What is the difference between primary and secondary dissertation?
In the context of a dissertation, the terms “primary” and “secondary” typically refer to the sources of data or information used in the research process rather than the dissertation itself. Here’s the difference between primary and secondary sources of data:
- Primary Dissertation:
- A primary dissertation relies primarily on original data collected by the researcher through methods such as surveys, interviews, experiments, observations, or fieldwork.
- The researcher collects firsthand data directly from sources, without relying on pre-existing data or interpretations.
- Examples of primary dissertations include those based on empirical research where the researcher collects and analyzes new data to address research questions or test hypotheses.
- Secondary Dissertation:
- A secondary dissertation, on the other hand, relies on existing data or information that has already been collected and analyzed by others.
- The researcher utilizes previously published research studies, articles, books, databases, or other sources of data to conduct a literature review, synthesize existing knowledge, or analyze secondary data.
- Secondary dissertations involve the interpretation, analysis, and synthesis of data or information that was not collected directly by the researcher.
- Examples of secondary dissertations include those that conduct a meta-analysis of existing research studies, perform a systematic review of literature, or analyze publicly available datasets.
In summary, the primary difference between primary and secondary dissertations lies in the source of data used for the research. Primary dissertations rely on original data collected by the researcher, while secondary dissertations utilize existing data or information collected by others.
