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Exploratory and Qualitative Research

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I need help on where to find the follow question: Discuss how exploratory research methods could be used in qualitative research study. Provide an example from a reference and discuss how qualitative research connects with quantitative research.

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Solution Summary

Through discussion and examples, this solution explores how exploratory research methods could be used in qualitative research study and how qualitative research connects with quantitative research. Supplemented with an article on combining qualitative and quantitative research methods.

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I located an excellent resource, which I attached, and from which the examples are drawn for the second question. Let's take a closer look.

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1. Discuss how exploratory research methods could be used in qualitative research study.

Exploratory research is a research design in which the major emphasis is on gaining ideas and insights (as opposed to testing hypothesis) and is often used in qualitative research when the purpose is to explore a phenomenon. Qualitative research is the systematic process of collecting information on what people say and do and create in their natural settings to discover the world as the people themselves see and experience it. The data collection instruments used in qualitative research include case studies, observation (participant and direct), in-depth interviews, group interviews (focus groups), collection and qualitative analysis of relevant documents, including records, photographs, and video tapes (paper and electronic). In contrast to qualitative research, quantitative research is the process of collecting data prescribed by a formal model to test that model. (http://protogenie.com/qualitative_research.html). These qualitative methods are used in exploratory research to explore the phenomenon to gain ideas and insights into the phenomenon.

Any study design or combination of research methods selected for use should be responsive to the particular research problem or question. For example, exploratory research exploring the implementation of new health care delivery arrangements requires a mainly qualitative approach, since it is not possible to divorce the processes of change under study from the social contexts in which they occur. (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/cdic-mcc/18-3/d_e.html)
However, once you find this exploratory information, it might be used to formulate a null hypothesis to test using quantitative research.

2. Provide an example from a reference and discuss how qualitative research connects with quantitative research.

Most researchers agree that both qualitative research and quantitative research are necessary. There continues to be considerable specialization in one or the other method through personal and disciplinary preference and philosophical dispositions. However, there is a trend toward using both methods in the same study. One version of this employs the methods sequentially, as in the case of an "exploratory" phase from which population information and null hypotheses are gleaned for use in a quantitative phase. Other studies use these methods in combination, as in gathering contextual information using qualitative research methods for use in quantitative models. (http://protogenie.com/qualitative_research.html)

For example, Guba and Lincoln,10 say this: "Both qualitative and quantitative methods may be used appropriately with ...

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