What does primary data allow researchers to do?

Primary data allows researchers to gather firsthand evidence on a topic, which is crucial for various research activities. This type of data is collected directly from original sources, often through methods such as surveys, interviews, or experiments. By obtaining primary data, researchers can ensure that the information is current, relevant, and specifically tailored to their research question or hypothesis. This firsthand evidence offers unique insights that secondary data, which consists of previously collected information or statistics, cannot provide.

In essence, primary data is valuable because it reflects the specific conditions, opinions, and experiences of the study population, allowing researchers to derive conclusions and make decisions based on empirical evidence.