what are primary research questions

• What is Primary Research? + [Methods & Examples]

Nothing says “do it yourself” like primary research. When carrying out a systematic investigation, a researcher may choose to gather data solely by themselves or to rely on already existing data as necessitated by different factors such as the budget and timeframe for the research. 

In the case of the former, this is known as primary research and it is important for every researcher to know how it differs from other research designs. In this article, we will share the features of primary research and show you how to conduct this type of systematic investigation using Formplus. 

What is Primary Research?

Primary research is a type of research design in which the researcher is directly involved in the data collection process . In other words, the researcher gathers relevant data samples directly instead of depending on already existing data with regards to the research context. 

Primary research is fundamentally tailored towards gathering context-specific data that can solve a particular problem. In addition, it allows the researcher to gather first-hand information which can be considered to be more valid and authentic in a research environment. 

With this research approach, the researcher has full control over the data because he or she owns the data. For example, a brand that wants to obtain feedback about customer satisfaction will employ primary research methods to gather relevant data to inform practical product improvement decisions. 

Primary research is also known as field research because it involves a hands-on experience with the data gathering process. Think of this as a type of research that requires the research

What are Primary Research Methods?

There are numerous primary research methods employed by researchers to collect first-hand data from research subjects depending on the context of the research and research objectives. These include interviews, surveys, focus groups, and observation techniques, and these methods would be discussed under the subsequent subheadings. 

An interview is a type of qualitative data collection method that involves engaging in a virtual or face-to-face conversation with the research subject(s) in order to gather valid information. Typically, interviews are made up of open-ended questions that allow the respondent to share his or her thoughts without any restrictions. 

An interview may be structured , unstructured and semi-structured in nature. A structured interview utilizes a premeditated interrogation sequence unlike a structured interview ; while a semi-structured interview has a question sequence which the interviewer can freely deviate from to obtain more information.

The duration of an interview is influenced by the number of respondents, research objectives, time frame for the research amidst other factors. When conducting an interview, the researcher uses different tools to collect data including audio recorders, camcorders, and digital cameras. 

You can also carry out your interview online using d ata-gathering platforms like Formplus . Formplus provides different interview templates such as the interview consent form which allows you to collect formal authorization from respondents before going on with your research. 

Conducting an interview as part of primary research allows the researcher to gather in-depth information about the research subjects. This allows the researcher to gather more authentic research samples that improve the overall outcome of the systematic investigation. 

 A survey is a common method of data collection that is used to gather relevant information from specific groups or individuals in line with the context of the research. It usually involves administering a questionnaire containing standardized close-ended questions and open-ended questions in order to gain insight into the research subjects. 

In some way, a survey can be considered as a means of opinion sampling since it involves gathering diverse opinions in the form of responses to research questions. This data gathering method also allows for data aggregation that can inform research outcomes. 

Survey types are classified based on data gathering methods, frequency and industry; thus we have online and offline surveys, longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys and, different industry-based surveys like employee surveys. Surveys can also be classified as biased or unbiased based on the question types. 

With technological developments, online surveys have become common and interestingly, there are different data-gathering tools that you can use to create and administer this type of survey. For instance, in the Formplus builder, you can add different question-types to your survey and you can also share your survey form with respondents using the available multiple sharing options. 

• Observation

Observation is a type of qualitative research method in which the researcher closely examines the research subjects as they interact with their environment for a stipulated period of time. The primary aim of this method is to allow the researcher to gather useful information about their features and behaviors in line with the research context. 

Popular sociologist, Raymond Gold, identifies 4 types of observation which are complete observer method, complete participant method, participant as observer method and observer as participant method. Observation can also be structured or unstructured depending on whether the researcher makes use of predetermined data collection processes or not.  

Usually, the researcher makes use of different tools in order to faithfully record the experiences of the research subjects. This is important because it is nearly impossible to accurately commit all that is seen to memory and it further helps to prevent subjectivity that can significantly alter research outcomes.

• Data Analysis

Research data analysis is the process of sifting through large samples of data, identifying valid data and evaluating these data groups in order to arrive at objective research findings. Here, the researcher interprets data samples in order to establish a logical pattern that confirms or negates the hypothesis. 

Data analysis is important because it allows the researcher to select the most important data that can suggest useful insights during the research process.   While this is a time-consuming process, it is necessary to create structure, sequence, and meaning to the research data. 

To objectively carry out data analysis, the researcher must follow 3 essential steps. First, he or she must organize the data samples then summarise and categorize the data in line with stated parameters after which the researcher evaluates data categories to arrive at specific outcomes. 

• Focus Groups

 A focus group is a qualitative research method in which the researcher poses a number of open-ended questions to a group of research subjects consisting of 6-10 participants. This method is more cost-efficient when compared to other data-gathering methods such as face-to-face interviews. 

Usually, this method is employed for marketing research to gain diverse user feedback about a product. Since it makes use of open-ended questions , focus groups allow respondents to freely communicate their opinions without the restrictions posed by close-ended questions . 

Participants in a focus group are at liberty to interact with one another and freely influence the other’s decisions.  This enables the researcher to collate multiple perspectives which allow for more objective research considerations, better data analysis, and more valid research findings. 

Types of Primary Research  

Exploratory research.

Exploratory research is a type of primary research design that investigates a subject matter in order to gather more insight into it. This research design helps the researcher to understand an existing problem while highlighting different dimensions of the problem that would require further investigation in the future. 

Usually, this type of research is carried out during the early stages of a systematic investigation and it is also known as the grounded theory approach or interpretation research. When carrying out exploratory research, the researcher must first identify the problem, create a hypothesis then goes ahead to carry out a descriptive investigation to gain better insight into the subject. 

Although exploratory research is flexible in nature and cost-effective, it is very susceptible to bias and it can only be used for small chunks of data. Exploratory research is important because it pays the foundation for further research and it also helps the researcher to channel his or her energy towards valid and researchable contexts. 

Experimental Research

Experimental research is a quantitative research design in which the researcher triggers a change in the independent variable and measures the effect of this change on the dependent variable. This effect is usually observed and recorded over a period of time in order to arrive as unprejudiced conclusions. 

Experimental research is used in different fields of study such as medicine, education, and business. In medicine, it is used to treat different ailments and in business, it helps organizations test new products before releasing it to the market on a full-scale. 

Regardless of its many advantages, experimental research is extremely predisposed to human error plus it is expensive and time-consuming. Pre-experimental, quasi-experimental, and true experimental research are common t ypes of experimental research. 

Ethnographic Research

Ethnographic research is a type of research design that requires the researcher to monitor research variables as they interact with their natural environment. The data gathered during the period of observation is analyzed in order to arrive at valid conclusions. 

Ethnographic research is used in various fields hence, we can speak of business ethnographic research, medical ethnographic research and the like. This research design is extremely useful in complex contexts such as market and customer settings plus preliminary stages of user-focused research. 

When Do We Conduct Primary Research? 

Primary research is typically used when individuals and organizations need to gather feedback directly from target markets instead of relying on already existing data. Primary research gives the organization more control over the research process and results in more objective research findings. 

Questions to ask before conducting primary research

Before conducting primary research, it is important for you to clearly delineate the research process by considering a number of things. For example, you need to clearly define your research objective, data collection methods , expected research outcomes, and understand your research biases . 

Here are a few questions you should consider before proceeding with primary research: 

• What is my research aim? It is important for you to clearly define the purpose of your research, that is, what you have set out to achieve. This makes it easy for you to track your progress. 
• What is my research methodology? As there are different methods in primary research, you must outline which methods you will be adopting; that is if you would be conducting an interview or administering a survey. 
• Who are my research subjects? Identify your research participants as this would help you plan your research process accordingly. 
• How easy is it to access my research subjects? 
• How would I access my research subjects?
• Do I have any research biases? Knowing your research biases is pertinent because it would help you plan to avoid them. 
• How do I ensure that my biases do not affect my research outcomes?
• What are my expected research outcomes? 

Advantages of Primary Research

• Data Accuracy

The most obvious advantage of primary research is research data accuracy. Because the researcher is directly involved in the data gathering process, he or she can ascertain the authenticity of the data samples. 

• Data Recency

Usually, primary research is tailored towards a specific issue and the data is gathered in the wake of the moment. This leads to more objective research findings. 

• Valid Data Interpretation

The data gathered in primary research is examined and interpreted based on the needs of the organization. Hence, there are little or no generalizations that may not reflect the research situation. 

 Primary research gives the researcher total ownership and control of the research data. This gives such an organization an edge over competitors relying on secondary data. 

Disadvantages of Primary Research  

Primary research is expensive. It often requires huge investments which may not be readily available as not all individuals and organizations have such amounts of money at their disposal. 

• Time-consuming

This type of research is also time-consuming and can be quite exhaustive in nature. Data gathering methods in primary research often span over long periods of time hence, this research approach is not suitable for addressing pressing issues. 

• Feasibility

In many cases, primary research is not feasible and can be impractical. For instance, it is impossible to gather feedback from every member of your target market by conducting an interview in order to obtain first-hand information. 

• Research Bias

 In primary research, the data gathering process is absolute and this can affect research findings; especially when there is a mistake. Because the data is gathered first-hand, there are no available comparisons that can serve as some sort of checks and balances. 

How to Conduct Online Surveys with Formplus 

You can use Formplus to create and administer online surveys for primary research. In the form builder, there are many features that make creating and conducting a survey with Formplus easy and seamless. 

Follow this guide to conduct online surveys for primary research with Formplus: 

• Sign into Formplus

To access the Formplus form builder, you need to create a Formplus account . In the form builder, you can seamlessly create different types of surveys for primary research by dragging and dropping your preferred form fields into your survey form. 

Once you create your account, sign in and click on “Create Form ” to begin. 

• Edit Form Title

Click on the field provided to input your form title, for example, “Primary Research Survey”.

• Click on the edit button to edit the form.
• Add Fields: Drag and drop preferred form fields into your form in the Formplus builder inputs column. There are several field input options for surveys in the Formplus builder. 
• Edit fields: You can modify your form fields to be hidden or read-only. 
• Click on “Save”
• Preview form. 

• Form Customization

Form customization allows you to easily change the outlook of your form and make it more unique and personalized. Formplus has different customization features that can be used to change your form theme, add background images and even change the font according to your needs. 

• Multiple Sharing Options

Formplus offers multiple form sharing options which enables you to easily share your survey with respondents. You can use the direct social media sharing buttons to share your form link to your organization’s social media pages. 

Formplus also allows you to send out your survey form as email invitations to your research subjects. In addition, you can share your form’s QR code or embed it on your organization’s website for easy access. 

Primary research is extremely important for businesses or organizations because it helps them to gather first-hand information about the needs of the market. The findings from primary research provide great insights and they usually inform product development and similar changes in organizational policies. 

There are different tools that you can use when gathering data in primary research including surveys, observation methods, and interviews. An online survey is one of the most common tools used in primary research because it simplifies the data-gathering process; especially when you make use of Formplus . 

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Research Questions & Hypotheses

Generally, in quantitative studies, reviewers expect hypotheses rather than research questions. However, both research questions and hypotheses serve different purposes and can be beneficial when used together.

Research Questions

Clarify the research’s aim (farrugia et al., 2010).

• Research often begins with an interest in a topic, but a deep understanding of the subject is crucial to formulate an appropriate research question.
• Descriptive: “What factors most influence the academic achievement of senior high school students?”
• Comparative: “What is the performance difference between teaching methods A and B?”
• Relationship-based: “What is the relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement?”
• Increasing knowledge about a subject can be achieved through systematic literature reviews, in-depth interviews with patients (and proxies), focus groups, and consultations with field experts.
• Some funding bodies, like the Canadian Institute for Health Research, recommend conducting a systematic review or a pilot study before seeking grants for full trials.
• The presence of multiple research questions in a study can complicate the design, statistical analysis, and feasibility.
• It’s advisable to focus on a single primary research question for the study.
• The primary question, clearly stated at the end of a grant proposal’s introduction, usually specifies the study population, intervention, and other relevant factors.
• The FINER criteria underscore aspects that can enhance the chances of a successful research project, including specifying the population of interest, aligning with scientific and public interest, clinical relevance, and contribution to the field, while complying with ethical and national research standards.
• The P ICOT approach is crucial in developing the study’s framework and protocol, influencing inclusion and exclusion criteria and identifying patient groups for inclusion.
• Defining the specific population, intervention, comparator, and outcome helps in selecting the right outcome measurement tool.
• The more precise the population definition and stricter the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the more significant the impact on the interpretation, applicability, and generalizability of the research findings.
• A restricted study population enhances internal validity but may limit the study’s external validity and generalizability to clinical practice.
• A broadly defined study population may better reflect clinical practice but could increase bias and reduce internal validity.
• An inadequately formulated research question can negatively impact study design, potentially leading to ineffective outcomes and affecting publication prospects.

