Recifest Primary and secondary data are two types of data used in masters dissertation. These two types of data in a dissertation guide the researcher to analyse the subject or answer the research questions. Thus, primary and secondary data collection is essential to solve a research problem. However, do you know how to collect this type of data? What are the methods used for the collection of primary & secondary data? As guessed, you know nothing about it. Well, there is no need to worry. In today’s article, we will look at different methods of primary data collection and secondary data collection for a masters dissertation. So, without wasting any time further, let’s get started with the topic.
Different methods to collect primary research data
Primary data is first-hand data. It is the data that is collected by the researcher himself. To collect this data, the researcher directly interacts with the source and gathers the required information. This kind of data is regarded as the best kind of data in research. There are different methods in use these days to collect primary data. A brief description of the major methods is as follows:
One-on-One interviews
The interview is the most commonly used method of collecting the primary data for a masters dissertation. In this method, the researcher interacts directly with the source. He asks respondents a defined set of questions, and the respondents answer those questions based on their knowledge about the subject or the research topic. An interview can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured.
Surveys & Questionnaires
The second-best method of primary data collection is known as surveys or questionnaires. It is the most efficient and simplest of all methods. As the researcher, all you need to do is develop a questionnaire and send that questionnaire to your research participants. The respondents then answer the questions based on their understanding. A survey can be open or closed-ended.
Observation method
The third method used for primary data collection for a masters dissertation is the observation method. Using this method, the researcher collects the data by observing the research participants closely. He observes each activity of the research participants and notes it down as the research data. Based on how you do the observation, this study can be overt and covert. However, if you do not know about these, ask about them from a masters dissertation help.
Experiments
Lastly, there is the method of experimentation that is used to collect primary data. In this method, the researcher tries to understand the cause-and-effect relationship between two variables. He takes those variables and studies them in a controlled environment, e.g., a lab. As the researcher is directly involved in obtaining the data, the experiment is a primary data collection method.
Different methods to collect secondary research data
After discussing the primary data collection methods, it is now time to shed some light on secondary data collection methods. Secondary data is the data that comes from a source on which the researcher has done no work. This data refers to the data already published and is relevant to your masters dissertation research. This data is mostly used due to its cost-effectiveness. However, major secondary data collection methods are as follows:
Government publications
Every governmental department in the world publishes the data, and if not, it is bound to share the research data upon request of the researcher. The data you get through this method is purely secondary. It is because, as the researcher, you have no contribution to the collection of that data. The government agencies have collected the data, and you are just using that information for your masters dissertation.
Past research studies
The second most widely used method for secondary data collection is reading past research studies. The past studies that are relevant to the researcher’s field provide him with a lot of data that he can incorporate into his dissertation. However, it is important to remember that all the past research studies that, as the researcher, you are going to study should be relevant to your research topic.
Internet research
Internet research is the last major secondary data collection method. It is the simplest of all methods. All a researcher needs to do is research the topic of interest on the internet using any search engine. The search engine shows results that are relevant to his research query. The researcher can use the information that he got after researching on the internet.
Conclusion
Conclusively, primary and secondary data are two different types of data. Their methods of collection are also different from each other. However, the major methods used for the collection of both types for a masters dissertation are discussed above. Hence, go News through all of them and use the right method for your research study.
