Which data type is collected from the population by someone else for analysis, not gathered directly by the researcher?

• A. Secondary data
• B. Primary data
• C. Qualitative data
• D. Reach

Answer: (A)

Secondary data refers to information that has already been collected by someone else for a purpose other than your current study and is available for you to analyze. This contrasts with primary data, which you gather yourself specifically to answer your research question through methods like surveys, experiments, or direct observation. The other option describes a way of categorizing data by its nature (descriptive or numerical) rather than by who collected it, and the last option isn’t a standard data category. Examples of secondary data include government statistics, published reports, and company records. Using secondary data can save time and resources, but you need to consider how the original purpose and collection methods might affect its relevance and reliability for your analysis.