From academic papers to market reports, research is at the heart of what you do. It isn’t just about finding information — it’s about finding information you can trust.
With so many methods available, from qualitative to quantitative, experimental to ethnographic, choosing the right one is crucial. But first, you need to ask the big question: primary or secondary research?
The split looks simple. Primary research means gathering original data. Secondary research means analyzing what’s already out there. But there is much more to it than that.
There are various types of primary and secondary research, but which is right for you? This guide breaks it all down. We’ll cover what each research type involves, the pros and cons and how to get it done without overcomplicating things.
Primary research
What is primary research?
Primary research is, by definition, completely original. It means going straight to the source, collecting your own data to answer your specific questions. It is also known as first-hand, original and field research.
Original research is used in loads of different industries. Journalists use it to verify facts. Businesses use it to understand their audiences. Academics use it to generate new knowledge.
Primary research is incredibly important. Without it, there would be no secondary research, as there would be no existing data to analyze. And because the data is fresh and tailored, primary research is often seen as the gold standard.
The trade-off? Primary research takes planning, money and time. But on the flip side, it provides accurate, up-to-date insights and can give your research a competitive edge.
Primary research types
Decided original research is the way forward? The next step is choosing your primary research method. The right choice largely depends on your goal: broad, scalable data or detailed insights.
Common types of primary research include:
- Surveys and questionnaires: Structured feedback from large groups.
- Qualitative interviews: In-depth conversations exploring opinions, experiences and motivations.
- Quantitative interviews: Standardized questions that produce measurable data.
- Focus groups: Guided discussions that reveal how people interact and form opinions.
- Observation and ethnographic research: Watching behavior in real-world settings.
- Experiments and testing: Controlled trials, A/B tests or pilot programs to see what works (and what doesn’t).
For businesses, primary research is often the first choice. It produces the most direct insights about the target audience, whether it's customers, prospects or even competitors.
Companies run primary market research to:
- Test how a product will land before launch
- Understand customer needs and behaviors
- Spot market gaps or new opportunities
Primary market research gives organizations the confidence to move forward with decisions based on direct input, not guesswork.
How to do primary research
Ready to take the plunge with a primary research method? Here is a simple step-by-step approach.
Step 1 – Define your research questions: What do you need to find out? Think carefully about your questions and how informative the answers will be — and how realistic they are to uncover.
- Tip: Don’t overload yourself with too many broad research questions. One question can be time-intensive enough. Keep it focused: one to three core questions is plenty.
Step 2 – Pick your method: Consider which method is the best approach for your research question(s). Here’s a quick overview of common qualitative and quantitative methods:
Step 3 – Select measures: Decide how you’ll collect and quantify your data. For qualitative research, this could mean coding themes. For quantitative research, define clear metrics and scales to ensure consistency.
Step 4 – Collect the data: Execute your chosen method carefully. Keep detailed notes and stay consistent across participants to ensure accuracy.
- Note: Whether you go qualitative or quantitative, make sure your research is ethical and fair. Every participant must give informed consent and be able to withdraw their data at any time.
Step 5 – Analyze and draw insights: Organize findings, look for patterns and highlight surprises. Qualitative data can be coded into themes; quantitative data works well in charts, tables or statistical analysis.
- Tip: Analysing an interview? Don’t waste your time with manual transcription. Use Trint’s voice-to-text, audio-to-text or video-to-text transcription services to get transcripts with up to 99% accuracy in minutes. Our tools can also help you with the research process, allowing you to search for patterns in your transcript easily.
Secondary research
What is secondary research?
If primary research is like buying brand new jeans, secondary research is like finding a pair at a thrift store. They’re not new, but they can be repurposed into something fresh.
Also called desk research, secondary research involves using data that’s already been collected by someone else. While it relies on pre-existing data, that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. By re-examining data through a different lens, you can reveal fresh patterns and insight. Using secondary data is also generally cheaper and less time-consuming.
That said, secondary research isn’t without drawbacks. It isn’t tailored to your exact question, so you may struggle to get specific answers. Plus, if the data isn’t valid, reliable or up to date, your conclusions risk being on shaky ground.
Secondary research types
Like primary research, secondary research comes in many shapes and sizes, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Here are the most common types of secondary research:
- Published reports: Government publications, white papers or think tank reports can be goldmines for reliable data.
- Academic studies: Peer-reviewed articles and dissertations provide in-depth insights backed by rigorous methodology.
- Media archives: Recordings, transcripts and broadcast archives give you access to how stories and issues have been covered over time.
- Commercial data: Subscription databases and research from specialist research firms provide ready-made insights (at a price).
- Internal data reuse: Don’t overlook what you already have. Whether this is past sales logs for retail or existing interviews for journalists, analyzing existing data can highlight patterns you might have missed.
How to do secondary research
With original research, you’re out gathering the data yourself. But what does desk research involve? Here is a simple step-by-step approach to how to do desk research.
Step 1 – Define the problem: What do you need to know and why? Clearly defining this will help you choose the most appropriate secondary data source.
Step 2 – Pick your research method: Choose the type of research method you want to base your secondary research on: reports, academic studies, media archives, commercial databases, internal data or a mix.
Step 3 – Find reliable sources: Credibility and reliability are of the utmost importance with secondary data. Look for reliable data from authoritative sources, such as government documents, respected academic journals, trusted media sources or your own internal data.
- Tip: Data can become outdated fast, so make sure you’re using the most recent version.
Step 4 – Evaluate: Don’t just collect the information: interrogate it. Read it through thoroughly and ask:
- Who produced this data?
- When was it collected?
- Why was it published?
These important points should be mentioned in your own research for context.
Step 5 – Analyze and draw insights: Organize your data and look for patterns, gaps and connections across your sources. Ask how the existing research supports — or challenges — your questions.
Step 6 – Combine with primary research (optional): Struggling to choose between primary and secondary research? It doesn't have to be either or. You can start with secondary research for context, then use original research to fill gaps and provide more tailored insights.
Primary vs secondary research: Pros and cons
So when it comes to secondary vs primary research, which one takes the crown? Well, it depends. The right choice hinges on factors like quality of existing secondary data, resource availability, your research questions and your budget.
Primary research pros:
- Original
- Tailored to your exact research question
- Up to date
- Competitive edge
Primary research cons:
- Time-consuming — want to speed things up? Check out 10 of the best research tools to boost productivity
- Expensive
- Requires expertise
- Sometimes difficult to recruit participants
Secondary research pros:
- Cheap
- Faster to access
- Broad scope of data to explore
- Useful as a foundation before primary research
Secondary research cons:
- Not original
- Not tailored
- Can be outdated
- The quality of available data varies
Still not sure which option to choose in the primary research vs secondary research battle? Check out our comparison table:
Whether you’re running surveys, conducting interviews or digging through existing data, choosing the right primary or secondary research method makes all the difference.
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