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Discussion Thread: Bad News, Persuasive Messages, Reports, and Presentations
Elisa Taylor
Business Administration: Human Resource Management, Liberty University
BUSI 300: Business Communications
Professor David Haughton
April 18, 2022
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Explain the difference between primary research and secondary research. Include how
each is used in gathering information for research.
"After defining the problem, the researcher will plan how to arrive at a solution. The
research methods you use to collect necessary information can be secondary, primary, or both."
(Lehman, DuFrene, & Walker, 2019). A method to collect information is called primary research,
which is gathering your data or hiring someone else to gather the resources for you without using
databases or other public forums. Gathering information using primary research can be achieved
by telephone or face-to-face interviews, mail-in or online surveys/questionnaires, creating focus
groups, or visiting their opponents in different locations. To conduct primary research, one
should have the ability to know how to separate fact from opinion and avoid bias. If the
researcher cannot get a complete understanding of your research through primary research, then
one should consider moving to secondary research. A researcher conducting secondary research
can gather information from alternative sources, such as books, research articles, online forums,
or other sources. This is also known as "grey literature." Secondary research is more difficult to
conduct and requires more knowledge about the topic. It also requires more time and money.
However, doing secondary research will provide you with a wealth of information that you might
not otherwise have known. You will also be able to narrow down your topic of interest, which
will reduce the amount of time spent on your research. It is also important to share your results
with other people so that they may help you if you are having trouble finding information. The
benefit of secondary research is that you will be able to gather a wealth of information that you
might not otherwise have known. “A researcher can choose to use either or both primary or
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secondary research methods, depending on their objectives.” (Bouchrika, 2021). With both types
of research, a person who is a researcher should know how to convey their findings clearly and
concisely to be taken seriously and to complete their research analysis.
References
Bouchrika, I. (2021, September 8). Primary Research vs Secondary Research: Definitions,
Differences, and Examples. Research.Com. https://research.com/research/primary-
research-vs-secondary-research
Lehman, C. M., DuFrene, D. D., & Walker, R. (2019). BCOM (with MindTap, 1 term Printed
Access Card) (MindTap Course List) (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
