Tools and Techniques of Data Collection- Primary and Secondary Data

Introduction

Data is the new oil, this saying gets quoted in every article regarding data. Data forms the basis of every minor as well as a major decision. Every organisation in the world, be it public or private, is now hiring a team for making data-driven decisions. Amongst all the information, the question arises how is data generated and what are the tools for data collection?

There are two types of data, quantitative and qualitative. The major factor that distinguishes these two categories is that quantitative data can be manipulated or collected in the form of numeric quantities whereas qualitative data cannot, they usually express the categorical variables. 

Both types of data can be collected in two ways, either in primary or secondary mode. The method used for data collection is to be decided upon the probable use of the data.

Primary Tools of Data Collection

The primary tool for data collection is characterised by on-ground surveys, questionnaires and in-depth interviews conducted to collect the notion of the target market or population. The researcher/organisation gathers raw data at the source to use the same for their own purpose, aim or objective of study. 

Primary data collection is undertaken by the businesses to acquire the consumer’s conception of their product/service, to analyse the demand patterns, to conduct a market survey before launching any new segment, etc. Primary data is also collected by think tanks, government agencies, NGOs to substantiate their research and formulate policies accordingly.

Methods of Primary Data Collection

1. Interviews: Interviews are conducted either face-to-face or by means of telephonic conversations between two individuals to gather the relevant information for the research. This method is ordinarily used by think tanks, NGOs or any social intervening agency working to conduct research studies for identifying the presence of any social disparity.
2. Questionnaires:  The questionnaire tool is used to collect primary data by gathering the required information from the individuals by asking them the questions and giving them suitable prompts to conduct the study. A major example is the feedback form circulated after the completion of an online purchase, to gather the customer’s take on the services/products offered.
3. Surveys: Surveys are conducted time-to-time by government agencies or businesses to gather relevant information from the general public. They are typically collected from a sample population, later to be generalised for the whole population.
4. Observation: Researchers often observe the direct information required for the study. 

Usually, if the study being carried out is a quantitative study, the questionnaire or probable questions to be asked will be carried out in a structured manner, restricting the responses in a range or amongst a few options; thereby reducing the number of open-ended questions for the ease of quantifying the variables. If primary data is being collected for a qualitative study, the restrictions on the questionnaire will be comparatively low. 

Secondary Tools of Data Collection

Secondary tools for data collection involve the use of existing data for the purpose of the study. For example, to examine the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the income and consumption of Indian citizens, researchers would utilise the data collected by the Government of India. The existing data is utilised to answer the varied sets of questions arising in the later years for the purpose of study other than for which the data was collected initially. 

Ensuring the credibility of the source of the secondary data is crucial for the increased accuracy of the results. 

Methods of Secondary Data Collection

1. Research Journals: Journals published by several institutions can be a reliable source of secondary data as already several studies have been performed and published using the same set of data. If an individual wants to conduct a study, journals are a good place to start in order to start collecting and preparing the data set for further evaluation.
2. Internet Websites: In today’s world, the Right to Information is a basic right that every individual is aware of. Governments across the world, in order to maintain transparency, publish the data from the surveys conducted every year on their official websites. Apart from the official government websites, one can rely upon the data published by United Nations and its subsidiaries, several institutions engaged in the analytical practices like Bloomberg, Statista, Yahoo etc. 
3. Organisational Reports: Several companies in the markets, NGOs publish the research report, market survey and financial markets for public eyes to give an insight into the society/market/financials of a company. The reports can be quoted as reliable sources.

Primary Data Vs Secondary Data in Statistics

• Primary data is the first-hand raw data collected by the professionals whereas secondary data refers to the existing data collected by someone else
• While the methods of primary data collection can poke a hole in the research budget and be extremely time-consuming, methods of secondary data collection are economical and time-efficient
• Both primary and secondary data carry their own significance in the research study

Pitfalls to Avoid while Data Collection

Tools for data collection, if not used by the book can be the reason the study is not arriving at the desired results. Following pitfalls are to be avoided while collecting data by either method of primary data collection or the methods of secondary data collection.

• Remaining unbiased is the first and foremost step of collecting data
• Avoid using suggesting tones while gathering answers to any question
• Remain neutral at all times, be respectful to the interviewee
• Collect appropriate consent before conducting the interview, the participant may not feel motivated to answer correctly if proper consent is not taken
• While using secondary data, make sure the source is reliable

One may remain extremely conscious of maintaining data privacy. Participants must be informed prior that the information collected will be used only for academic purposes and that their identity won’t be disclosed. 

Conclusion

Data collection is a tedious process and enough care must be taken while collecting the same. Regardless of the utilised tool of data collection in the study, the goal of the observer/researcher at all times must be focused on the objectives of the study and data should be collected in the relevant fields only. The tools to be used for the collection depends on the objective of the study and can be classified into primary methods for data collection and secondary methods of data collection.