Final answer:
Researchers collect primary data by observing or questioning people, which can be either quantitative, involving numbers and statistics, or qualitative, involving descriptive analysis. This primary data is collected firsthand through various means such as surveys, interviews, and field research.
Step-by-step explanation:
Researchers collect data by observing people or asking them questions to gather insights and draw conclusions from studies. There are different types of data collection methods, each with their own strengths and applications. The types mentioned in the question are:
- Quantitative data which involves numbers and statistics, such as demographics (race, age, sex) that can be analyzed statistically. An example is finding that 20 percent of prisoners are above the age of 50.
- Qualitative data which includes more descriptive information that cannot be easily reduced to numbers, such as the reasons prisoners take advantage of educational opportunities while serving their sentences.
- Primary data are obtained first-hand through direct collection by researchers doing field research, interviews, surveys, and observations in the subject's natural environment.
- Secondary data, which is information that has already been collected by someone else for a different purpose, such as records, reports, or historical data.
In this particular context, researchers conducting surveys, interviews, or observations to collect data directly from people are gathering primary data. This can be both quantitative and qualitative in nature, depending on the type of questions asked and the information sought. For example, asking about a person's age or the number of concerts they've attended would result in quantitative data, while asking why they follow a particular musician would yield qualitative data.