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Methodology of Social Research

notes Primary data are believed to be more reliable in comparison to secondary data since the researcher
collects them objectively by his own or under his guidance keeping in mind the purposes of his research
subject or for the testing of his hypothesis by any scientific method. These are such type of data that
can be verified by other scientists. Here we should not think that secondary data are cheaper than
primary data. it only means to say that primary data are more reliable and practical in comparison
to secondary data.
Primary data are new because of first time collection on the basis of field-work. Whereas secondary,
data are old as collected under the investigations formerly done. their superannuation sometimes
produces problem in present analysis.
Primary data are used for the first time that is first time collected data is used for the first time. Those
data used by the second time are termed as secondary data.
Primary data are collected under the supervision of researcher himself whereas secondary data are
collected and used by some others.
Primary data are collected based on the need of research problem by the researcher himself therefore
he can easily decide which data is important and which is non-important for his research, which
data should be included in the research and which should be excluded . Collector of secondary data
has to sometimes remain deprived of collection of some important data which thinking as futile the
researcher of primary data has not included in his work.

10.2 sources of Data

sources of data means data are collected from which sources or medium.
special care is needed while choosing the sources of data collection. if these sources are not reliable
then complete research work will be useless. therefore, it is necessary to completely understand the
different sources of data collection. essentially data for research are collected in three ways. since the
subject of social data is essentially a person or a group of persons which we cannot control according
to our convenience. therefore, we can receive information or collect data regarding that in three
different ways –
1. We talk to a person personally, discuss it, question directly and know his thoughts and
reactions regarding the subject or problem.
2. observe directly the activity, conduct and behaviour of related person, group and
organizations and collect data on the basis of these observations.
3. At the time of research–work use those documents, data or material according to your need
that has been collected for another research.
intelligentsia distributed three sources of data collection in essentially two parts first, primary source
and second, secondary source.

i. primary source

Data collected from primary source are those fundamental data whose compilation and diffused
responsibility lies on the person who collected them. Here we have to understand it properly that it
is not necessary that compiler of material collected from primary source is the writer of report. smt.
p.V.yang wrote “Primary sources are those sources which are helpful at the primary stage of data
collection. According to peter h. Maan “Primary sources are those sources which provide data at the
first time. This means that these data are the original pattern of data presented by people.”
We can explain Primary source in different words as where researcher himself collects the data by
contacting research module of his own research-field or universe there it is called the primary source

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