Primary Research

 Primary research is a type of research which collects original data which obtains all the new information which can come from differenct techniques such as interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. This can be specific on the information collected and needed for many different things and makes it easier to work from as you dont have to rely on secondary sources which may not be factural or correct. There are many different positives and negatives to using primary research.

The advantages  are: 

1. It aims specifically at different research issues which the researcher can use and fit into what they need as they control the information
2. The use of primary sources is good for the fact you can have control on all the information you have supplied to the marketer meaning primary research is enabled focusing on specific subjects, but also enables the person researching all the information to have higher control over all the information collected and even how it is collected. Taking all of this into account, this means the researcher decides on specific requirements which is a range from the size of project, the timeframe and even the goal

The disadvantages are:

1. Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive in preparing and carrying out the research. Costs can be incurred in producing the paper for questionnaires or the equipment for an experiment of some sort.
2. In order to be done properly, primary data collection requires the development and execution of a research plan. It takes longer to undertake primary research than to acquire secondary data.
3. Some information which can provide valuable to the researcher in some research projects may not be within their reach so this is a huge downside. 
4. Information which is collected or used can expire and be out of date by time the research is completed
5. Low response rate has to be expected

Example of Primary Research

This survey above has been taken from the NRS (http://www.nrs.co.uk/toplinereadership.html) which shows a primary research which holds results of a survery which has been investigated by, by someone who wanted to find out information for themselves. However, it can also be seens as secondary research to people as they might use the data recorded for their own work and it also fits in to quantitative research as it is numerically measured.