Checklist: Good research questions for social science projects (Panke, 2018)

Research Hypotheses

Present the researcher’s predictions based on specific statements.

• These statements define the research problem or issue and indicate the direction of the researcher’s predictions.
• Formulating the research question and hypothesis from existing data (e.g., a database) can lead to multiple statistical comparisons and potentially spurious findings due to chance.
• The research or clinical hypothesis, derived from the research question, shapes the study’s key elements: sampling strategy, intervention, comparison, and outcome variables.
• Hypotheses can express a single outcome or multiple outcomes.
• After statistical testing, the null hypothesis is either rejected or not rejected based on whether the study’s findings are statistically significant.
• Hypothesis testing helps determine if observed findings are due to true differences and not chance.
• Hypotheses can be 1-sided (specific direction of difference) or 2-sided (presence of a difference without specifying direction).
• 2-sided hypotheses are generally preferred unless there’s a strong justification for a 1-sided hypothesis.
• A solid research hypothesis, informed by a good research question, influences the research design and paves the way for defining clear research objectives.

Types of Research Hypothesis

• In a Y-centered research design, the focus is on the dependent variable (DV) which is specified in the research question. Theories are then used to identify independent variables (IV) and explain their causal relationship with the DV.
• Example: “An increase in teacher-led instructional time (IV) is likely to improve student reading comprehension scores (DV), because extensive guided practice under expert supervision enhances learning retention and skill mastery.”
• Hypothesis Explanation: The dependent variable (student reading comprehension scores) is the focus, and the hypothesis explores how changes in the independent variable (teacher-led instructional time) affect it.
• In X-centered research designs, the independent variable is specified in the research question. Theories are used to determine potential dependent variables and the causal mechanisms at play.
• Example: “Implementing technology-based learning tools (IV) is likely to enhance student engagement in the classroom (DV), because interactive and multimedia content increases student interest and participation.”
• Hypothesis Explanation: The independent variable (technology-based learning tools) is the focus, with the hypothesis exploring its impact on a potential dependent variable (student engagement).
• Probabilistic hypotheses suggest that changes in the independent variable are likely to lead to changes in the dependent variable in a predictable manner, but not with absolute certainty.
• Example: “The more teachers engage in professional development programs (IV), the more their teaching effectiveness (DV) is likely to improve, because continuous training updates pedagogical skills and knowledge.”
• Hypothesis Explanation: This hypothesis implies a probable relationship between the extent of professional development (IV) and teaching effectiveness (DV).
• Deterministic hypotheses state that a specific change in the independent variable will lead to a specific change in the dependent variable, implying a more direct and certain relationship.
• Example: “If the school curriculum changes from traditional lecture-based methods to project-based learning (IV), then student collaboration skills (DV) are expected to improve because project-based learning inherently requires teamwork and peer interaction.”
• Hypothesis Explanation: This hypothesis presumes a direct and definite outcome (improvement in collaboration skills) resulting from a specific change in the teaching method.
• Example : “Students who identify as visual learners will score higher on tests that are presented in a visually rich format compared to tests presented in a text-only format.”
• Explanation : This hypothesis aims to describe the potential difference in test scores between visual learners taking visually rich tests and text-only tests, without implying a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
• Example : “Teaching method A will improve student performance more than method B.”
• Explanation : This hypothesis compares the effectiveness of two different teaching methods, suggesting that one will lead to better student performance than the other. It implies a direct comparison but does not necessarily establish a causal mechanism.
• Example : “Students with higher self-efficacy will show higher levels of academic achievement.”
• Explanation : This hypothesis predicts a relationship between the variable of self-efficacy and academic achievement. Unlike a causal hypothesis, it does not necessarily suggest that one variable causes changes in the other, but rather that they are related in some way.

Tips for developing research questions and hypotheses for research studies

• Perform a systematic literature review (if one has not been done) to increase knowledge and familiarity with the topic and to assist with research development.
• Learn about current trends and technological advances on the topic.
• Seek careful input from experts, mentors, colleagues, and collaborators to refine your research question as this will aid in developing the research question and guide the research study.
• Use the FINER criteria in the development of the research question.
• Ensure that the research question follows PICOT format.
• Develop a research hypothesis from the research question.
• Ensure that the research question and objectives are answerable, feasible, and clinically relevant.

If your research hypotheses are derived from your research questions, particularly when multiple hypotheses address a single question, it’s recommended to use both research questions and hypotheses. However, if this isn’t the case, using hypotheses over research questions is advised. It’s important to note these are general guidelines, not strict rules. If you opt not to use hypotheses, consult with your supervisor for the best approach.

Farrugia, P., Petrisor, B. A., Farrokhyar, F., & Bhandari, M. (2010). Practical tips for surgical research: Research questions, hypotheses and objectives.  Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie ,  53 (4), 278–281.

Hulley, S. B., Cummings, S. R., Browner, W. S., Grady, D., & Newman, T. B. (2007). Designing clinical research. Philadelphia.

Panke, D. (2018). Research design & method selection: Making good choices in the social sciences.  Research Design & Method Selection , 1-368.

Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)

By: David Phair (PhD) and Alexandra Shaeffer (PhD) | June 2022

The research aims , objectives and research questions (collectively called the “golden thread”) are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you’re crafting a research proposal , dissertation or thesis . We receive questions almost every day about this “holy trinity” of research and there’s certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we’ve crafted this post to help you navigate your way through the fog.

Overview: The Golden Thread

• What is the golden thread
• What are research aims ( examples )
• What are research objectives ( examples )
• What are research questions ( examples )
• The importance of alignment in the golden thread

What is the “golden thread”?  

The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims , research objectives , and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper ). These three elements are bundled together because it’s extremely important that they align with each other, and that the entire research project aligns with them.

Importantly, the golden thread needs to weave its way through the entirety of any research project , from start to end. In other words, it needs to be very clearly defined right at the beginning of the project (the topic ideation and proposal stage) and it needs to inform almost every decision throughout the rest of the project. For example, your research design and methodology will be heavily influenced by the golden thread (we’ll explain this in more detail later), as well as your literature review.

The research aims, objectives and research questions (the golden thread) define the focus and scope ( the delimitations ) of your research project. In other words, they help ringfence your dissertation or thesis to a relatively narrow domain, so that you can “go deep” and really dig into a specific problem or opportunity. They also help keep you on track , as they act as a litmus test for relevance. In other words, if you’re ever unsure whether to include something in your document, simply ask yourself the question, “does this contribute toward my research aims, objectives or questions?”. If it doesn’t, chances are you can drop it.

Alright, enough of the fluffy, conceptual stuff. Let’s get down to business and look at what exactly the research aims, objectives and questions are and outline a few examples to bring these concepts to life.

Research Aims: What are they?

Simply put, the research aim(s) is a statement that reflects the broad overarching goal (s) of the research project. Research aims are fairly high-level (low resolution) as they outline the general direction of the research and what it’s trying to achieve .

Research Aims: Examples  

True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording “this research aims to…”, “this research seeks to…”, and so on. For example:

“This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.”   “This study sets out to assess the interaction between student support and self-care on well-being in engineering graduate students”  

As you can see, these research aims provide a high-level description of what the study is about and what it seeks to achieve. They’re not hyper-specific or action-oriented, but they’re clear about what the study’s focus is and what is being investigated.

Need a helping hand?

Research Objectives: What are they?

The research objectives take the research aims and make them more practical and actionable . In other words, the research objectives showcase the steps that the researcher will take to achieve the research aims.

The research objectives need to be far more specific (higher resolution) and actionable than the research aims. In fact, it’s always a good idea to craft your research objectives using the “SMART” criteria. In other words, they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound”.

Research Objectives: Examples  

Let’s look at two examples of research objectives. We’ll stick with the topic and research aims we mentioned previously.  

For the digital transformation topic:

To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation. To assess employee perceptions of digital transformation in retail HR. To identify the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR.

And for the student wellness topic:

To determine whether student self-care predicts the well-being score of engineering graduate students. To determine whether student support predicts the well-being score of engineering students. To assess the interaction between student self-care and student support when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students.

  As you can see, these research objectives clearly align with the previously mentioned research aims and effectively translate the low-resolution aims into (comparatively) higher-resolution objectives and action points . They give the research project a clear focus and present something that resembles a research-based “to-do” list.

Research Questions: What are they?

Finally, we arrive at the all-important research questions. The research questions are, as the name suggests, the key questions that your study will seek to answer . Simply put, they are the core purpose of your dissertation, thesis, or research project. You’ll present them at the beginning of your document (either in the introduction chapter or literature review chapter) and you’ll answer them at the end of your document (typically in the discussion and conclusion chapters).  

The research questions will be the driving force throughout the research process. For example, in the literature review chapter, you’ll assess the relevance of any given resource based on whether it helps you move towards answering your research questions. Similarly, your methodology and research design will be heavily influenced by the nature of your research questions. For instance, research questions that are exploratory in nature will usually make use of a qualitative approach, whereas questions that relate to measurement or relationship testing will make use of a quantitative approach.  

Let’s look at some examples of research questions to make this more tangible.

Research Questions: Examples  

Again, we’ll stick with the research aims and research objectives we mentioned previously.  

For the digital transformation topic (which would be qualitative in nature):

How do employees perceive digital transformation in retail HR? What are the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR?  

And for the student wellness topic (which would be quantitative in nature):

Does student self-care predict the well-being scores of engineering graduate students? Does student support predict the well-being scores of engineering students? Do student self-care and student support interact when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students?  

You’ll probably notice that there’s quite a formulaic approach to this. In other words, the research questions are basically the research objectives “converted” into question format. While that is true most of the time, it’s not always the case. For example, the first research objective for the digital transformation topic was more or less a step on the path toward the other objectives, and as such, it didn’t warrant its own research question.  

So, don’t rush your research questions and sloppily reword your objectives as questions. Carefully think about what exactly you’re trying to achieve (i.e. your research aim) and the objectives you’ve set out, then craft a set of well-aligned research questions . Also, keep in mind that this can be a somewhat iterative process , where you go back and tweak research objectives and aims to ensure tight alignment throughout the golden thread.

The importance of strong alignment 

Alignment is the keyword here and we have to stress its importance . Simply put, you need to make sure that there is a very tight alignment between all three pieces of the golden thread. If your research aims and research questions don’t align, for example, your project will be pulling in different directions and will lack focus . This is a common problem students face and can cause many headaches (and tears), so be warned.

Take the time to carefully craft your research aims, objectives and research questions before you run off down the research path. Ideally, get your research supervisor/advisor to review and comment on your golden thread before you invest significant time into your project, and certainly before you start collecting data .  

Recap: The golden thread

In this post, we unpacked the golden thread of research, consisting of the research aims , research objectives and research questions . You can jump back to any section using the links below.

As always, feel free to leave a comment below – we always love to hear from you. Also, if you’re interested in 1-on-1 support, take a look at our private coaching service here.

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39 Comments

Thank you very much for your great effort put. As an Undergraduate taking Demographic Research & Methodology, I’ve been trying so hard to understand clearly what is a Research Question, Research Aim and the Objectives in a research and the relationship between them etc. But as for now I’m thankful that you’ve solved my problem.

Well appreciated. This has helped me greatly in doing my dissertation.

An so delighted with this wonderful information thank you a lot.

so impressive i have benefited a lot looking forward to learn more on research.

I am very happy to have carefully gone through this well researched article.

Infact,I used to be phobia about anything research, because of my poor understanding of the concepts.

Now,I get to know that my research question is the same as my research objective(s) rephrased in question format.

I please I would need a follow up on the subject,as I intends to join the team of researchers. Thanks once again.

Thanks so much. This was really helpful.

I know you pepole have tried to break things into more understandable and easy format. And God bless you. Keep it up

i found this document so useful towards my study in research methods. thanks so much.

