What type of data is collected specifically for a researcher's particular study?

The correct choice is primary data, which refers to information that is collected firsthand by the researcher specifically for a particular study. This type of data is tailored to meet the precise objectives and research questions of the investigation, ensuring its relevance and applicability to the study at hand. Researchers often gather primary data through various methods such as surveys, experiments, observations, or interviews, allowing them to collect information that is uniquely suited to their needs.

In contrast, secondary data is information that has been previously collected and published by others, making it less specific to the new study. Qualitative data involves non-numeric information often used to capture subjective experiences and insights, while quantitative data refers to numerical information that can be measured and analyzed statistically. While both qualitative and quantitative data can be useful in research, they do not specifically denote the origin of the data as primary or secondary. Thus, primary data is the appropriate term to describe information that is directly collected for one specific purpose.