Primary research is gathering information from first hand accounts of the topic you are researching.
Pros: The information is going to be accurate and there is no “middle man” interpreting the data.
Cons: Primary research is not always available and sometimes it is too expensive
Secondary research is gathering information from second hand accounts such as books published on the topic you are researching.
Pros: Sometimes primary research isn’t available so secondary sources must be used. Secondary sources can also compile a lot of data into one source. Usually cheaper than primary research.
Cons: It is someone else's account of the topic so it might not always be totally accurate.
Primary research methods:
Qualitative
Quantitative
Mixed Method
Combination
Triangulation is necessary
Different methods can be used to gather different types of data
The same method can be used for either qualitative or quantitative data. Ex. a survey can be used for both types of data, depending on how the questions are written
Independent variable vs dependent variable
Independent (IV): Cause or Reason
Dependent (DV): Outcome or Effect
Quantitative research’s purpose is to identify the relationship between two or more variables.
My example: How does level of wealth affect an individual’s happiness?
IV: Level of wealth
DV: An individual’s happiness
Experiment on the effects of placing fine art on everyday products.
Result of research: They found that art on everyday products gives customers a perception of luxury, so they might be willing to spend more money on an object with an artwork printed on it.
Comments