This is my 2nd read topic in your course and I should commend the simplified explanations of each part. I’m beginning to understand and absorb the use of each part of a dissertation/thesis. I’ll keep on reading your free course and might be able to avail the training course! Kudos!

Thank you! Better put that my lecture and helped to easily understand the basics which I feel often get brushed over when beginning dissertation work.

This is quite helpful. I like how the Golden thread has been explained and the needed alignment.

This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!

The article made it simple for researcher students to differentiate between three concepts.

Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.

I am very impressed with all these terminology, as I am a fresh student for post graduate, I am highly guided and I promised to continue making consultation when the need arise. Thanks a lot.

A very helpful piece. thanks, I really appreciate it .

Very well explained, and it might be helpful to many people like me.

Wish i had found this (and other) resource(s) at the beginning of my PhD journey… not in my writing up year… 😩 Anyways… just a quick question as i’m having some issues ordering my “golden thread”…. does it matter in what order you mention them? i.e., is it always first aims, then objectives, and finally the questions? or can you first mention the research questions and then the aims and objectives?

Thank you for a very simple explanation that builds upon the concepts in a very logical manner. Just prior to this, I read the research hypothesis article, which was equally very good. This met my primary objective.

My secondary objective was to understand the difference between research questions and research hypothesis, and in which context to use which one. However, I am still not clear on this. Can you kindly please guide?

In research, a research question is a clear and specific inquiry that the researcher wants to answer, while a research hypothesis is a tentative statement or prediction about the relationship between variables or the expected outcome of the study. Research questions are broader and guide the overall study, while hypotheses are specific and testable statements used in quantitative research. Research questions identify the problem, while hypotheses provide a focus for testing in the study.

Exactly what I need in this research journey, I look forward to more of your coaching videos.

This helped a lot. Thanks so much for the effort put into explaining it.

What data source in writing dissertation/Thesis requires?

What is data source covers when writing dessertation/thesis

This is quite useful thanks

I’m excited and thankful. I got so much value which will help me progress in my thesis.

where are the locations of the reserch statement, research objective and research question in a reserach paper? Can you write an ouline that defines their places in the researh paper?

Very helpful and important tips on Aims, Objectives and Questions.

Thank you so much for making research aim, research objectives and research question so clear. This will be helpful to me as i continue with my thesis.

Thanks much for this content. I learned a lot. And I am inspired to learn more. I am still struggling with my preparation for dissertation outline/proposal. But I consistently follow contents and tutorials and the new FB of GRAD Coach. Hope to really become confident in writing my dissertation and successfully defend it.

As a researcher and lecturer, I find splitting research goals into research aims, objectives, and questions is unnecessarily bureaucratic and confusing for students. For most biomedical research projects, including ‘real research’, 1-3 research questions will suffice (numbers may differ by discipline).

Awesome! Very important resources and presented in an informative way to easily understand the golden thread. Indeed, thank you so much.

Well explained

The blog article on research aims, objectives, and questions by Grad Coach is a clear and insightful guide that aligns with my experiences in academic research. The article effectively breaks down the often complex concepts of research aims and objectives, providing a straightforward and accessible explanation. Drawing from my own research endeavors, I appreciate the practical tips offered, such as the need for specificity and clarity when formulating research questions. The article serves as a valuable resource for students and researchers, offering a concise roadmap for crafting well-defined research goals and objectives. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced researcher, this article provides practical insights that contribute to the foundational aspects of a successful research endeavor.

A great thanks for you. it is really amazing explanation. I grasp a lot and one step up to research knowledge.

I really found these tips helpful. Thank you very much Grad Coach.

I found this article helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

thank you so much, the explanation and examples are really helpful

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Extended Essay: Conducting Primary Research

• Extended Essay- The Basics
• Step 1. Choose a Subject
• Step 2. Educate yourself!
• Using Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Identify Keywords
• Do Background Reading
• Define Your Topic
• Conduct Research in a Specific Discipline
• Step 5. Draft a Research Question
• Step 6. Create a Timeline
• Find Articles
• Find Primary Sources
• Get Help from Experts
• Search Engines, Repositories, & Directories
• Databases and Websites by Subject Area
• Create an Annotated Bibliography
• Advice (and Warnings) from the IB
• Chicago Citation Syle
• MLA Works Cited & In-Text Citations
• Step 9. Set Deadlines for Yourself
• Step 10. Plan a structure for your essay
• Evaluate & Select: the CRAAP Test
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Presentation Requirements
• Evaluating Your Work

Primary Research - a Definition

Primary research is the collecting of original data.

Not all subjects permit the use of primary methods as part of the research process for the EE, so it is important to carefully check your subject guidelines before starting.

On this page, you can find information on:

Primary Research - What is Its Purpose? Primary Research - Preparation Before You Begin Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research Research Methods Considerations for Primary Research Ways That Primary Research Can Fail Video Tutorials

Primary Research - Purpose

After the literature review or secondary research is completed, you must analyze your findings and: 

• determine to what extent they answer your research question
• find agreement between authors
• find disagreement, where the evidence reveals differences in points of view or findings.

At this point you may decide to investigate further by carrying out your own primary research , in other words by collecting your own data . 

You will have to choose a method or methods that are appropriate to the research question and commonly used in the particular Diploma Programme subject. NOTE:  although the method may be appropriate for the subject, in the instance of the EE it may not be permitted, so check the subject guide!

Possible data collection methods include:

• experiments 
• investigations 
• interviews 

The details of how the data was collected are crucial to the validity of any argument based on the findings. You must put in the main body of your essay the details of any primary research you carry out. These include: 

• the methods used
• the persons involved
• how and why these were selected
• the relevant results
• any limitations and biases that may have influenced the results

Primary Research - Preparation Before You Begin

Students must follow the accepted process for carrying out their chosen method of research—how the data is recorded, analysed and presented. Otherwise, their data will have little value. 

Students need to plan carefully how to carry out their research. In most cases, there will be only one opportunity to collect primary data from a particular source. 

It is extremely important that students approach their research in an ethical and legal manner. See: 

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

Quantitative research  follows a well-defined process that yields data that can be analyzed statistically.  For example:

• outcomes from experiments
• data collected from surveys where responses involve closed or multiple-choice responses

Qualitative research  collects information that may reflect opinions or personal perspectives on a particular situation. The data that is collected gives an overall impression and generally cannot be analyzed statistically.  For example:

• responses in interviews
• open-ended questions in surveys

Videos: Primary Data, Conducting Surveys, Primary Research Methods

B2Bwhiteboard. What is primary data? 3 January 2012. YouTube, https://youtu.be/yZgCam-sjCw. Accessed January 2017. 

Learn how to conduct an online survey. Topics include: Developing research questions; designing a good questionnaire; choosing the right online survey tool (Google Forms, Sosci Survey, Survey Monkey).

Ebster, Claus. How to conduct an online survey. 5 August 2014. YouTube, https://youtu.be/uTIWl76_klI. Accessed January 2017. 

​This video from Ivory Research provides information on the top 3 primary research methods for graduate students writing a dissertation - including questionnaires, interviews and focus groups: how to collect research and use it for maximum effectiveness.

IvoryResearch. Dissertation tutorial: Top 3 primary research methods. 12 August 2013. YouTube., https://youtu.be/_lR7oCjutZE. Accessed May 2015.

Research Methods

Experiments can be conducted and their data collected using systematic methods and well-defined processes. For example:

• using the scientific method in conducting science experiments
• simulating an experiment on using mobile phone technology to determine the location of a person. 

Experiments usually involve quantitative processes to collect and analyze the resulting data. 

Investigations

Types of investigation include:

• photographs
• historical documents
• company policies
• original art.

Investigations of original source material can reveal whether a particular situation exists or to what extent it does. Investigations can also extract and analyze data from original sources to demonstrate that a particular outcome does occur. 

Interviews can be with one person or a small group, also called a focus group.  Face-to-face interviews have the advantage of allowing the interviewer to ask follow-up questions during the interview.  

• ​ face-to-face
• by online chat
• developing questions related to the research question and the findings from secondary research 
• doing a trial or test of the questions before the actual interview
• deciding on the best methodology for conducting and recording the interview
• making the purpose and use of the data collected well known in advance
• in some cases, providing the interviewee with the questions in advance
• assuring the anonymity of the interviewee if requested

Question design 

Questions should be designed to elicit the responses required to help answer the overall research question. 

Recording the interview 

Another consideration is how to record the response. You must ask the permission of the interviewee if you wish to use any audio-visual equipment during an interview.  Please note that electronic submissions are not acceptable, and so an example of a transcript will need to be attached in the appendix. Refer to the section of this guide on appendices for further information. 

Surveys can be carried out:   

• using a printed form distributed to a defined group of people under controlled conditions

The researcher is better able to control who is responding to the questions when using paper surveys than online. 

Successful surveys require:

• knowing from the secondary research what areas need to be investigated
• forming well-stated questions that yield data that can be analyzed
• ttesting the questions before conducting the survey—this is called a pilot study
• assuring anonymity as requested by the participants
• conducting the survey and collecting the data in a well-defined manner

Quantitative vs qualitative data 

To collect quantitative data the survey must ask closed or multiple-choice questions. These: 

• have a limited number of responses or
• have scale choices or
• require the respondent to prioritize items

To collect qualitative data , the survey must ask open-ended questions, which allow the respondents to write their own answer. 

Sample size and selection 

When collecting data from groups of people, you must make certain that:

• the sample is large enough to generate meaningful data
• it is clear how and why she or he selected the participants

Considerations for Primary Research

Whichever method is used, your primary research must be well structured and collect data relating to people, events or objects. 

The data collected must be:

• measurable or observable

Questions for you to consider are:

• What do you want to find out from your primary research?
• How will this relate to the findings from your secondary research?
• How will the data collected relate to the research question you have posed?
• What is the best method to collect relevant and reliable data and from where?
• Are there any ethical or legal considerations to using a primary method that must be taken into account? 

The analysis of primary research includes:

• the analysis of the data collected
• the connections you will make between the different sources of information used—for example, your secondary and primary research

You time should be spent researching:

• what the different primary data collection methods are
• how to use the different methods to obtain reliable results
• how to use the results as evidence to support your essay’s argument.

Ways That Primary Research Can Fail

A badly designed or implemented experiment or investigation will lead to flawed results . The following list indicates some ways that primary research can fail. 

• The survey sample is too small or badly controlled so you cannot reach any conclusions relevant to the research question. 
• The survey/interview questions do not take proper account of the secondary research findings or the research question, and so do not lead to relevant conclusions. 
• using a recording device without the interviewee being aware that the interview was being recorded 
• taking photos in prohibited areas
• downloading copyrighted music to demonstrate how it is done.
• A student has used a research method that is not permitted or not appropriate for the subject in which they are submitting their EE.
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• Last Updated: Apr 12, 2024 2:56 PM
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17 Introduction to Primary Research: Observations, Surveys, and Interviews

Dana Lynn Driscoll

Dana Driscoll’s essay “Introduction to Primary Research: Observations, Surveys, and Interviews” comes from the book Writing Spaces: Readings on Writings, Volume 2 . Projects where students are asked to gather first-hand data are a common occurrence in first-year composition (FYC). However, FYC students may struggle with the ethical and practical issues of collecting, analyzing, and writing about survey results, interviews, and observations. This chapter introduces definitions of research from an interdisciplinary perspective, examines ethical considerations, and compares the research process to the writing process. The chapter concludes with information about writing from primary research, including integrating research and creating visuals. Two student examples – a nutrition observation/survey project and an agricultural and biological engineering interview project – are provided to give students concrete examples.

This reading is available below and as a PDF .

Primary Research: Definitions and Overview

How research is defined varies widely from field to field, and as you progress through your college career, your coursework will teach you much more about what it means to be a researcher within your field. For example, engineers, who focus on applying scientific knowledge to develop designs, processes, and objects, conduct research using simulations, mathematical models, and a variety of tests to see how well their designs work. Sociologists conduct research using surveys, interviews, observations, and statistical analysis to better understand people, societies, and cultures. Graphic designers conduct research through locating images for reference for their artwork and engaging in background research on clients and companies to best serve their needs. Historians conduct research by examining archival materials— newspapers, journals, letters, and other surviving texts—and through conducting oral history interviews. Research is not limited to what has already been written or found at the library, also known as secondary research. Rather, individuals conducting research are producing the articles and reports found in a library database or in a book. Primary research, the focus of this essay, is research that is collected firsthand rather than found in a book, database, or journal.

