Sources of data - Primary, Secondary and Tertiary?

Primary sources of data refer to original data collected directly from the source. These sources include surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, and fieldwork. Primary data is firsthand information collected specifically for a research study or project.

Secondary sources of data involve the use of existing data that has been collected by someone else for a different purpose. These sources include books, articles, reports, government publications, and databases. Secondary data is collected by someone other than the researcher and is used to support or complement the primary data.

Tertiary sources of data are compilations or summaries of primary and secondary sources. These sources include textbooks, encyclopedias, handbooks, and review articles. Tertiary data is often used to provide an overview or general understanding of a topic and is not typically used as the main source of data for research purposes.