets, textbooks, and school uniforms. Educators then end by reiterating and emphasizing what primary sources add to an individual’s historical research. 

Activity 2: Identifying Primary Sources 

In groups of 3-4, students test their understanding of primary and secondary sources by completing the Matching Primary and Secondary Sources worksheet. In this exercise, they are tasked with correctly labeling 10 sources as either primary or secondary sources. Students will identify the specific information that helped them arrive at their answers. A key with explanations for each of the sources included in the lesson plan materials. After work time, review answers as a class and invite students to share their reasoning. 

Activity 3: Introduction to Primary Source Analysis 

The educator is supplied with two fugitive slave advertisements and is tasked with modeling for the entire class the critical thinking that goes into analyzing a primary source using a graphic organizer. The intellectual life for analyzing the first advertisement and filling in the graphic organizer should be on the educator. The educator should guide students through the second advertisement; however, students should supply the majority of the analysis. An exemplar graphic organizer with key words & phrases to model the thinking is supplied for the educator in the lesson plan materials.  

After the full-class discussion and analysis, students then transition to small groups to analyze different fugitive slave advertisements together. They will be given two to three fugitive slave advertisements observe and analyze, while also putting their thoughts into the graphic organizer. 

Prompt: You are explaining the Underground Railroad and the stories of freedom seekers to a friend. Choose three (3) primary and three (3) secondary sources from the lists below that you think would be most effective at explaining what it was. Write a three-paragraph response that explains your reasoning for choosing your primary and secondary sources. 

Materials & Media

Understanding primary and secondary sources, matching primary and secondary sources, primary source analysis, primary source analysis graphic organizer, related on edsitement, unveiling the past: analyzing primary documents on harry washington's life, lesson 2. “read all about it”: primary source reading in “chronicling america”, ask an neh expert: validating sources, visual records of a changing nation.

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Secondary research: definition, methods, & examples.

18 min read This ultimate guide to secondary research helps you understand changes in market trends, customers buying patterns and your competition using existing data sources.

In situations where you’re not involved in the data gathering process ( primary research ), you have to rely on existing information and data to arrive at specific research conclusions or outcomes. This approach is known as secondary research.

In this article, we’re going to explain what secondary research is, how it works, and share some examples of it in practice.

What is secondary research?

Secondary research, also known as desk research, is a research method that involves compiling existing data sourced from a variety of channels . This includes internal sources (e.g.in-house research) or, more commonly, external sources (such as government statistics, organisational bodies, and the internet).

Secondary research comes in several formats, such as published datasets, reports, and survey responses , and can also be sourced from websites, libraries, and museums.

The information is usually free — or available at a limited access cost — and gathered using surveys , telephone interviews, observation, face-to-face interviews, and more.

When using secondary research, researchers collect, verify, analyse and incorporate it to help them confirm research goals for the research period.

As well as the above, it can be used to review previous research into an area of interest. Researchers can look for patterns across data spanning several years and identify trends — or use it to verify early hypothesis statements and establish whether it’s worth continuing research into a prospective area.

How to conduct secondary research

There are five key steps to conducting secondary research effectively and efficiently:

1.    Identify and define the research topic

First, understand what you will be researching and define the topic by thinking about the research questions you want to be answered.

Ask yourself: What is the point of conducting this research? Then, ask: What do we want to achieve?

This may indicate an exploratory reason (why something happened) or confirm a hypothesis. The answers may indicate ideas that need primary or secondary research (or a combination) to investigate them.

2.    Find research and existing data sources

If secondary research is needed, think about where you might find the information. This helps you narrow down your secondary sources to those that help you answer your questions. What keywords do you need to use?

Which organisations are closely working on this topic already? Are there any competitors that you need to be aware of?

Create a list of the data sources, information, and people that could help you with your work.

3.    Begin searching and collecting the existing data

Now that you have the list of data sources, start accessing the data and collect the information into an organised system. This may mean you start setting up research journal accounts or making telephone calls to book meetings with third-party research teams to verify the details around data results.

As you search and access information, remember to check the data’s date, the credibility of the source, the relevance of the material to your research topic, and the methodology used by the third-party researchers. Start small and as you gain results, investigate further in the areas that help your research’s aims.

4.    Combine the data and compare the results

When you have your data in one place, you need to understand, filter, order, and combine it intelligently. Data may come in different formats where some data could be unusable, while other information may need to be deleted.

After this, you can start to look at different data sets to see what they tell you. You may find that you need to compare the same datasets over different periods for changes over time or compare different datasets to notice overlaps or trends. Ask yourself: What does this data mean to my research? Does it help or hinder my research?