     Primary research is often based on principles of the scientific method, a theory of investigation first developed by John Stuart Mill in the nineteenth century in his book Philosophy of the Scientific Method . Although the application of the scientific method varies from field to field, the general principles of the scientific method allow researchers to learn more about the world and observable phenomena. Using the scientific method, researchers develop research questions or hypotheses and collect data on events, objects, or people that is measurable, observable, and replicable. The ultimate goal in conducting primary research is to learn about something new that can be confirmed by others and to eliminate our own biases in the process.

Essay Overview and Student Examples

The essay begins by providing an overview of ethical considerations when conducting primary research, and then covers the stages that you will go through in your primary research: planning, collecting, analyzing, and writing. After the four stages comes an introduction to three common ways of conducting primary research in first year writing classes:

• Observations . Observing and measuring the world around you, including observations of people and other measurable events.
• Interviews . Asking participants questions in a one-on-one or small group setting.
• Surveys . Asking participants about their opinions and behaviors through a short questionnaire.

In addition, we will be examining two student projects that used substantial portions of primary research:

     Derek Laan, a nutrition major at Purdue University, wanted to learn more about student eating habits on campus. His primary research included observations of the campus food courts, student behavior while in the food courts, and a survey of students’ daily food intake. His secondary research included looking at national student eating trends on college campuses, information from the United States Food and Drug Administration, and books on healthy eating.

     Jared Schwab, an agricultural and biological engineering major at Purdue, was interested in learning more about how writing and communication took place in his field. His primary research included interviewing a professional engineer and a student who was a senior majoring in engineering. His secondary research included examining journals, books, professional organizations, and writing guides within the field of engineering.

Ethics of Primary Research

Both projects listed above included primary research on human participants; therefore, Derek and Jared both had to consider research ethics throughout their primary research process. As Earl Babbie writes in The Practice of Social Research , throughout the early and middle parts of the twentieth century researchers took advantage of participants and treated them unethically. During World War II, Nazi doctors performed heinous experiments on prisoners without their consent, while in the U.S., a number of medical and psychological experiments on caused patients undue mental and physical trauma and, in some cases, death. Because of these and other similar events, many nations have established ethical laws and guidelines for researchers who work with human participants. In the United States, the guidelines for the ethical treatment of human research participants are described in The Belmont Report , released in 1979. Today, universities have Institutional Review Boards (or IRBs) that oversee research. Students conducting research as part of a class may not need permission from the university’s IRB, although they still need to ensure that they follow ethical guidelines in research. The following provides a brief overview of ethical considerations:

• Voluntary participation . The Belmont Report suggests that, in most cases, you need to get permission from people before you involve them in any primary research you are conducting. If you are doing a survey or interview, your participants must first agree to fill out your survey or to be interviewed. Consent for observations can be more complicated, and is discussed later in the essay.
• Confidentiality and anonymity . Your participants may reveal embarrassing or potentially damaging information such as racist comments or unconventional behavior. In these cases, you should keep your participants’ identities anonymous when writing your results. An easy way to do this is to create a “pseudonym” (or false name) for them so that their identity is protected.
• Researcher bias . There is little point in collecting data and learning about something if you already think you know the answer! Bias might be present in the way you ask questions, the way you take notes, or the conclusions you draw from the data you collect.

     The above are only three of many considerations when involving human participants in your primary research. For a complete understanding of ethical considerations please refer to The Belmont Report .

     Now that we have considered the ethical implications of research, we will examine how to formulate research questions and plan your primary research project.

Planning Your Primary Research Project

The primary research process is quite similar to the writing process, and you can draw upon your knowledge of the writing process to understand the steps involved in a primary research project. Just like in the writing process, a successful primary research project begins with careful planning and background research. This section first describes how to create a research timeline to help plan your research. It then walks you through the planning stages by examining when primary research is useful or appropriate for your first year composition course, narrowing down a topic, and developing research questions.

The Research Timeline

When you begin to conduct any kind of primary research, creating a timeline will help keep you on task. Because students conducting primary research usually focus on the collection of data itself, they often overlook the equally important areas of planning (invention), analyzing data, and writing. To help manage your time, you should create a research timeline, such as the sample timeline presented here.

When Primary Research Is Useful or Appropriate

In Evaluating Scientific Research: Separating Fact from Fiction , Fred Leavitt explains that primary research is useful for questions that can be answered through asking others and direct observation. For first year writing courses, primary research is particularly useful when you want to learn about a problem that does not have a wealth of published information. This may be because the problem is a recent event or it is something not commonly studied. For example, if you are writing a paper on a new political issue, such as changes in tax laws or healthcare, you might not be able to find a wealth of peer-reviewed research because the issue is only several weeks old. You may find it necessary to collect some of your own data on the issue to supplement what you found at the library. Primary research is also useful when you are studying a local problem or learning how a larger issue plays out at the local level. Although you might be able to find information on national statistics for healthy eating, whether or not those statistics are representative of your college campus is something that you can learn through primary research.

     However, not all research questions and topics are appropriate for primary research. As Fred Leavitt writes, questions of an ethical, philosophical, or metaphysical nature are not appropriate because these questions are not testable or observable. For example, the question “Does an afterlife exist?” is not a question that can be answered with primary research. However, the question “How many people in my community believe in an afterlife?” is something that primary research can answer.

Narrowing Your Topic

Just like the writing process, you should start your primary research process with secondary (library) research to learn more about what is already known and what gaps you need to fill with your own data. As you learn more about the topic, you can narrow down your interest area and eventually develop a research question or hypothesis, just as you would with a secondary research paper.

Developing Research Questions or Hypotheses

As John Stuart Mill describes, primary research can use both inductive and deductive approaches, and the type approach is usually based on the field of inquiry. Some fields use deductive reasoning , where researchers start with a hypothesis or general conclusion and then collect specific data to support or refute their hypothesis. Other fields use inductive reasoning , where researchers start with a question and collect information that eventually leads to a conclusion.

Once you have spent some time reviewing the secondary research on your topic, you are ready to write a primary research question or hypothesis. A research question or hypothesis should be something that is specific, narrow, and discoverable through primary research methods. Just like a thesis statement for a paper, if your research question or hypothesis is too broad, your research will be unfocused and your data will be difficult to analyze and write about. Here is a set of sample research questions:

Poor Research Question : What do college students think of politics and the economy?

Revised Research Question : What do students at Purdue University believe about the current economic crisis in terms of economic recoverability?

The poor research question is unspecific as to what group of students the researcher is interested in—i.e. students in the U.S.? In a particular state? At their university? The poor research question was also too broad; terms like “politics” and the “economy” cover too much ground for a single project. The revised question narrows down the topic to students at a particular university and focuses on a specific issue related to the economy: economic recoverability. The research question could also be rephrased as a testable hypothesis using deductive reasoning: “Purdue University college students are well informed about economic recoverability plans.” Because they were approaching their projects in an exploratory, inductive manner, both Derek and Jared chose to ask research questions:

Derek: Are students’ eating habits at Purdue University healthy or unhealthy? What are the causes of students’ eating behavior?

Jared: What are the major features of writing and communication in agricultural and biological engineering? What are the major controversies?

     A final step in working with a research question or hypothesis is determining what key terms you are using and how you will define them. Before conducting his research, Derek had to define the terms “healthy” and “unhealthy”; for this, he used the USDA’s Food Pyramid as a guide. Similarly, part of what Jared focused on in his interviews was learning more about how agricultural and biological engineers defined terms like “writing” and “communication.” Derek and Jared thought carefully about the terms within their research questions and how these terms might be measured.

Choosing a Data Collection Method

Once you have formulated a research question or hypothesis, you will need to make decisions about what kind of data you can collect that will best address your research topic. Derek chose to examine eating habits by observing both what students ate at lunch and surveying students about eating behavior. Jared decided that in-depth interviews with experienced individuals in his field would provide him with the best information.

     To choose a data collection method for your research question, read through the next sections on observations, interviews, and surveys.

Observations

Observations have lead to some of the most important scientific discoveries in human history. Charles Darwin used observations of the animal and marine life at the Galapagos Islands to help him formulate his theory of evolution that he describes in On the Origin of Species . Today, social scientists, natural scientists, engineers, computer scien- tists, educational researchers, and many others use observations as a primary research method.

     Observations can be conducted on nearly any subject matter, and the kinds of observations you will do depend on your research question. You might observe traffic or parking patterns on campus to get a sense of what improvements could be made. You might observe clouds, plants, or other natural phenomena. If you choose to observe people, you will have several additional considerations including the manner in which you will observe them and gain their consent.

     If you are observing people, you can choose between two common ways to observe: participant observation and unobtrusive observation. Participant observation is a common method within ethnographic research in sociology and anthropology. In this kind of observation, a researcher may interact with participants and become part of their community. Margaret Mead, a famous anthropologist, spent extended periods of time living in, and interacting with, communities that she studied. Conversely, in unobtrusive observation, you do not interact with participants but rather simply record their behavior. Although in most circumstances people must volunteer to be participants in re- search, in some cases it is acceptable to not let participants know you are observing them. In places that people perceive as public, such as a campus food court or a shopping mall, people do not expect privacy, and so it is generally acceptable to observe without participant consent. In places that people perceive as private, which can include a church, home, classroom, or even an intimate conversation at a restaurant, participant consent should be sought.

     The second issue about participant consent in terms of unobtrusive observation is whether or not getting consent is feasible for the study. If you are observing people in a busy airport, bus station, or campus food court, getting participant consent may be next to impossible. In Derek’s study of student eating habits on campus, he went to the campus food courts during meal times and observed students purchasing food. Obtaining participant consent for his observations would have been next to impossible because hundreds of students were coming through the food court during meal times. Since Derek’s research was in a place that participants would perceive as public, it was not practical to get their consent, and since his data was anonymous, he did not violate their privacy.

Eliminating Bias in Your Observation Notes

The ethical concern of being unbiased is important in recording your observations. You need to be aware of the difference between an observation (recording exactly what you see) and an interpretation (making assumptions and judgments about what you see). When you observe, you should focus first on only the events that are directly observable. Consider the following two example entries in an observation log:

• The student sitting in the dining hall enjoys his greasy, oil- soaked pizza. He is clearly oblivious of the calorie content and damage it may do to his body.
• The student sits in the dining hall. As he eats his piece of pizza, which drips oil, he says to a friend, “This pizza is good.”

The first entry is biased and demonstrates judgment about the event. First, the observer makes assumptions about the internal state of the student when she writes “enjoys” and “clearly oblivious to the calorie content.” From an observer’s standpoint, there is no way of ascertaining what the student may or may not know about pizza’s nutritional value nor how much the student enjoys the pizza. The second entry provides only the details and facts that are observable.

To avoid bias in your observations, you can use something called a “double-entry notebook.” This is a type of observation log that en courages you to separate your observations (the facts) from your feelings and judgments about the facts.

Observations are only one strategy in collecting primary research. You may also want to ask people directly about their behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes—and for this you will need to use surveys or interviews.

Surveys and Interviews: Question Creation

Sometimes it is very difficult for a researcher to gain all of the necessary information through observations alone. Along with his observations of the dining halls, Derek wanted to know what students ate in a typical day, and so he used a survey to have them keep track of their eating habits. Likewise, Jared wanted to learn about writing and com- munication in engineering and decided to draw upon expert knowledge by asking experienced individuals within the field.

Interviews and surveys are two ways that you can gather information about people’s beliefs or behaviors. With these methods, the in- formation you collect is not first-hand (like an observation) but rather “self-reported” data, or data collected in an indirect manner. William Shadish, Thomas Cook, and Donald Campbell argued that people are inherently biased about how they see the world and may report their own actions in a more favorable way than they may actually behave. Despite the issues in self-reported data, surveys and interviews are an excellent way to gather data for your primary research project.

Survey or Interview?

