The correct answer is company sales records and customer survey responses, as both are examples of primary data. Primary data is original, firsthand information collected directly by the researcher or organization for a specific purpose, meaning it has not been previously published or aggregated by an external source. Company sales records are generated internally from direct transactions, while customer survey responses gathered by the company itself are unprocessed data captured straight from the source. On the CompTIA Data+ DA0-001 exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish primary data from secondary data, which is data already collected by others. A common trap is confusing internal records with secondary data—remember that if your organization collected it for its own use, it is primary. A useful memory tip: primary data is like a fresh catch from the ocean, while secondary data is the fish you buy at the market.
DA0-001 Comparing and Contrasting Data Concepts Practice Question
This DA0-001 practice question tests your understanding of comparing and contrasting data concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO are examples of primary data? (Select two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Customer survey responses collected by the company themselves
Option C is correct because primary data is collected directly by the researcher or organization for a specific purpose. Customer survey responses gathered by the company itself are firsthand, original data that have not been previously published or aggregated by an external source. This aligns with the definition of primary data as original, unprocessed information collected from the source.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Industry reports from a trade association
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Third-party reports are secondary.
✗
Government census data
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Census data is collected by government, usually secondary.
✓
Customer survey responses collected by the company themselves
Why this is correct
Correct. Surveys conducted by the company are primary.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Company sales records
Why this is correct
Correct. Sales records are generated internally.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Social media data purchased from a vendor
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Purchased data is secondary.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between primary and secondary data by including options that appear firsthand but are actually collected by an external entity, such as purchased datasets or government reports, leading candidates to mistakenly classify them as primary.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Primary data is often collected through methods such as surveys, experiments, or direct observations, ensuring the data is tailored to the specific research question and free from biases introduced by third-party processing. In contrast, secondary data may have undergone aggregation, anonymization, or transformation that can obscure granular details or introduce sampling biases. For example, a company's own sales records (Option D) are primary data because they are generated internally from transactions, whereas purchased social media data (Option E) has been pre-processed by the vendor, potentially losing context like user demographics or timestamps.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the DA0-001 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Comparing and Contrasting Data Concepts — This question tests Comparing and Contrasting Data Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Customer survey responses collected by the company themselves — Option C is correct because primary data is collected directly by the researcher or organization for a specific purpose. Customer survey responses gathered by the company itself are firsthand, original data that have not been previously published or aggregated by an external source. This aligns with the definition of primary data as original, unprocessed information collected from the source.
What should I do if I get this DA0-001 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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