What is the difference between primary and secondary data give two examples of each?


A door-to-door survey is one way to collect primary data.

Watch the video for an overview of the differences between primary data and secondary data:

Primary and Secondary Data

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Primary data is data that is collected by a researcher from first-hand sources, using methods like:


  • Creative works [paintings, movie reels, music etc.]
  • Diaries,
  • Experiments performed by you, the researcher,
  • Letters,
  • Surveys and censuses,
  • Interviews.

A primary source is collected directly from the original source. It is not clouded with someone else’s views or judgments.

The term is used in contrast with the term secondary data. Secondary data is data gathered from studies, surveys, or experiments that have been run by other people or for other research. Examples of secondary data include:


  • Encyclopedias,
  • Essays,
  • Newspaper opinion pieces,
  • Reviews,
  • Textbooks.

Typically, a researcher will begin a project by working with secondary data. This allows time to formulate questions and gain an understanding of the issues being dealt with before the more costly and time consuming operation of collecting primary data.

Let’s say you were researching trauma in burn survivors; You would typically begin your study by going through the literature on the subject. Data gleaned both from published papers and unpublished research notes would be secondary data. Although it isn’t primary data, it could give you invaluable information nonetheless. If you decided to go on to collect primary data, the secondary data would give you what information you need to know where to begin.

If you took a trip to a trauma unit and interviewed burn survivors, the data collected in that phase of your research would be primary data.

If one of your interviewees puts you in touch with a burn survivor support group, and you are given access to a database of information about the psychological state of a large group of survivors in the years following the burn incident, that would also be secondary, not primary, data.

References

Driscoll & Brizee. What is Primary Research? Purdue Online Write Lab. Retrieved from //owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/559/01/ on June 24th, 2017
BYU FHSS Research Support Center. Data Types and Sources. Retrieved from //fhssrsc.byu.edu/Pages/Data.aspx on June 24th, 2018
Yin, R. [2017]. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods 6th Edition. SAGE Publications.

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Published on June 20, 2018 by Raimo Streefkerk. Revised on November 4, 2022.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books. A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesizes primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

What is a primary source?

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses [e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers].

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself [e.g. through interviews, surveys, experiments] or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic [e.g. official documents or media texts].

Primary sourcesResearch fieldPrimary sourceHistoryArt and literatureCommunication and social studiesLaw and politicsSciences
  • Letters and diaries
  • Photographs and video footage
  • Official documents and records
  • Physical objects
  • Novels and poems
  • Paintings and art installations
  • Films and performances
  • Interview transcripts
  • Recordings of speeches
  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Social media posts
  • Court records
  • Legal texts
  • Government documents
  • Empirical studies
  • Statistical data

What is a secondary source?

A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary sources. Common examples include:

  • Books, articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic
  • Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
  • Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
  • Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually not to analyze it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own.

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Primary and secondary source examples

Primary and secondary source examplesPrimary sourceSecondary source
Novel Article analyzing the novel
Painting Exhibition catalog explaining the painting
Letters and diaries written by a historical figure Biography of the historical figure
Essay by a philosopher Textbook summarizing the philosopher’s ideas
Photographs of a historical event Documentary about the historical event
Government documents about a new policy Newspaper article about the new policy
Music recordings Academic book about the musical style
Results of an opinion poll Blog post interpreting the results of the poll
Empirical study Literature review that cites the study

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

A secondary source can become a primary source depending on your research question. If the person, context, or technique that produced the source is the main focus of your research, it becomes a primary source.

Documentaries

If you are researching the causes of World War II, a recent documentary about the war is a secondary source. But if you are researching the filmmaking techniques used in historical documentaries, the documentary is a primary source.

Reviews and essays

If your paper is about the novels of Toni Morrison, a magazine review of one of her novels is a secondary source. But if your paper is about the critical reception of Toni Morrison’s work, the review is a primary source.

Newspaper articles

If your aim is to analyze the government’s economic policy, a newspaper article about a new policy is a secondary source. But if your aim is to analyze media coverage of economic issues, the newspaper article is a primary source.

How to tell if a source is primary or secondary

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

  • Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying [primary] or from another researcher [secondary]?
  • Am I interested in evaluating the source itself [primary] or only using it for background information [secondary]?
  • Does the source provide original information [primary] or does it comment upon information from other sources [secondary]?

Primary vs secondary sources: which is better?

Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research. Tertiary sources are often used in the first, exploratory stage of research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

  • Make new discoveries
  • Provide credible evidence for your arguments
  • Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesize a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

  • Gain background information on the topic
  • Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
  • Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly [e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere]

When you conduct a literature review or meta analysis, you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism. You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

Frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources

How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary?

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

  • Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying [primary], or by another researcher [secondary]?
  • Does the source provide original information [primary], or does it summarize information from other sources [secondary]?
  • Are you directly analyzing the source itself [primary], or only using it for background information [secondary]?

Some types of source are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications [e.g. letters, interviews]. If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.

Is a movie a primary or secondary source?

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analyzing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation.

Is a newspaper article a primary or secondary source?

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyze language and social relations [for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis].

If you are not analyzing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

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Streefkerk, R. [2022, November 04]. Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from //www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/primary-and-secondary-sources/

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What are the difference between primary and secondary data with examples?

Primary data refers to the first hand data gathered by the researcher himself. Secondary data means data collected by someone else earlier. Surveys, observations, experiments, questionnaire, personal interview, etc. Government publications, websites, books, journal articles, internal records etc.

What are 2 examples of secondary data?

Popular examples of secondary data include: Tax records and social security data. Census data [the U.S. Census Bureau is oft-referenced, as well as our favorite, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics] Electoral statistics.

What is primary data give 2 examples?

In scientific research, primary sources present original thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information. Examples of primary sources: Autobiographies and memoirs. Diaries, personal letters, and correspondence.

What are 2 examples of primary and secondary sources?

Examples of primary sources: Diaries, letters, memoirs, autobiographies. Interviews, speeches, oral histories, personal narratives..
Books..
Scholarly journal articles [depends on discipline].
Magazine articles..
Encyclopedia entries..
Reviews..

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