Are you conducting research but struggling to differentiate between exploratory and descriptive methods? These two types of research may sound similar, but they have significant differences.
Exploratory research is a preliminary investigation that aims to gather information and explore a topic, while descriptive research aims to describe and analyze a phenomenon or population.
Exploratory vs. Descriptive Research
| Exploratory Research | Descriptive Research |
|---|---|
| The purpose of exploratory research is to explore a topic or problem to generate ideas and hypotheses. | The purpose of descriptive research is to describe a phenomenon or population. |
| It typically employs flexible and qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observation. | It typically uses structured and quantitative methods such as surveys and experiments. |
| The analysis of data in exploratory research is qualitative and subjective. | The analysis of data in descriptive research is quantitative and objective. |
| It generates ideas and hypotheses for future research. | It provides a detailed description and understanding of a phenomenon. |
| The research design of exploratory research is flexible and open-ended. | The research design of descriptive research is structured and pre-determined. |
| The sample size of exploratory research is small and non-representative. | The sample size of descriptive research is large and representative. |
| Examples of exploratory research include pilot studies, case studies, and qualitative research. | Examples of descriptive research include surveys, experiments, and observational studies. |
What is exploratory research?
Exploratory research is conducted when a researcher does not have a clear understanding of the problem or isn’t sure what to expect. This type of research is often used to generate hypotheses, identify key variables, and establish relationships.
Exploratory research is flexible and can be conducted using a variety of methods, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, and observations.
What is descriptive research?
Descriptive research is a type of quantitative research that is used to describe a population or phenomenon. This type of research is often used in the social sciences to study human behavior. In contrast to exploratory research, which is used to gather information about a topic, descriptive research is used to describe something that has already been observed.
Descriptive research can be used to answer questions about who, what, when, where, and how. For example, if you wanted to know how many people in the United States owned a dog, you could use descriptive research to find out.
Descriptive research is also often used to understand relationships between variables. For example, if you wanted to know whether there was a relationship between income and happiness, you could use descriptive research to find out.
Similarities between exploratory and descriptive research
- Both exploratory and descriptive research involves collecting data and using that data to draw conclusions.
- Both use surveys as a way to collect data. Surveys are a common method of data collection because they allow researchers to ask questions of a large group of people at once.
- Both use secondary sources of data. Secondary sources are sources of data that have already been collected by someone else, such as government statistics or published studies.
- Both exploratory and descriptive research typically involves some form of analysis or interpretation of the data collected. This step is important in order to draw conclusions from the data and to make recommendations based on those conclusions.
Common methods of exploration vs. description
Exploratory research is often used to generate hypotheses or to gather preliminary data. Common methods used in exploratory research include focus groups, interviews, and surveys. This type of research is often used to gain a better understanding of a problem or phenomenon.
Descriptive research is used to describe a population or phenomenon. Common methods used in descriptive research include surveys, observations, and experiments. This type of research is often used to collect data that can be used to answer questions about a specific population or phenomenon.
Examples of exploratory and descriptive research projects
One example of descriptive research would be a study that sought to understand how students feel about taking online classes. The researcher would collect data from a large number of students through surveys or interviews and then make inferences about the entire population of students.
An example of exploratory research would be a study that sought to understand why some students choose to take online classes and others do not. The researcher would likely use a smaller sample size and employ qualitative methods such as interviews to gather data.
Key differences between exploratory and descriptive research
- Purpose: The main difference between exploratory and descriptive research lies in their purpose. Exploratory research aims to explore a topic or problem to generate ideas and hypotheses, while descriptive research aims to describe a phenomenon or population.
- Data Collection: Exploratory research typically employs flexible and qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observation, while descriptive research typically uses structured and quantitative methods such as surveys and experiments.
- Analysis: The analysis of data in exploratory research is qualitative and subjective, while in descriptive research it is quantitative and objective. Exploratory research generates ideas and hypotheses for future research, while descriptive research provides a detailed description and understanding of a phenomenon.
- Difference between public and private sector banks
- Difference between Visa and MasterCard
- Difference between NYSE and NASDAQ
Conclusion
Although both types of research have distinct approaches and strengths, they can be used in tandem to gain an even deeper understanding of the topic at hand. With these techniques, researchers can unearth valuable insights into their areas of study that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. Armed with this knowledge, researchers can make more informed decisions when designing studies and interpreting data.
