Explanatory Research | Definition & Examples
Explanatory research is conducted to gain a better understanding of why something occurs. The aim of explanatory research is often to characterize a cause-and-effect relationship (i.e., how changes to an independent variable impact a dependent variable).
Explanatory research can be conducted in a naturalistic setting (by assessing the correlation between variables without attempting to change them) or in an experimental setting (by manipulating an independent variable and observing its impact on a dependent variable in a controlled environment).
Explanatory research is sometimes considered equivalent to experimental research, but more often refers to research conducted at an earlier stage in the research process, before a formal hypothesis has been created. It may more closely resemble quasi-experimental design.
Table of contents
- When to conduct explanatory research
- Explanatory research question examples
- Explanatory, exploratory, and descriptive research
- Explanatory research data and analysis
- Explanatory research design example
- Advantages and disadvantages of explanatory research
- Frequently asked questions about explanatory research
When to conduct explanatory research
Explanatory research is conducted when you want to understand why a phenomenon occurs. To do explanatory research, you must know enough about your topic of interest to identify a potential causal relationship between two or more variables to investigate.
Explanatory research often occurs early in the research process, before the mechanisms underlying a phenomenon have been explored in detail. Explanatory research can be helpful for building theories and generating hypotheses that guide later experimental work.
Explanatory research question examples
By definition, explanatory research attempts to explain why a phenomenon occurs. This is often done by exploring a cause-and-effect relationship—that is, assessing the impact that an independent variable (the “cause”) has on a dependent variable (the “effect”).
Consider the following research questions that could be explored via explanatory research.
- What is the impact of personalized email marketing on consumer purchases?
- How do price discounts influence brand loyalty?
- How does social media validation influence self esteem?
- How is employee retention impacted by performance-based incentives?
Explanatory, exploratory, and descriptive research
In addition to explanatory research, you might also encounter exploratory and descriptive research. Though they share some common features, these approaches are distinct. They address different questions and use different types of data (e.g., qualitative or quantitative). The definitions and use cases of each approach are described in the following table.
| Approach | Exploratory research | Explanatory research | Descriptive research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To learn more about an unexplored phenomenon | To gain a better understanding of why a phenomenon occurs | To describe a topic or phenomenon as is, without intervention |
| Main question | What is happening? | Why is this happening? | What does this look like? |
| Data types | Mostly qualitative | Mostly quantitative | Qualitative and quantitative |
| Outcome | Insights that may guide future work | Identification of a causal relationship | Detailed descriptions or summaries |
| Example | Exploring a new trend in consumer behavior | Investigating whether a new website design increases online sales | Reporting demographic details for a consumer base |
Explanatory research data and analysis
Explanatory research attempts to explain a phenomenon by investigating a causal relationship between two variables. Because this relationship is usually evaluated using statistical approaches, these variables are generally quantitative (numeric).
The type of data you collect will depend on your specific research question. Below are some examples of quantitative data collection methods.
- Surveys (e.g., questionnaires, Likert scales)
- Measurement instruments (e.g., heart rate monitor, thermometer)
- Observations
Explanatory research design example
The exact approach you take for an explanatory study will depend on the research question you are asking. Consider the following illustrative example, in which a school is interested in how classroom technology impacts student performance.
- Identify your research question: The school would like to better understand how incorporating technology in classrooms impacts student performance.
- Develop your hypothesis: Students in technology-integrated classrooms will have higher test scores than students in traditional classrooms.
- Choose your research method and collect data: Using a quasi-experimental design, the school can compare test scores for students in traditional versus technology-integrated classrooms.
- Analyze your data and report your results: A technique like a t test could be used to evaluate whether there is a significant difference in test scores across groups. Care should be taken to consider and report any confounds that may impact the validity of the results.
- Identify future directions: The results from this study may guide the school to incorporate technology into more classrooms. They may also want to conduct a more carefully controlled experiment to further explore their findings.
Advantages and disadvantages of explanatory research
When deciding whether explanatory research is the best approach to address your research question, you should consider its pros and cons.
Advantages
- Explanatory research is often a cost- and time-efficient way to explore the possible mechanisms underlying a phenomenon, especially when you use existing data
- Exploratory research can help you test theories and build hypotheses that can then be evaluated experimentally
Disadvantages
- Depending on your approach, explanatory research might be susceptible to confounds that may influence your results
- You must also carefully consider the validity and reliability of your methods as you interpret your findings
- Although explanatory research is often a first step to establishing a causal relationship, more structured approaches may be necessary for conclusive results
Frequently asked questions about explanatory research
- What is the difference between explanatory and exploratory research?
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Exploratory research is conducted to gain initial insight into a new or relatively unexplored topic or phenomenon. The information gained from exploratory research may lead to new hypotheses and direct later work.
On the other hand, explanatory research is used to investigate cause-and-effect relationships, testing hypotheses about the relationships between variables.
- Can explanatory research be qualitative?
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Explanatory research examines why something happens. This is usually done by assessing the statistical relationship between two variables.
Because statistical methods like correlation require quantitative (numeric) values, explanatory research generally involves quantitative data.
However, these quantitative explanations may be supplemented by data from, for example, interviews. This mixed methods approach may offer a more comprehensive explanation of a phenomenon.
- What’s the difference between explanatory and descriptive research?
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The aim of explanatory research is to determine why a phenomenon occurs. This may be done using correlational or experimental research.
On the other hand, descriptive research captures the characteristics of something as is, without intervention.
Though these approaches may share data collection techniques (e.g., they both might use questionnaires), their overarching purpose is distinct.
- What are some examples of explanatory research questions?
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The goal of explanatory research is to understand why something happens. This is often done by exploring a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables.
Examples of explanatory research questions include the following:
- Does talking to plants (cause) make them grow faster (effect)?
- Are people more likely to buy chocolate (effect) when they’re sad (cause)?
- Does listening to music while studying (cause) improve students’ exam performance (effect)?
