collocation · academic

primary data

UK/ˈpraɪməri ˈdeɪtə/US/ˈpraɪmɛri ˈdeɪtə/PRI·ma·ry DA·ta

Band 5-6speakingtask2

Data collected directly by researchers for the current study, such as interviews or surveys.

Examples

We collected primary data through face-to-face interviews with residents.

Primary data are usually more time-consuming to gather but more specific.

The study relied on primary data rather than government statistics.

Band 8 sentence

Because primary data were limited, the researchers complemented them with national statistics.

Collocations

  • collect primary data
  • gather primary data

Word family

primary adjectivesecondary data noun

Common mistakes

first dataprimary data

collect primary informationscollect primary data

Say it for a higher band

5original data6collected data7+primary data

Synonyms

raw data

Easily confused

secondary data

The analysis relied on secondary data from published government reports.

Related words

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