How do you choose between conducting a survey or an interview? It depends on what kind of information you are looking for. You should use surveys if you want to learn about a general trend in people’s opinions, experiences, and behavior. Surveys are particularly useful to find small amounts of information from a wider selection of people in the hopes of making a general claim. Interviews are best used when you want to learn detailed information from a few specific people. Interviews are also particularly useful if you want to interview experts about their opinions, as Jared did. In sum, use interviews to gain details from a few people, and surveys to learn general patterns from many people.

Writing Good Questions

One of the greatest challenges in conducting surveys and interviews is writing good questions. As a researcher, you are always trying to eliminate bias, and the questions you ask need to be unbiased and clear. Here are some suggestions on writing good questions:

Ask about One Thing at a Time

A poorly written question can contain multiple questions, which can confuse participants or lead them to answer only part of the question you are asking. This is called a “double-barreled question” in journalism. The following questions are taken from Jared’s research:

Poor question: What kinds of problems are being faced in the field today and where do you see the search for solutions to these problems going?

Revised question #1 : What kinds of problems are being faced in the field today?

Revised question #2: Where do you see the search for solu- tions to these problems going?

Avoid Leading Questions

A leading question is one where you prompt the participant to respond in a particular way, which can create bias in the answers given:

Leading question: The economy is clearly in a crisis, wouldn’t you agree?

Revised question: Do you believe the economy is currently in a crisis? Why or why not?

Understand When to Use Open and Closed Questions

Closed questions, or questions that have yes/no or other limited responses, should be used in surveys. However, avoid these kinds of questions in interviews because they discourage the interviewee from going into depth. The question sample above, “Do you believe the economy currently is in a crisis?” could be answered with a simple yes or no, which could keep a participant from talking more about the issue. The “why or why not?” portion of the question asks the participant to elaborate. On a survey, the question “Do you believe the economy currently is in a crisis?” is a useful question because you can easily count the number of yes and no answers and make a general claim about participant responses.

Write Clear Questions

When you write questions, make sure they are clear, concise, and to the point. Questions that are too long, use unfamiliar vocabulary, or are unclear may confuse participants and you will not get quality responses.

     Now that question creation has been addressed, we will next examine specific considerations for interviews and surveys.

Interviews, or question and answer sessions with one or more people, are an excellent way to learn in-depth information from a person for your primary research project. This section presents information on how to conduct a successful interview, including choosing the right person, ways of interviewing, recording your interview, interview locations, and transcribing your interview.

Choosing the Right Person

One of the keys to a successful interview is choosing the right person to interview. Think about whom you would like to interview and whom you might know. Do not be afraid to ask people you do not know for interviews. When asking, simply tell them what the interview will be about, what the interview is for, and how much time it will take. Jared used his Purdue University connection to locate both of the individuals that he ended up interviewing—an advanced Purdue student and a Purdue alum working in an Engineering firm.

Face-to-Face and Virtual Interviews

When interviewing, you have a choice of conducting a traditional, face-to-face interview or an interview using technology over the Internet. Face-to-face interviews have the strength that you can ask follow-up questions and use non-verbal communication to your advantage. Individuals are able to say much more in a face-to-face interview than in an email, so you will get more information from a face-to-face interview. However, the Internet provides a host of new possibilities when it comes to interviewing people at a distance. You may choose to do an email interview, where you send questions and ask the person to respond. You may also choose to use a video or audio conferencing program to talk with the person virtually. If you are choosing any Internet-based option, make sure you have a way of recording the interview. You may also use a chat or instant messaging program to interview your participant—the benefit of this is that you can ask follow-up questions during the interview and the interview is already transcribed for you. Because one of his interviewees lived several hours away, Jared chose to interview the Purdue student face- to-face and the Purdue alum via email.

Finding a Suitable Location

If you are conducting an in-person interview, it is essential that you find a quiet place for your interview. Many universities have quiet study rooms that can be reserved (often found in the university library). Do not try to interview someone in a coffee shop, dining hall, or other loud area, as it is difficult to focus and get a clear recording.

Recording Interviews

One way of eliminating bias in your research is to record your interviews rather than rely on your memory. Recording interviews allows you to directly quote the individual and re-read the interview when you are writing. It is recommended that you have two recording devices for the interview in case one recording device fails. Most computers, MP3 players, and even cell phones come with recording equipment built in. Many universities also offer equipment that students can check out and use, including computers and recorders. Before you record any interview, be sure that you have permission from your participant.

Transcribing Your Interview

Once your interview is over, you will need to transcribe your interview to prepare it for analysis. The term transcribing means creating a writ- ten record that is exactly what was said—i.e. typing up your interviews. If you have conducted an email or chat interview, you already have a transcription and can move on to your analysis stage.

Other than the fact that they both involve asking people questions, interviews and surveys are quite different data collection methods. Creating a survey may seem easy at first, but developing a quality survey can be quite challenging. When conducting a survey, you need to focus on the following areas: survey creation, survey testing, survey sampling, and distributing your survey.

Survey Creation: Length and Types of Questions

One of the keys to creating a successful survey is to keep your survey short and focused. Participants are unlikely to fill out a survey that is lengthy, and you’ll have a more difficult time during your analysis if your survey contains too many questions. In most cases, you want your survey to be something that can be filled out within a few minutes. The target length of the survey also depends on how you will distribute the survey. If you are giving your survey to other students in your dorm or classes, they will have more time to complete the survey. Therefore, five to ten minutes to complete the survey is reasonable. If you are asking students as they are walking to class to fill out your sur- vey, keep it limited to several questions that can be answered in thirty seconds or less. Derek’s survey took about ten minutes and asked students to describe what they ate for a day, along with some demographic information like class level and gender.

     Use closed questions to your advantage when creating your survey. A closed question is any set of questions that gives a limited amount of choices (yes/no, a 1–5 scale, choose the statement that best describes you). When creating closed questions, be sure that you are accounting for all reasonable answers in your question creation. For example, ask- ing someone “Do you believe you eat healthy?” and providing them only “yes” and “no” options means that a “neutral” or “undecided” option does not exist, even though the survey respondent may not feel strongly either way. Therefore, on closed questions you may find it helpful to include an “other” category where participants can fill in an answer. It is also a good idea to have a few open-ended questions where participants can elaborate on certain points or earlier responses. However, open-ended questions take much longer to fill out than closed questions.

Survey Creation: Testing Your Survey

To make sure your survey is an appropriate length and that your questions are clear, you can “pilot test” your survey. Prior to administering your survey on a larger scale, ask several classmates or friends to fill it out and give you feedback on the survey. Keep track of how long the survey takes to complete. Ask them if the questions are clear and make sense. Look at their answers to see if the answers match what you wanted to learn. You can revise your survey questions and the length of your survey as necessary.

Sampling and Access to Survey Populations

“Sampling” is a term used within survey research to describe the subset of people that are included in your study. Derek’s first research question was: “Are students’ eating habits at Purdue University healthy or unhealthy?” Because it was impossible for Derek to survey all 38,000 students on Purdue’s campus, he had to choose a representative sample of students. Derek chose to survey students who lived in the dorms because of the wide variety of student class levels and majors in the dorms and his easy access to this group. By making this choice, however, he did not account for commuter students, graduate students, or those who live off campus. As Derek’s case demonstrates, it is very challenging to get a truly representative sample.

     Part of the reason that sampling is a challenge is that you may find difficulty in finding enough people to take your survey. In thinking about how get people to take your survey, consider both your everyday surroundings and also technological solutions. Derek had access to many students in the dorms, but he also considered surveying students in his classes in order to reach as many people as possible. Another possibility is to conduct an online survey. Online surveys greatly increase your access to different kinds of people from across the globe, but may decrease your chances of having a high survey response rate. An email or private message survey request is more likely to be ignored due to the impersonal quality and high volume of emails most people receive.

Analyzing and Writing About Primary Research

Once you collect primary research data, you will need to analyze what you have found so that you can write about it. The purpose of analyzing your data is to look at what you collected (survey responses, interview answers to questions, observations) and to create a cohesive, systematic interpretation to help answer your research question or ex- amine the validity of your hypothesis.

     When you are analyzing and presenting your findings, remember to work to eliminate bias by being truthful and as accurate as possible about what you found, even if it differs from what you expected to find. You should see your data as sources of information, just like sources you find in the library, and you should work to represent them accurately.

     The following are suggestions for analyzing different types of data.

If you’ve counted anything you were observing, you can simply add up what you counted and report the results. If you’ve collected descriptions using a double-entry notebook, you might work to write thick descriptions of what you observed into your writing. This could include descriptions of the scene, behaviors you observed, and your overall conclusions about events. Be sure that your readers are clear on what were your actual observations versus your thoughts or interpretations of those observations.

If you’ve interviewed one or two people, then you can use your summary, paraphrasing, and quotation skills to help you accurately describe what was said in the interview. Just like in secondary research when working with sources, you should introduce your interviewees and choose clear and relevant quotes from the interviews to use in your writing. An easy way to find the important information in an interview is to print out your transcription and take a highlighter and mark the important parts that you might use in your paper. If you have conducted a large number of interviews, it will be helpful for you to create a spreadsheet of responses to each question and compare the responses, choosing representative answers for each area you want to describe.

Surveys can contain quantitative (numerical) and qualitative (written answers/descriptions) data. Quantitative data can be analyzed using a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel to calculate the mean (average) answer or to calculate the percentage of people who responded in a certain way. You can display this information in a chart or a graph and also describe it in writing in your paper. If you have qualitative responses, you might choose to group them into categories and/or you may choose to quote several representative responses.

Writing about Primary Research

In formal research writing in a variety of fields, it is common for research to be presented in the following format: introduction/background; methods; results; discussions; conclusion. Not all first year writing classes will require such an organizational structure, although it is likely that you will be required to present many of these elements in your paper. Because of this, the next section examines each of these in depth.

Introduction (Review of Literature)

The purpose of an introduction and review of literature in a research paper is to provide readers with information that helps them understand the context, purpose, and relevancy of your research. The introduction is where you provide most of your background (library) research that you did earlier in the process. You can include articles, statistics, research studies, and quotes that are pertinent to the issues at hand. A second purpose in an introduction is to establish your own credibility (ethos) as a writer by showing that you have researched your topic thoroughly. This kind of background discussion is required in nearly every field of inquiry when presenting research in oral or writ- ten formats.

     Derek provided information from the Food and Drug Administration on healthy eating and national statistics about eating habits as part of his background information. He also made the case for healthy eating on campus to show relevancy:

Currently Americans are more overweight than ever. This is coming at a huge cost to the economy and government. If current trends in increasing rates of overweight and obesity continue it is likely that this generation will be the first one to live shorter lives than their parents did. Looking at the habits of university students is a good way to see how a new generation behaves when they are living out on their own for the first time.

Describing What You Did (Methods)

When writing, you need to provide enough information to your readers about your primary research process for them to understand what you collected and how you collected it. In formal research papers, this is often called a methods section. Providing information on your study methods also adds to your credibility as a writer. For surveys, your methods would include describing who you surveyed, how many surveys you collected, decisions you made about your survey sample, and relevant demographic information about your participants (age, class level, major). For interviews, introduce whom you interviewed and any other relevant information about interviewees such as their career or expertise area. For observations, list the locations and times you observed and how you recorded your observations (i.e. double-entry notebook). For all data types, you should describe how you analyzed your data.

     The following is a sample from Jared about his participants:

In order to gain a better understanding of the discourse community in environmental and resource engineering, I interviewed Anne Dare, a senior in environmental and natural resource engineering, and Alyson Keaton an alumnus of Purdue University. Alyson is a current employee of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which is a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

     Here is a sample from Derek’s methods section:

I conducted a survey so that I could find out what students at Purdue actually eat on a typical day. I handed out surveys asking students to record what they ate for a day . . . I received 29 back and averaged the results based on average number of servings from each food group on the old food guide pyramid. The group included students from the freshman to the graduate level and had 8 women and 21 men respond.

Describing Your Study Findings (Results)

In a formal research paper, the results section is where you describe what you found. The results section can include charts, graphs, lists, direct quotes, and overviews of findings. Readers find it helpful if you are able to provide the information in different formats. For example, if you have any kind of numbers or percentages, you can talk about them in your written description and then present a graph or chart showing them visually. You should provide specific details as supporting evidence to back up your findings. These details can be in the form of direct quotations, numbers, or observations.

