Goals of Research
Exploration, Description, Explanation
When developing a nursing research question, it is essential to consider whether your study aims to be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory. Each approach serves a distinct purpose, and understanding these differences will help you choose an appropriate study design and methods. The following sections outline these three types of research within a nursing context.
Exploratory Research
Exploratory research is used when a nursing topic is new, poorly understood, or lacking strong evidence. Nurses may choose this approach when they want to gain a preliminary understanding of an issue before designing a larger study. It helps researchers determine what questions to ask, how to engage participants, and which methods are most feasible.
For example, a group of nurses may notice that some patients report feeling anxious when using remote patient monitoring devices, but no research currently exists on this experience. An exploratory study could be conducted to learn more about the issue. The findings would help identify themes and guide future, more detailed research.
Descriptive Research
Descriptive research aims to portray or document characteristics of a phenomenon without exploring cause-and-effect relationships. In nursing, this approach is commonly used to describe patient populations, health behaviors, clinical patterns, or trends in care delivery.
For instance, a descriptive study might examine the prevalence of compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses in a particular region. The goal would be to document what the phenomenon looks like, how common it is, and what patterns emerge, rather than determining why it occurs.
Explanatory Research
Explanatory research seeks to answer “why” or “how” questions by examining causal relationships. This type of research is valuable when nurses want to understand the factors that influence clinical outcomes, patient behavior, or nursing practice.
For example, an explanatory study might investigate why some older adults with heart failure adhere to low-sodium diets while others do not. Researchers may explore whether adherence is related to health literacy, social support, cultural beliefs, or access to resources. This approach helps identify underlying causes that can inform interventions and policy changes.
| Type of Research | Purpose | Description | Nursing-Specific Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exploratory Research | To investigate a new or unclear issue | Conducted when little is known about a topic; helps identify appropriate questions, methods, and feasibility for future studies; often the first step in understanding a phenomenon | A nurse researcher notices that some patients feel anxious when using remote patient monitoring devices. They conduct exploratory interviews to understand their concerns and identify themes before creating a larger study. |
| Descriptive Research | To describe or document a phenomenon | Focuses on outlining characteristics, patterns, or trends without examining cause-and-effect relationship; useful for understanding what is happening in a population or setting | A study examines the prevalence of compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses in British Columbia. It reports how common it is and what symptoms are frequently experienced. |
| Explanatory Research | To understand why or how something occurs | Examines cause-and-effect relationships; seeks to identify factors that contribute to outcomes or behaviors; helps guide interventions and policy decisions | A study explores why some older adults with heart failure adhere to low-sodium diets while others do not. Researchers investigate connections to health literacy, social support, and cultural beliefs. |
When developing a research study, it is useful to connect your question to real nursing situations. Exploratory research is particularly valuable for students and novice researchers who are beginning to investigate a topic or assess whether a larger study is possible. For example, you may explore how nursing students cope with stress during clinical placements or what difficulties they encounter when using virtual simulation tools.
Descriptive research aims to outline patterns or characteristics within a population. This could include examining trends in medication error reports, assessing patient satisfaction levels, or evaluating clinical performance data from student assessments.
Explanatory research goes further by examining why certain outcomes occur. This type of research might investigate whether engaging in virtual simulation leads to higher clinical competence scores, or whether different patient education approaches influence adherence to post-operative care instructions.
Remixed from:
- An Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology, by Valerie A. Sheppard (2019) published under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
Media Attribution
- Types of Nursing Research and Example [table] adapted from Table 3.1 Exploratory, descriptive and explanatory research differences (originally adapted from Adjei, n.d.) in An Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology (Sheppard, 2019) and is used under a CC BY NC SA licence.
- Researchers develop questions to explore, describe, and explain health phenomena (Figure 4.2) is by Ime Stavinga/TRU Open Press and is subject to the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
References
Adjei, J. K. (n.d.). Research methods. African Virtual University. https://oer.avu.org/handle/123456789/490
Sheppard, V. (2019). Exploration, description, explanation. In An introduction to research methods in sociology. BCcampus. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/researchmethods/chapter/exploration-description-explanation
A preliminary approach used when a nursing topic is new or not well understood. Its goal is to gain an initial understanding of an issue so researchers can identify important questions and decide which methods to use in future studies.
This type of research documents and explains the characteristics of a population, situation, or phenomenon without examining cause-and-effect relationships. In nursing, it is often used to describe trends, behaviors, or clinical conditions as they naturally occur.
A type of research that investigates the “why” and “how” behind a phenomenon by examining causal relationships. Nurses use this approach to understand the factors that influence patient outcomes, behaviors, or aspects of nursing practice.