Does A Dissertation Need Primary Research?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Does a dissertation need primary research? While writing a dissertation, students have a choice to make.

They could either make use of primary data or secondary data in their research

. Further, students could also choose to use a mixed method which makes use of both the methodologies.

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Can you do a dissertation with only secondary research?


Yes you can

– however, you need to recognize some of the challanges arise from secondary research e.g. some secondary data might be outdated when you use them as your research input. previous researchers might had different objectives, challenges, assumptions etc.

What is primary research for dissertation?

Primary research involves

collecting data from primary (original) sources

. For example, your study may involve questioning participants through a questionnaire or interview, or it may analyse company or government documents, or study the impact of one variable on another.

Is primary research necessary?

How do you present primary research in a dissertation?

  1. Decide on the type of data.
  2. Decide on methodology.
  3. Be aware of strengths and limitations of your methodology.
  4. Select a specific primary research method.
  5. Select participants.
  6. Select measures.
  7. Select analyses.
  8. Understand procedure.

Is secondary research enough?

Whether primary research is necessary or not,

secondary research is a valuable step in the market research process

. Secondary research is worthwhile because it is generally more cost-effective than primary research and it provides a foundation for any project.

How many secondary sources should be in a dissertation?

The Degree level of your Dissertation

For this type of word count,

45 to 50 references will most likely be needed at least and the maximum, 100 reference will also be a respectable benchmark to add references

.

Is a dissertation a primary or secondary source?

Examples of

primary sources

:

Theses, dissertations, scholarly journal articles (research based), some government reports, symposia and conference proceedings, original artwork, poems, photographs, speeches, letters, memos, personal narratives, diaries, interviews, autobiographies, and correspondence.

What are acceptable dissertation research methods?

  • Case Study. “This is the most common approach for studying work environments,” says O’Reilly. …
  • Phenomenology. …
  • Generic Qualitative Inquiry.

Why is primary research important in dissertation?

Primary research

guarantees that the information collected is up-to-date and relevant, enabling accurate trends to be revealed

. Primary research also allows the person or organisation to control ownership of the data.

Is primary research better than secondary?


Data gathered through primary research is more accurate than secondary research data

. In primary research, the researcher is fully involved in the data collection process and he or she takes care to collect valid data that can be easily authenticated.

Why is primary research bad?

Disadvantages of primary research –

It can be expensive, time-consuming and take a long time to complete if it involves face-to-face contact with customers

. It requires some prior information about the subject, and ideally market research skills to get the best results.

When should primary data be used?

An advantage of using primary data is that

researchers are collecting information for the specific purposes of their study

. In essence, the questions the researchers ask are tailored to elicit the data that will help them with their study.

Is PhD primary research?

They are usually once primary data but become secondary when used by a third party. PhD Research Methodology

Primary Data is the kind of information gathered by scientists straightforwardly from fundamental sources.

Can a dissertation be both qualitative and quantitative?


Mixed methods dissertations combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to research

. Whilst they are increasingly used and have gained greater legitimacy, much less has been written about their components parts.

Can you use secondary data for primary research?

Primary data and secondary data are both used in research and statistics.

They can be used to carry out the same kind of research in these fields depending on data availability

. This is because secondary data and primary data have the same content. The only difference is the method by which they are collected.

What are the cons of secondary research?

  • Quality of Researcher. …
  • Not Specific to Researcher’s Needs. …
  • Inefficient Spending for Information. …
  • Incomplete Information. …
  • Not Timely. …
  • Not Proprietary Information.

What are the limitations of secondary research?

How many primary sources should a dissertation have?

How many sources should an undergraduate dissertation have?

Undergraduate review:

5-20 titles depending on level

. Honours dissertation: 20+ titles. Master’s thesis: 40+ titles. Doctoral thesis: 50+ titles.

How long does it take to write 10000 word dissertation?

Word Count Slow (5 wpm) Fast (60 wpm) 5,000 words 1,000 minutes 83.3 minutes 7,500 words 1,500 minutes 125.0 minutes 10,000 words

33.3 hours

166.7 minutes
20,000 words 66.7 hours 333.3 minutes

Does a dissertation count as a secondary source?


Secondary sources could include work by other scholars, including journal articles, books, and dissertations

. They might also include non-fiction books and biographies that aren’t intended for academic readers, as well as other types of essay or commentary that describe and analyze primary sources.

What are secondary sources in a dissertation?

What is primary data and secondary data in dissertation?

Secondary Research. Research is conducted first hand to obtain data. Research “own” the data collected. Research is based on data collected from previous researches. Primary research is based on raw data.

Can a dissertation be action research?


A good action research dissertation is data-driven rather than being theory-driven

. Selecting the action research questions is critical from the perspective of the researcher. These questions are important in research as they identify the implications of such questions in the real world.

How do you write a secondary research methodology for a dissertation?


Step 1: Develop your research question(s) Step 2: Identify a secondary data set

.

Step 3: Evaluate a secondary data set

.

Step 4: Prepare and analyse secondary data

.

What types of research can be categorized as primary research?

Primary research is any type of research that you collect yourself. Examples include

surveys, interviews, observations, and ethnographic research

. A good researcher knows how to use both primary and secondary sources in their writing and to integrate them in a cohesive fashion.

How many interviews do you need for a dissertation?

In order to avoid the bias with a single interview, as a thumb rule

minimum 3-5 interviews

need to be conducted.

Is quantitative research primary or secondary?

How is primary research study different from a secondary research study?

Is a systematic review primary research?

A systematic review is

an overview of primary studies

which contains an explicit statement of objectives, materials, and methods, and has been conducted according to explicit and reproducible methodology.

Why is primary data more reliable?

How do you write a dissertation in secondary research?


Step 1: Develop your research question(s) Step 2: Identify a secondary data set

.

Step 3: Evaluate a secondary data set

.

Step 4: Prepare and analyse secondary data

.

How do you carry out secondary research?

  1. Identify and define the research topic. …
  2. Find research and existing data sources. …
  3. Begin searching and collecting the existing data. …
  4. Combine the data and compare the results. …
  5. Analyze your data and explore further.

Why are primary sources better than secondary sources?

Primary sources

provide raw information and first-hand evidence

. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research. Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers.

What are the advantages of secondary research?

Advantages of Secondary Research


Secondary data can be faster and cheaper to obtain

, depending on the sources you use. Secondary research can help to: Answer certain research questions and test some hypotheses. Formulate an appropriate research design (e.g., identify key variables).

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.