     Jared describes some of his interview results:

Alyson also mentioned the need for phone conversation. She stated, “The phone is a large part of my job. I am communicating with other NRCS offices daily to find out the status of our jobs.” She needs to be in constant contact in order to insure that everything is running smoothly. This is common with those overseeing projects. In these cases, the wait for a response to an email or a memo can be too long to be effective.

Interpreting What You Learned (Discussion)

In formal research papers, the discussion section presents your own interpretation of your results. This may include what you think the results mean or how they are useful to your larger argument. If you are making a proposal for change or a call to action, this is where you make it. For example, in Derek’s project about healthy eating on campus, Derek used his primary research on students’ unhealthy eat- ing and observations of the food courts to argue that the campus food courts needed serious changes. Derek writes, “Make healthy food options the most accessible in every dining hall while making unhealthy foods the least. Put nutrition facts for everything that is served in the dining halls near the food so that students can make more informed decisions on what to eat.”

Jared used the individuals he interviewed as informants that helped him learn more about writing in agricultural and biological engineering. He integrated the interviews he conducted with secondary research to form a complete picture of writing and communication in agricultural and biological engineering. He concludes:

Writing takes so many forms, and it is important to know about all these forms in one way or another. The more forms of writing you can achieve, the more flexible you can be. This ability to be flexible can make all the difference in writing when you are dealing with a field as complex as engineering.

Primary Research and Works Cited or References Pages

The last part of presenting your primary research project is a works cited or references page. In general, since you are working with data you collected yourself, there is no source to cite an external source. Your methods section should describe in detail to the readers how and where the data presented was obtained. However, if you are working with interviews, you can cite these as “personal communication.” The MLA and APA handbooks both provide clear listings of how to cite personal communication in a works cited/references page.

This essay has presented an overview to three commonly used methods of primary research in first year writing courses: observations, interviews, and surveys. By using these methods, you can learn more about the world around you and craft meaningful written discussions of your findings.

• Primary research techniques show up in more places than just first year writing courses. Where else might interviews, surveys, or observations be used? Where have you seen them used?
• The chapter provides a brief discussion of the ethical considerations of research. Can you think of any additional ethical considerations when conducting primary research? Can you think of ethical considerations unique to your own research project?
• Primary research is most useful for first year writing students if it is based in your local community or campus. What are some current issues on your campus or in your community that could be investigated using primary research methods?
• In groups or as a class, make a list of potential primary research topics. After each topic on the list, consider what method of inquiry (observation, interview, or survey) you would use to study the topic and answer why that method is a good choice.

Suggested Resources

Babbie, Earl. The Practice of Social Research. 10th edition. Wadsworth Publishing, 2003. Print.

Creswell, John. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . 3rd ed. Sage publications, 2008. Print.

Rubin, Herbert and Irene Rubin. Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004. Print.

Fink, Arlene. How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guid e. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2008. Print.

Sanger, Jack. Compleat Observer? A Field Research Guide to Observation . New York: Routledge, 1996. Print.

The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. The Belmont Report . 18 April 1979. Web. <http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/guidelines/belmont.html>.

Works Cited

Babbie, Earl. The Practice of Social Research . 10th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth publishing, 2003. Print.

Creswell, John. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications, 2008. Print.

Shadish, William, Thomas, Cook and Donald Campbell. Quasi-Experimentation: Design and Analysis Issues . Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1979. Print.

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection . New York: L Hurst and Company, No date. Print.

Lauer, Janice and William Asher. Composition Research: Empirical Designs . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print.

Leavitt, Fred. Evaluating Scientific Research: Separating Fact from Fiction . Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2004. Print.

Mead, Margaret. Growing Up in New Guinea: A Comparative Study of Primitive Education . New York: Morrow, 193. Print.

Mill, John Stuart. John Stuart Mill’s Philosophy of Scientific Method . Ernest Nagel, Ed. New York: Hafner Publishing Co, 1950. Print.

Rubin, Herbert and Irene Rubin. Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004. Print.

primary research, observations, interviews, surveys, research ethics, research questions

college-level general education writing and communication courses

The Muse: Misunderstandings and Their Remedies Copyright © by Dana Lynn Driscoll is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Research Methods

Primary research, what is primary research, secondary literature search, what is a primary source, interpreting primary sources, digital or original, databases of digitised primary sources available from teesside university library, ethics and privacy, referencing primary sources, useful resources, using material on this page.

• Secondary Research
• Quantitative Research This link opens in a new window
• Qualitative Research This link opens in a new window
• Being Critical This link opens in a new window
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Primary research is defined as the collation and analysis of original data that has not been gathered before. This differs from secondary research that is considered as the result of the study of research and sources which has been subject to academic enquiry. A more detailed explanation of the distinction between these fields of research is below:

“Primary research generally refers to research that has involved the collection of original data specific to that particular research project, for example through using research methods such as questionnaires or interviews. Secondary research refers to research where no such original data is collected, but the research project uses existing (or secondary) sources of data … Most research projects will contain an element of secondary research in establishing and evaluating the types of data that have been collected in previous projects in the area as part of the literature review.” ( Gratton and Jones, 2010, p.8).

Carrying out primary research may be a requisite for your assessment. For postgraduates and researchers, it is a keystone of their work. Many students relish getting to grips with raw data, handling unread primary sources and making an original contribution to academic knowledge. Studying and analysing primary sources heighten critical thinking abilities and empowers independent learning.    

Before carrying out any form of primary research it is vital to understand and appreciate the nature of your enquiry by carrying out a thorough review of the secondary literature in order to:

• inform and direct primary research more effectively
• use both primary and secondary sources in your writing to demonstrate command of your subject, theories and terminology
• broaden and deepen your knowledge and appreciation of the research field
• demonstrate where your research sits within existing work
• signpost areas of research requiring further inquiry, gaps in knowledge, potential counter arguments to develop, alternative research methodologies, and raw data or archival sources for revaluating
• undertake 'citation surfing' - follow up references and bibliographies of secondary sources to record the location and reference of primary sources used in the analysis in addition to identify additional secondary sources to read - see our support guide for finding more research  here

Extensive advice and guidance for carrying out a literature search if available here  

Primary sources are 'the basic raw material for study' (Mabbett, 2007, p. 34) and may be defined as ‘sources which came into existence within the period being instigated’ (Marwick, 2001, p. 26). This could be 1.000 years ago, or the present day, so could include medieval manuscripts for a historian, the results of laboratory tests for a health researcher or for the social scientist, focus groups and surveys. This ‘raw material’ then forms the basis of their studies.

There is an immense variety what can be considered as primary sources, as the examples below indicate. These can vary depending upon the discipline or context.

• Personal sources – diaries, correspondence, personal journals and papers, autobiographies and memoirs, speeches
• Surveys and reports – royal commissions, tax inspections, questionnaires
• ‘Official’ records – minutes, annual reports, accounts, church records, government records laws, parliamentary papers, parish registers, business records, census returns, birth certificates, patents
• Media – newspapers, cartoons, films, video recordings, advertisements, speeches
• Artistic sources – works of fiction, plays, poetry, sculpture, music, works of art, photographs
• Material culture and artefacts – coins, clothes, architectures, archaeological finds, furniture
• Oral recordings – interviews, recorded records, ‘oral history’, speeches, radio programmes, focus groups
• Geographical records – place names, maps, satellite images
• Observations – recording observed behaviour and occurrences

This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are also overlaps with secondary sources, for example, historiography written in the nineteenth century might now be considered a primary source as it tells us much about the mindset and belief of a nineteenth century individual.

Primary sources allow us to make connections to our own ideas and develop individual interpretations. When assessing a primary source, it is important to be remain critical of the source, retain an open mind and consider its intended audience. Being critical is a key academic skill, we've lots of help and information  here . 

When assessing a primary source, ask yourself the question, where and when and why is who is saying what to whom ? Primary sources are, in the most part, subjective and remain an individual’s interpretation of an event or activity. Primary sources may

• not always be truly accurate.
• have been produced with an intended audience in mind. Newspapers produce content for ‘their’ readers.
• have been created for profit or commission and therefore be subject to what the customer wants rather than a true representation. A piece of artwork may be subject to ‘artistic licence’.
• have been written to remain private – a diary or personal papers. Anne Frank’s diary was not intended to be read by a global audience or presented as an account of the Holocaust. 
• be fake. Even the most distinguished scholars have been fooled. In the 1980s, sixty volumes of (forged) journals purportedly written by Adolf Hitler were initially declared genuine by the respected historian Hugh-Trevor Roper (Steers and Nickell, 2013). That said, the fake diaries are themselves now considered primary sources as ‘news media’ documents of the past.

To access primary sources, previous generations of scholars would have trawled archives and libraries to examine documents. This ‘hands on’ approach is still recommended but can now be complemented with the vast number of primary sources available through online databases, which has its advantages: 

• Searchable, saveable, and printable sources from your desktop
• Savings of time and expenses
• Preservation of original documents
• May be easier to read
• Easier to create statistical data

As with ‘original’ sources, it is important to bear in mind the subjectivity of the source, but also evaluate the digital platforms and the providence of the source – can the original be located? There are also additional caveats when using digital sources:

• The search strategy requires careful planning of keywords and dates
• Manging results through saving
• The context of the source may be lost. For example, other documents within the collection or publication may be overlooked if the search terms are too narrow.

The Library subscribes to a wide range of databases that offer a vast range of digitised primary sources. These include historic newspaper and periodical titles including The Times , art and architecture archives, full text digital versions of British and European books, tracts and pamphlets from the medieval age to the nineteenth century, British cartoons spanning 200 years, historic maps, images from the British Museum, and state and parliamentary papers.

We also provide digital access to a range of more specialist primary sources, these include news videos from Northern Ireland, Church of England records, women’s letters and diaries, radio and television archives, collections of notable individual’s own archives, trial accounts from the Old Bailey criminal court and much more.

To more information, including accessibility, of our digitised primary sources, go to  Finding Digital Media, Newspapers, Official Documents & Statistics

Using primary source material brings with it responsibility and the question of ethics and research integrity. If you are embarking on a dissertation project, an ethics form may be a requirement of this exercise. You should also consult your tutor or academic school with regards to the University's ethics and integrity assurance if you are in any doubt. 

Permission to use primary sources does not mean you have permission to use them in your work.

• You must have explicit consent to consult primary data and to then use it for academic purposes. This is especially important if it is of a ‘sensitive’ nature, for example, surveys, commercial and medical data, interviews and family records.
• Permission must be received from the people you will be studying in order to conduct research involving them.
• Consider whether it might be appropriate to anonymise your findings and consult those involved in your study.
• Be sensitive to others and carefully word interview or survey questions.

It is important to obtain authorisation and adhere to any copyright regulations when using primary sources, especially regarding copying documents, images, and data for both initial research consultation and then reproduction in written work. Archives and libraries will advise on this, as will the terms and conditions of digital databases. We also offer  copyright guidance. 

All primary sources used in academic writing must be fully referenced to ensure their veracity, to allow a reader to easily differentiate between primary and secondary sources in the writing and for others to locate source materials easily. If you read about a primary source in a secondary source and wish to use it, you should try to locate the primary source to check the context and data. To reference a primary source, follow the referencing guidelines for your subject area.  Referencing primary sources can be tricky, especially if they are archival resources, if you need help, the Learning Hub  is here for you.

Primary source historical documents and records are collated and stored in archives, where they may be accessed for research purposes. The range of archival resources vary immensely and can include just a specific set of documents or a vast range of records. The National Archives , the official archive for the UK Government, stores over 11million government and public records, that include Domesday Book to tweets from Downing Street.

Visiting archives

Before visiting

• check the online catalogue – some resources may not be available if they are too fragile, for example
• confirm if resources require pre-ordering and an appointment is required
• find out If a visitor’s pass is needed. The British Library , for example, require researchers to apply for a Reader Pass
• check online databases for digital formats, for example, nineteenth-century periodicals via our 19th Century UK Periodicals database
• confirm arrangements for copying records. Some sites allow digital cameras and photocopying, others, such as the British Library, require researchers to order copies for a small charge.

When you research in an archive, please respect their procedures for researchers. Many sites request users only use pencils for note-making and that bags, coats and drinks are not taken into study rooms.

