Which of the following is considered an example of primary research?

Surveys are considered an example of primary research because they involve the direct collection of data from individuals or groups. This method allows researchers to gather firsthand information, opinions, or experiences, which can be analyzed to draw new conclusions or insights. The uniqueness of primary research lies in its focus on obtaining original data that has not been previously collected or analyzed, as is the case with surveys where researchers design questions to target specific information relevant to their study.

In contrast, literature reviews summarize and synthesize existing research, making them secondary sources of information, as they do not produce new data but instead aggregate findings from prior studies. Case studies involve an in-depth exploration of specific instances or subjects but might often rely on already available data or observations rather than generating data themselves. Meta-analyses analyze existing research results to derive overarching conclusions, thus interpreting and re-evaluating data rather than producing new empirical findings. All these methods are valuable in research contexts but are categorized differently based on their data collection approach, solidifying surveys as the primary research method in this instance.