Definition
Primary data
New data collected directly for the investigation being carried out.
What it means
You make primary data when you gather the information for your own investigation: you measure, count, observe, test, or ask questions. The important idea is that the data are collected now for this particular purpose, rather than taken from an existing source.
Remember it
Primary data start with this question and are collected first-hand for it.
Example
A class changes the wing length on paper aeroplanes and measures every flight. Those new distance measurements are primary data for the class investigation.
Watch for
Copying temperatures from an existing weather table is not primary data for your investigation, even if you type every number yourself.
Common mix-up
“Primary” describes where the data came from, not whether the data are more important or more accurate.
Exact meaning
Primary data are new observations or measurements collected directly for the specific investigation in which they will be used.