Notable archives and record offices

Teesside Archives – located i n the Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough. Historical records of Middlesbrough and surrounding areas https://teessidearchives.wordpress.com/

North Yorkshire County Record Office – historic records of North Yorkshire https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/county-record-office

Durham County Record Office - local authority archive service for County Durham and Darlington https://durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/

Many more local and national archives can be located using the National Archives discovery search tool https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/find-an-archive

Click on the image below to access the reading list which includes resources used in this guide as well as some additional useful resources.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License .

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Primary vs secondary research – what’s the difference.

14 min read Find out how primary and secondary research are different from each other, and how you can use them both in your own research program.

Primary vs secondary research: in a nutshell

The essential difference between primary and secondary research lies in who collects the data.

• Primary research definition

When you conduct primary research, you’re collecting data by doing your own surveys or observations.

• Secondary research definition:

In secondary research, you’re looking at existing data from other researchers, such as academic journals, government agencies or national statistics.

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When to use primary vs secondary research

Primary research and secondary research both offer value in helping you gather information.

Each research method can be used alone to good effect. But when you combine the two research methods, you have the ingredients for a highly effective market research strategy. Most research combines some element of both primary methods and secondary source consultation.

So assuming you’re planning to do both primary and secondary research – which comes first? Counterintuitive as it sounds, it’s more usual to start your research process with secondary research, then move on to primary research.

Secondary research can prepare you for collecting your own data in a primary research project. It can give you a broad overview of your research area, identify influences and trends, and may give you ideas and avenues to explore that you hadn’t previously considered.

Given that secondary research can be done quickly and inexpensively, it makes sense to start your primary research process with some kind of secondary research. Even if you’re expecting to find out what you need to know from a survey of your target market, taking a small amount of time to gather information from secondary sources is worth doing.

Primary research

Primary market research is original research carried out when a company needs timely, specific data about something that affects its success or potential longevity.

Primary research data collection might be carried out in-house by a business analyst or market research team within the company, or it may be outsourced to a specialist provider, such as an agency or consultancy. While outsourcing primary research involves a greater upfront expense, it’s less time consuming and can bring added benefits such as researcher expertise and a ‘fresh eyes’ perspective that avoids the risk of bias and partiality affecting the research data.

Primary research gives you recent data from known primary sources about the particular topic you care about, but it does take a little time to collect that data from scratch, rather than finding secondary data via an internet search or library visit.

Primary research involves two forms of data collection:

• Exploratory research This type of primary research is carried out to determine the nature of a problem that hasn’t yet been clearly defined. For example, a supermarket wants to improve its poor customer service and needs to understand the key drivers behind the customer experience issues. It might do this by interviewing employees and customers, or by running a survey program or focus groups.
• Conclusive research This form of primary research is carried out to solve a problem that the exploratory research – or other forms of primary data – has identified. For example, say the supermarket’s exploratory research found that employees weren’t happy. Conclusive research went deeper, revealing that the manager was rude, unreasonable, and difficult, making the employees unhappy and resulting in a poor employee experience which in turn led to less than excellent customer service. Thanks to the company’s choice to conduct primary research, a new manager was brought in, employees were happier and customer service improved.

Examples of primary research

All of the following are forms of primary research data.

• Customer satisfaction survey results
• Employee experience pulse survey results
• NPS rating scores from your customers
• A field researcher’s notes
• Data from weather stations in a local area
• Recordings made during focus groups

Primary research methods

There are a number of primary research methods to choose from, and they are already familiar to most people. The ones you choose will depend on your budget, your time constraints, your research goals and whether you’re looking for quantitative or qualitative data.

A survey can be carried out online, offline, face to face or via other media such as phone or SMS. It’s relatively cheap to do, since participants can self-administer the questionnaire in most cases. You can automate much of the process if you invest in good quality survey software.

Primary research interviews can be carried out face to face, over the phone or via video calling. They’re more time-consuming than surveys, and they require the time and expense of a skilled interviewer and a dedicated room, phone line or video calling setup. However, a personal interview can provide a very rich primary source of data based not only on the participant’s answers but also on the observations of the interviewer.

Focus groups

A focus group is an interview with multiple participants at the same time. It often takes the form of a discussion moderated by the researcher. As well as taking less time and resources than a series of one-to-one interviews, a focus group can benefit from the interactions between participants which bring out more ideas and opinions. However this can also lead to conversations going off on a tangent, which the moderator must be able to skilfully avoid by guiding the group back to the relevant topic.

Secondary research

Secondary research is research that has already been done by someone else prior to your own research study.

Secondary research is generally the best place to start any research project as it will reveal whether someone has already researched the same topic you’re interested in, or a similar topic that helps lay some of the groundwork for your research project.

Even if your preliminary secondary research doesn’t turn up a study similar to your own research goals, it will still give you a stronger knowledge base that you can use to strengthen and refine your research hypothesis. You may even find some gaps in the market you didn’t know about before.

The scope of secondary research resources is extremely broad. Here are just a few of the places you might look for relevant information.

Books and magazines

A public library can turn up a wealth of data in the form of books and magazines – and it doesn’t cost a penny to consult them.

Market research reports

Secondary research from professional research agencies can be highly valuable, as you can be confident the data collection methods and data analysis will be sound

Scholarly journals, often available in reference libraries

Peer-reviewed journals have been examined by experts from the relevant educational institutions, meaning there has been an extra layer of oversight and careful consideration of the data points before publication.

Government reports and studies

Public domain data, such as census data, can provide relevant information for your research project, not least in choosing the appropriate research population for a primary research method. If the information you need isn’t readily available, try contacting the relevant government agencies.

White papers

Businesses often produce white papers as a means of showcasing their expertise and value in their field. White papers can be helpful in secondary research methods, although they may not be as carefully vetted as academic papers or public records.

Trade or industry associations

Associations may have secondary data that goes back a long way and offers a general overview of a particular industry. This data collected over time can be very helpful in laying the foundations of your particular research project.

Private company data

Some businesses may offer their company data to those conducting research in return for fees or with explicit permissions. However, if a business has data that’s closely relevant to yours, it’s likely they are a competitor and may flat out refuse your request.

Learn more about secondary research

Examples of secondary research data

These are all forms of secondary research data in action:

• A newspaper report quoting statistics sourced by a journalist
• Facts from primary research articles quoted during a debate club meeting
• A blog post discussing new national figures on the economy
• A company consulting previous research published by a competitor

Secondary research methods

Literature reviews.

A core part of the secondary research process, involving data collection and constructing an argument around multiple sources. A literature review involves gathering information from a wide range of secondary sources on one topic and summarizing them in a report or in the introduction to primary research data.

Content analysis

This systematic approach is widely used in social science disciplines. It uses codes for themes, tropes or key phrases which are tallied up according to how often they occur in the secondary data. The results help researchers to draw conclusions from qualitative data.

Data analysis using digital tools

You can analyze large volumes of data using software that can recognize and categorize natural language. More advanced tools will even be able to identify relationships and semantic connections within the secondary research materials.

Comparing primary vs secondary research

We’ve established that both primary research and secondary research have benefits for your business, and that there are major differences in terms of the research process, the cost, the research skills involved and the types of data gathered. But is one of them better than the other?

The answer largely depends on your situation. Whether primary or secondary research wins out in your specific case depends on the particular topic you’re interested in and the resources you have available. The positive aspects of one method might be enough to sway you, or the drawbacks – such as a lack of credible evidence already published, as might be the case in very fast-moving industries – might make one method totally unsuitable.

Here’s an at-a-glance look at the features and characteristics of primary vs secondary research, illustrating some of the key differences between them.

What are the pros and cons of primary research?

Primary research provides original data and allows you to pinpoint the issues you’re interested in and collect data from your target market – with all the effort that entails.

Benefits of primary research:

• Tells you what you need to know, nothing irrelevant
• Yours exclusively – once acquired, you may be able to sell primary data or use it for marketing
• Teaches you more about your business
• Can help foster new working relationships and connections between silos
• Primary research methods can provide upskilling opportunities – employees gain new research skills

Limitations of primary research:

• Lacks context from other research on related subjects
• Can be expensive
• Results aren’t ready to use until the project is complete
• Any mistakes you make in in research design or implementation could compromise your data quality
• May not have lasting relevance – although it could fulfill a benchmarking function if things change

What are the pros and cons of secondary research?

Secondary research relies on secondary sources, which can be both an advantage and a drawback. After all, other people are doing the work, but they’re also setting the research parameters.

Benefits of secondary research:

• It’s often low cost or even free to access in the public domain
• Supplies a knowledge base for researchers to learn from
• Data is complete, has been analyzed and checked, saving you time and costs
• It’s ready to use as soon as you acquire it

Limitations of secondary research

• May not provide enough specific information
• Conducting a literature review in a well-researched subject area can become overwhelming
• No added value from publishing or re-selling your research data
• Results are inconclusive – you’ll only ever be interpreting data from another organization’s experience, not your own
• Details of the research methodology are unknown
• May be out of date – always check carefully the original research was conducted

Related resources

Business research methods 12 min read, qualitative research interviews 11 min read, market intelligence 10 min read, marketing insights 11 min read, ethnographic research 11 min read, qualitative vs quantitative research 13 min read, qualitative research questions 11 min read, request demo.

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10.3: Planning Your Primary Research Project

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The primary research process is quite similar to the writing process, and you can draw upon your knowledge of the writing process to understand the steps involved in a primary research project. Just like in the writing process, a successful primary research project begins with careful planning and background research. This section first describes how to create a research timeline to help plan your research. It then walks you through the planning stages by examining when primary research is useful or appropriate for your first year composition course, narrowing down a topic, and developing research questions.

The Research Timeline

When you begin to conduct any kind of primary research, creating a timeline will help keep you on task. Because students conducting primary research usually focus on the collection of data itself, they often overlook the equally important areas of planning (invention), analyzing data, and writing. To help manage your time, you should create a research timeline, such as the sample timeline presented here. 

Fig. 1: The Research Process

Fig. 2: A sample timeline for Jared’s research project.

When Primary Research Is Useful or Appropriate

In Evaluating Scientific Research: Separating Fact from Fiction , Fred Leavitt explains that primary research is useful for questions that can be answered through asking others and direct observation. For first year writing courses, primary research is particularly useful when you want to learn about a problem that does not have a wealth of published information. This may be because the problem is a recent event or it is something not commonly studied. For example, if you are writing a paper on a new political issue, such as changes in tax laws or healthcare, you might not be able to find a wealth of peer-reviewed research because the issue is only several weeks old. You may find it necessary to collect some of your own data on the issue to supplement what you found at the library. Primary research is also useful when you are studying a local problem or learning how a larger issue plays out at the local level. Although you might be able to find information on national statistics for healthy eating, whether or not those statistics are representative of your college campus is something that you can learn through primary research.

However, not all research questions and topics are appropriate for primary research. As Fred Leavitt writes, questions of an ethical, philosophical, or metaphysical nature are not appropriate because these questions are not testable or observable. For example, the question “Does an afterlife exist?” is not a question that can be answered with primary research. However, the question “How many people in my community believe in an afterlife?” is something that primary research can answer.

Narrowing Your Topic

Just like the writing process, you should start your primary research process with secondary (library) research to learn more about what is already known and what gaps you need to fill with your own data. As you learn more about the topic, you can narrow down your interest area and eventually develop a research question or hypothesis, just as you would with a secondary research paper.

Developing Research Questions or Hypotheses

As John Stuart Mill describes, primary research can use both inductive and deductive approaches, and the type approach is usually based on the field of inquiry. Some fields use deductive reasoning, where researchers start with a hypothesis or general conclusion and then collect specific data to support or refute their hypothesis. Other fields use inductive reasoning , where researchers start with a question and collect information that eventually leads to a conclusion.

Once you have spent some time reviewing the secondary research on your topic, you are ready to write a primary research question or hypothesis. A research question or hypothesis should be something that is specific, narrow, and discoverable through primary research methods. Just like a thesis statement for a paper, if your research question or hypothesis is too broad, your research will be unfocused and your data will be difficult to analyze and write about. Here is a set of sample research questions:

Poor Research Question: What do college students think of politics and the economy?

Revised Research Question: What do students at Purdue University believe about the current economic crisis in terms of economic recoverability?