5.    Analyse your data and explore further

In this last stage of the process, look at the information you have and ask yourself if this answers your original questions for your research. Are there any gaps ? Do you understand the information you’ve found? If you feel there is more to cover, repeat the steps and delve deeper into the topic so that you can get all the information you need.

If secondary research can’t provide these answers, consider supplementing your results with data gained from primary research. As you explore further, add to your knowledge and update your findings. This will help you present clear, credible information.

Primary vs secondary research

Unlike secondary research, primary research involves creating data first-hand by directly working with interviewees, target users, or a target market. Primary research focuses on the method for carrying out research, asking questions, and collecting data using approaches such as:

• Interviews (panel, face-to-face or over the phone)
• Questionnaires or surveys
• Focus groups

Using these methods, researchers can get in-depth, targeted responses to questions, making results more accurate and specific to their research goals. However, it does take time to do and administer.

Unlike primary research, secondary research uses existing data, which also includes published results from primary research. Researchers summarise the existing research and use the results to support their research goals.

Both primary and secondary research have their places. Primary research can support the findings found through secondary research (and fill knowledge gaps), while secondary research can be a starting point for further primary research. Because of this, these research methods are often combined for optimal research results that are accurate at both the micro and macro level.

Sources of Secondary Research

There are two types of secondary research sources: internal and external. Internal data refers to in-house data that can be gathered from the researcher’s organisation. External data refers to data published outside of and not owned by the researcher’s organisation.

Internal data

Internal data is a good first port of call for insights and knowledge, as you may already have relevant information stored in your systems. Because you own this information — and it won’t be available to other researchers — it can give you a competitive edge . Examples of internal data include:

• Database information on sales history and business goal conversions
• Information from website applications and mobile site data
• Customer-generated data on product and service efficiency and use
• Previous research results or supplemental research areas
• Previous campaign results

External data

External data is useful when you: 1) need information on a new topic, 2) want to fill in gaps in your knowledge, or 3) want data that breaks down a population or market for trend and pattern analysis. Examples of external data include:

• Government, non-government agencies, and trade body statistics
• Company reports and research
• Competitor research
• Public library collections
• Textbooks and research journals
• Media stories in newspapers
• Online journals and research sites

Three examples of secondary research methods in action

How and why might you conduct secondary research? Let’s look at a few examples:

1.    Collecting factual information from the internet on a specific topic or market

There are plenty of sites that hold data for people to view and use in their research. For example, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or Wiley Online Library all provide previous research on a particular topic. Researchers can create free accounts and use the search facilities to look into a topic by keyword, before following the instructions to download or export results for further analysis.

This can be useful for exploring a new market that your organisation wants to consider entering. For instance, by viewing the U.S Census Bureau demographic data for that area, you can see what your target audience’s demographic segmentations are , and create compelling marketing campaigns accordingly.

2.    Finding out the views of your target audience on a particular topic

If you’re interested in seeing the historical views on a particular topic, for example, attitudes to women’s rights in the US, you can turn to secondary sources.

Textbooks, news articles, reviews, and journal entries can all provide qualitative reports and interviews covering how people discussed women’s rights. There may be multimedia elements like video or documented posters of propaganda showing biased language usage.

By gathering this information, synthesising it, and evaluating the language, who created it and when it was shared, you can create a timeline of how a topic was discussed over time.

3.    When you want to know the latest thinking on a topic

Educational institutions, such as schools and colleges, create a lot of research-based reports on younger audiences or their academic specialisms. Dissertations from students also can be submitted to research journals, making these places useful places to see the latest insights from a new generation of academics.

Information can be requested — and sometimes academic institutions may want to collaborate and conduct research on your behalf. This can provide key primary data in areas that you want to research, as well as secondary data sources for your research.

Advantages of secondary research

There are several benefits of using secondary research, which we’ve outlined below:

• Easily and readily available data – There is an abundance of readily accessible data sources that have been pre-collected for use, in person at local libraries and online using the internet. This data is usually sorted by filters or can be exported into spreadsheet format, meaning that little technical expertise is needed to access and use the data.
• Faster research speeds – Since the data is already published and in the public arena, you don’t need to collect this information through primary research. This can make the research easier to do and faster, as you can get started with the data quickly.
• Low financial and time costs – Most secondary data sources can be accessed for free or at a small cost to the researcher, so the overall research costs are kept low. In addition, by saving on preliminary research, the time costs for the researcher are kept down as well.
• Secondary data can drive additional research actions – The insights gained can support future research activities (like conducting a follow-up survey or specifying future detailed research topics) or help add value to these activities.
• Secondary data can be useful pre-research insights – Secondary source data can provide pre-research insights and information on effects that can help resolve whether research should be conducted. It can also help highlight knowledge gaps, so subsequent research can consider this.
• Ability to scale up results – Secondary sources can include large datasets (like Census data results across several states) so research results can be scaled up quickly using large secondary data sources.

