Which statement accurately contrasts primary research with secondary research?

• A. Primary uses existing data; secondary collects new data
• B. Primary collects new data; secondary uses existing data
• C. Secondary research is always more expensive than primary
• D. Primary research is quicker to execute than secondary

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how data is gathered. Primary research involves collecting new data directly for your specific study, using methods like surveys, interviews, experiments, or direct observation. Secondary research uses data that someone else has already collected for another purpose, such as published studies, market reports, government stats, or internal records. So the statement that best contrasts them is that primary collects new data while secondary uses existing data. The other options mix up who collects what or make universal claims about cost or speed that aren’t always true—secondary data is often cheaper and faster to obtain because it’s already available, but that isn’t guaranteed in every case, and primary research typically takes longer due to design and data collection steps.