The poor research question is unspecific as to what group of students the researcher is interested in—i.e. students in the U.S.? In a particular state? At their university? The poor research question was also too broad; terms like “politics” and the “economy” cover too much ground for a single project. The revised question narrows down the topic to students at a particular university and focuses on a specific issue related to the economy: economic recoverability. The research question could also be rephrased as a testable hypothesis using deductive reasoning: “Purdue University college students are well informed about economic recoverability plans.” Because they were approaching their projects in an exploratory, inductive manner, both Derek and Jared chose to ask research questions:

Derek: Are students’ eating habits at Purdue University healthy or unhealthy? What are the causes of students’ eating behavior?

Jared: What are the major features of writing and communication in agricultural and biological engineering? What are the major controversies?

A final step in working with a research question or hypothesis is determining what key terms you are using and how you will define them. Before conducting his research, Derek had to define the terms “healthy” and “unhealthy”; for this, he used the USDA’s Food Pyramid as a guide. Similarly, part of what Jared focused on in his interviews was learning more about how agricultural and biological engineers defined terms like “writing” and “communication.” Derek and Jared thought carefully about the terms within their research questions and how these terms might be measured.

Choosing a Data Collection Method

Once you have formulated a research question or hypothesis, you will need to make decisions about what kind of data you can collect that will best address your research topic. Derek chose to examine eating habits by observing both what students ate at lunch and surveying students about eating behavior. Jared decided that in-depth interviews with experienced individuals in his field would provide him with the best information.

To choose a data collection method for your research question, read through the next sections on observations, interviews, and surveys.

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Advantages of Primary Research – Types & Advantages

Published by Jamie Walker at October 21st, 2021 , Revised On August 29, 2023

Are you confused between primary and secondary research ? Not sure whether primary research is the right choice for your research project? Don’t panic! This article provides the key advantages of primary research over secondary research so you can make an informed decision.

Primary research is a data collection method where the researcher gathers all the data him/herself without relying on data acquired in previous studies. That means the collected data can be used to investigate a specific problem or a relationship between different variables.

To carry out primary research, a profound analysis is required, which is one of the reasons why primary research tends to be so valuable.

There are many different types of primary research that can be performed, and it is essential to know the differences between them so you can be sure that you are choosing the right method for your research.

Some of the most common primary research methods include surveys, interviews, ethnographic research, and observations.

Primary research is a valuable research tool that allows researchers and academicians to improve the reliability and validity of their research. It not only facilitates your research work but also enables you to make a mark in your area of study. It is most commonly used when writing a dissertation, thesis, report, journal paper or business report.

Primary research provides researchers with a rich source of in-depth knowledge about a particular research topic. For example, a focus group asks specific questions about a topic. It guides the researcher in drafting their research questions and creating other tools for research.

This makes the material highly tailored to the needs of the primary researcher. Similarly, a survey will enable you to collect responses from the participants of the study against your research questions.

To read about the advantages of secondary research

To read about the disadvantages of secondary research

To read about the disadvantages of primary research .

Types of Primary Research

Primary research must be conducted where secondary data is irrelevant or insufficient and where real first hand data is required. There are four specific forms that researchers use for primary research.

• Interviews: Conduct the interview with the participants in small sitting using interview guide
• Focus group discussions:  Conduct small groups for discussion on a particular topic.
• Surveys: Using a brief questionnaire, participants were asked about their thoughts about the specific topic.
• Observations:  Observing and reckoning the surroundings, for example, people and other phenomena that can be observed.

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Advantages of Primary Research

• The data is drawn from first-hand sources and will be highly accurate and, perhaps that is the most significant advantage of primary research. The questions or experimental set-ups can be constructed as a unique method to achieve the research objectives.
• Doing so, ensures that the data you gather is related and relevant to the research you are conducting and is intended to address your research objectives.
• Primary research ought to be directed towards addressing the core problem or objective of the research study. In other words, there is a clearly defined problem and the design of the research, the data collection methods and the final data set can all be tailored to that problem.
• You can be sure that the collected data is aligned with your specific problem, improving the probability that the data will give you the desired responses. In other words, the data you will gather for your research will be concrete and unambiguous, and directly related to your research objectives.
• With primary data collection, you don’t need to modify the data collected (secondary data), by another researcher who may have a slightly different focus, because you are the owner of your own data.
• Maintaining this degree of scrutiny means that the data you collect from primary sources will be more pertinent and therefore more effective for your research. Since you will be in charge of the data, it is easier to regulate the time span, the scope and the volume of the dataset being used.

The main emphasis of primary research will be on the research topic . This research approach enables the researcher to address the problem and find the most appropriate responses. Moreover, this method is valid and has been tested thousands of times, which makes its use more reliable and increases the probability of obtaining valid data.

Once you understand the nature of primary research and what it entails, you can begin to understand the requirements of your own research project and discover how to locate the specific type of data that you need in order to address your research questions and prepare the best possible research work.

Need Help with Primary Research?

If you are a student, a researcher, or a business looking to collect primary data for a report, a dissertation, an essay, or another type of project, feel free to get in touch with us. You can also read about our primary data collection service here . Our experts include highly qualified academicians, doctors, and researchers who are sure to collect authentic, reliable, up to date and relevant sources for your research study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to perform primary research.

Performing primary research involves:

• Defining research goals.
• Choosing methods (surveys, interviews, etc.).
• Designing tools and questions.
• Collecting data from sources directly.
• Analyzing data for insights.
• Drawing conclusions based on findings.

You May Also Like

A case study is a detailed analysis of a situation concerning organizations, industries, and markets. The case study generally aims at identifying the weak areas.

Quantitative research is associated with measurable numerical data. Qualitative research is where a researcher collects evidence to seek answers to a question.

Thematic analysis is commonly used for qualitative data. Researchers give preference to thematic analysis when analysing audio or video transcripts.

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Primary vs Secondary Research Questions: What’s the Difference?

Marketing research is an essential component of any successful marketing strategy. It involves gathering data and information to understand consumer behaviour, preferences, and needs. When conducting research, marketers can use either primary or secondary research questions. 

This blog will discuss the differences between primary and secondary research questions and their respective benefits and limitations. 

Primary vs Secondary Research Questions

Primary research questions.

Primary research questions are questions designed specifically for a research study. The purpose of primary research questions is to gather new data to answer research questions specific to the research study’s objectives. Primary research questions can be collected through various methods, such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, and observations.

Benefits of Primary Research Questions

• Customised : Primary research questions are tailored to specific research objectives, meaning the data collected is more likely to be relevant and useful.
• Control : Researchers have more control over the research process when using primary research questions. This means they can design research questions to gather the data needed to answer them accurately.
• Accurate : Since primary research questions are designed specifically for a research study, the data collected is more accurate and reliable.

Limitations of Primary Research Questions

• Cost : Conducting primary research can be costly, depending on the method used to gather data.
• Time-consuming: Primary research can be time-consuming, especially if the data collection process involves conducting interviews, focus groups, or surveys.
• Limited Scope: The scope of primary research questions is limited to the research study’s objectives, which means that they may not completely understand the topic under investigation.

Secondary Research Questions

Secondary research questions are derived from existing research studies, data sets, or reports. Secondary research questions are used to answer research questions that other researchers have already investigated. This means that the data collected from secondary research questions are not new but rather a reanalysis of existing data.

Benefits of Secondary Research Questions

• Cost-effective: Secondary research questions are less costly than primary research questions because the data is already available.
• Time-saving: Since the data is already available, researchers do not need to spend time collecting data.
• Broad Scope: Secondary research questions can provide a broader understanding of the topic under investigation because the data collected is not limited to the research study’s objectives.

Limitations of Secondary Research Questions

• Lack of Control: Researchers have little control over the data collected through secondary research questions, which means that the data may not be relevant or accurate for the specific research objectives.
• Outdated Data: Secondary research questions may provide outdated data based on previous research studies and may not reflect current trends or behaviours.
• Bias : The data collected through secondary research questions may be biased, depending on the data source.

Primary vs Secondary Research Questions: Which One to Use?

The choice between primary vs secondary research questions depends on the research objectives, budget, and timeline. Primary research questions are appropriate when the research objectives require new data that is specific to the research questions. In contrast, secondary research questions are appropriate when the research objectives can be answered using existing data.

In some cases, using both primary and secondary research questions can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topic under investigation. 

For example, using primary research questions to collect data about consumer behaviour and secondary research questions to provide a broader context can provide a complete understanding of the topic.

Primary and secondary research questions are essential components of marketing research. Primary research questions are customised to specific research objectives, providing more control over the research process, but can be costly and time-consuming. 

In contrast, secondary research questions are cost-effective and time-saving but may lack relevance to specific research objectives and can be limited in scope. 

But if you are short on time or unable to research, contact Essays UK . They can provide your research needs and help you with research within your deadline. 

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Voters’ views of Trump and Biden differ sharply by religion

The U.S. electorate continues to be sharply divided along religious lines.

The latest Pew Research Center survey finds that most registered voters who are White Christians would vote for Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Joe Biden if the 2024 presidential election were held today. More than half of White Christians think Trump was a “great” or “good” president and don’t think he broke the law in an effort to change the outcome of the 2020 election.

In stark contrast, most registered voters who are Black Protestants or religious “nones” – those who self-identify as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” – would vote for Biden over Trump. Large numbers in these groups also say Trump was a “terrible” president and that he broke the law trying to overturn the 2020 election results.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to highlight religious differences in U.S. voters’ views about the 2024 presidential election. For this analysis, we surveyed 8,709 adults – including 7,166 registered voters – from April 8 to 14, 2024. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and the  survey methodology . Here are details about sample sizes and margins of error for groups analyzed in this report.

Religion and the 2024 presidential election

While most White Christian voters say they would vote for Trump over Biden if the election were held today, there are some differences by religious tradition. Trump draws support from:  

• 81% of White evangelical Protestant voters
• 61% of White Catholics
• 57% of White Protestants who are not evangelical

By contrast, 77% of Black Protestant voters say they would vote for Biden over Trump. Most religious “nones” also say this, including:

• 87% of atheist voters
• 82% of agnostics
• 57% of those whose religion is “nothing in particular” 

These presidential preferences reflect the partisan leanings of U.S. religious groups . White Christians have been trending in a Republican direction for quite some time, while Black Protestants and religious “nones” have long been strongly Democratic.

The Center’s new survey includes responses from Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and people from many other religious backgrounds, as well as adherents of smaller Christian groups like Hispanic Protestants and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (widely known as Mormons). However, the survey does not include enough respondents from these smaller religious categories to be able to report on them separately.

Church attendance and voting preferences in 2024

Among Christians, support for Trump is somewhat higher among regular church attenders than non-churchgoers. Overall, 62% of Christian voters who say they go to church at least once or twice a month support Trump over Biden. Among Christians who go to church less often, 55% would vote for Trump if the election were today.

Among White evangelical Protestant voters, 84% of regular churchgoers say they would vote for Trump, compared with 77% of White evangelicals who don’t go to church regularly.

White nonevangelical Protestants are the only Christian group in which support for Trump is significantly stronger among nonattenders than among regular churchgoers.

Voters’ views of Biden and Trump as presidents

About three-quarters of White evangelical Protestant voters say Trump was a “great” (37%) or “good” (37%) president. Roughly half of White Catholics and White nonevangelical Protestants share this view.

When it comes to Biden, atheists and Black Protestants rate the current president’s performance most favorably. Roughly half of voters in each of these groups say Biden is a great or good president.

Overall, Trump gets higher marks on these questions than Biden. This is because Trump supporters are more inclined to say he was a great or good president than Biden supporters are to say the same about him.

Views of whether Trump broke the law in effort to change 2020 election outcome

People in the religious groups that are most supportive of Biden tend to think Trump broke the law in an effort to change the outcome of the 2020 election. Most atheists (83%) say this, as do 70% of Black Protestants and 63% of agnostics.

By contrast, just 16% of White evangelical Protestants say Trump broke the law trying to change the 2020 election outcome. Another 15% of White evangelicals say they think Trump did something wrong but did not break the law, while the largest share by far (47%) say Trump did nothing wrong.

Note: Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and the  survey methodology .

• Donald Trump
• Election 2024
• Religion & Politics

Gregory A. Smith is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center .

In Tight Presidential Race, Voters Are Broadly Critical of Both Biden and Trump

Changing partisan coalitions in a politically divided nation, about 1 in 4 americans have unfavorable views of both biden and trump, 2024 presidential primary season was one of the shortest in the modern political era, americans more upbeat on the economy; biden’s job rating remains very low, most popular.

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