Disadvantages of secondary research

The disadvantages of secondary research are worth considering in advance of conducting research :

• Secondary research data can be out of date – Secondary sources can be updated regularly, but if you’re exploring the data between two updates, the data can be out of date. Researchers will need to consider whether the data available provides the right research coverage dates, so that insights are accurate and timely, or if the data needs to be updated. Also, fast-moving markets may find secondary data expires very quickly.
• Secondary research needs to be verified and interpreted – Where there’s a lot of data from one source, a researcher needs to review and analyse it. The data may need to be verified against other data sets or your hypotheses for accuracy and to ensure you’re using the right data for your research.
• The researcher has had no control over the secondary research – As the researcher has not been involved in the secondary research, invalid data can affect the results. It’s therefore vital that the methodology and controls are closely reviewed so that the data is collected in a systematic and error-free way.
• Secondary research data is not exclusive – As data sets are commonly available, there is no exclusivity and many researchers can use the same data. This can be problematic where researchers want to have exclusive rights over the research results and risk duplication of research in the future.

When do we conduct secondary research?

Now that you know the basics of secondary research, when do researchers normally conduct secondary research?

It’s often used at the beginning of research, when the researcher is trying to understand the current landscape . In addition, if the research area is new to the researcher, it can form crucial background context to help them understand what information exists already. This can plug knowledge gaps, supplement the researcher’s own learning or add to the research.

Secondary research can also be used in conjunction with primary research. Secondary research can become the formative research that helps pinpoint where further primary research is needed to find out specific information. It can also support or verify the findings from primary research.

You can use secondary research where high levels of control aren’t needed by the researcher, but a lot of knowledge on a topic is required from different angles.

Secondary research should not be used in place of primary research as both are very different and are used for various circumstances.

Questions to ask before conducting secondary research

Before you start your secondary research, ask yourself these questions:

• Is there similar internal data that we have created for a similar area in the past?

If your organisation has past research, it’s best to review this work before starting a new project. The older work may provide you with the answers, and give you a starting dataset and context of how your organisation approached the research before. However, be mindful that the work is probably out of date and view it with that note in mind. Read through and look for where this helps your research goals or where more work is needed.

• What am I trying to achieve with this research?

When you have clear goals, and understand what you need to achieve, you can look for the perfect type of secondary or primary research to support the aims. Different secondary research data will provide you with different information – for example, looking at news stories to tell you a breakdown of your market’s buying patterns won’t be as useful as internal or external data e-commerce and sales data sources.

• How credible will my research be?

If you are looking for credibility, you want to consider how accurate the research results will need to be, and if you can sacrifice credibility for speed by using secondary sources to get you started. Bear in mind which sources you choose — low-credibility data sites, like political party websites that are highly biased to favour their own party, would skew your results.

• What is the date of the secondary research?

When you’re looking to conduct research, you want the results to be as useful as possible , so using data that is 10 years old won’t be as accurate as using data that was created a year ago. Since a lot can change in a few years, note the date of your research and look for earlier data sets that can tell you a more recent picture of results. One caveat to this is using data collected over a long-term period for comparisons with earlier periods, which can tell you about the rate and direction of change.

• Can the data sources be verified? Does the information you have check out?

If you can’t verify the data by looking at the research methodology, speaking to the original team or cross-checking the facts with other research, it could be hard to be sure that the data is accurate. Think about whether you can use another source, or if it’s worth doing some supplementary primary research to replicate and verify results to help with this issue.

We created a front-to-back guide on conducting market research, The ultimate guide to conducting market research , so you can understand the research journey with confidence.

In it, you’ll learn more about:

• What effective market research looks like
• The use cases for market research
• The most important steps to conducting market research
• And how to take action on your research findings

Download the free guide for a clearer view on secondary research and other key research types for your business.

Download our free guide for a clearer view on market research for your business

Related resources

Market intelligence tools 10 min read, qualitative research questions 11 min read, primary vs secondary research 14 min read, business research methods 12 min read, ethnographic research 11 min read, business research 10 min read, qualitative research design 12 min read, request demo.

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