Exploratory Research | Definition, Types & Examples
As its name suggests, exploratory research is conducted to explore or learn more about a new research area. Exploratory research can be helpful when you don’t know much about the topic you’re studying or want to develop hypotheses.
Exploratory research can use secondary sources (results that have already been analyzed or interpreted, like a literature review) or primary sources (data that come directly from the subject). It may involve qualitative or quantitative methods.
Exploratory research is common in areas like marketing but may also be applied in fields like politics or social sciences.
What is exploratory research?
When a researcher is setting out to study a new topic, they might use exploratory research. Exploratory research is an initial investigation of a topic or problem that aims to gain insights, investigate patterns, and form hypotheses.
Because it is flexible, exploratory research is a helpful research method that can be applied when there is limited background knowledge about the area of study. The information gained from exploratory research can be used to guide subsequent research.
- What factors influence the formation of online subcultures and communities?
- How do influencers shape brand perception of Gen Z consumers?
- Why are employees resistant to transitioning from remote to in-person work?
- When do university students seek mental health support?
Exploratory vs explanatory research
Exploratory research should not be confused with explanatory research.
The aim of explanatory research is to identify why something occurs. Explanatory research is generally quantitative and assesses the relationship between two or more variables of interest.
The aim of exploratory research is to learn more about a relatively unstudied topic. The results from an exploratory study could be used to direct future explanatory research.
Exploratory research data
Exploratory research can be supported by many different data sources. These data can be broadly classified as primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources
Primary sources are data collected directly from the subject of interest to answer the research question at hand. There are several different ways to collect primary data from people:
- Questionnaires
- Interviews and focus groups
- Case studies
- Raw data
Secondary sources
Whereas primary sources come directly from the research subject, secondary sources are one step removed. Secondary sources summarize, analyze, or interpret data from primary sources. Some examples of secondary sources include the following:
- Academic journal articles and reviews
- Books
- News articles
Exploratory research design example
One benefit of exploratory research is that there are no strict procedures that must be followed. However, there are general steps you can follow. Consider the following example of how you might approach a research question.
- Identify the problem: Consumers often express interest in eco-friendly packaging, but it’s unclear whether this interest guides their purchasing decisions.
- Consider different solutions: Your client could consider redesigning their packaging, launching a marketing campaign, or introduce incentives like a return program.
- Select your methods: To get a better sense of what consumers want and their current behavior, you could use a range of data collection techniques, such as online surveys, focus groups, and analysis of sales data.
- Collect and analyze data: Once you’ve designed your study, you can collect your data and analyze it. Thematic analysis of survey and interview results may identify common themes in customers’ wants and needs, and sales data may provide insight into whether sustainable packaging outperforms traditional packaging.
- Determine next steps: The results from your exploratory research can guide your client’s next steps. They may choose to conduct more focused marketing research or make changes to their product design and marketing to appeal to eco-conscious consumers.
Advantages and disadvantages of exploratory research
Exploratory research is a way to quickly address a research question when you know little about the topic you’re investigating. However, this approach is not without disadvantages. Consider the following pros and cons of exploratory research.
Advantages
Some of the benefits of exploratory research are as follows:
- Open-ended
- Flexible
- Low cost
- Requires limited background knowledge
- Can guide future research
Disadvantages
You should consider the following drawbacks of exploratory research when considering this method:
- No conclusive results
- Cannot establish causal relationships
- Lacks external validity and generalizability
- Data collection and analysis can be time-consuming
Frequently asked questions about exploratory 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.
- What is the difference between exploratory and descriptive research?
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Exploratory research is conducted to better understand a new or relatively underexplored phenomenon.
Descriptive research is conducted to better define a subject of interest by capturing its key characteristics.
- What are common research methods in psychology?
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Most research methods in psychology are quantitative: numerical data are used to address a research question. Quantitative approaches include the following:
- Experimental research
- Quasi-experimental research
- Survey research
Some psychology research is qualitative (i.e., uses nonnumerical data to explore a research question). Qualitative research approaches include the following:
- Interviews and focus groups
- Case studies
- Survey research
- Observational research
Mixed-methods research combines qualitative and quantitative approaches.
