This document discusses exploratory research design. It defines exploratory research as a type of research conducted for problems that have not been clearly defined. This helps determine the best research design, data collection methods, and subject selection. Exploratory research is flexible and done in fields where little knowledge is available. It aims to discover significant variables and relationships between variables through literature reviews, surveys, and case studies. The results of exploratory research are meant to guide future studies rather than draw definitive conclusions.

1. Seminar on
Presented by,
S.ARUN JOSEPH.
M.L.I.Sc
D.L.I.S.
University of Kerala.

3. “A research design is the
arrangement of conditions for
collected and analysis of data in
a manner that aims to combine
relevance to the research
purpose with economy in
procedure.”

4. ♫ In fact , the research
design is the conceptual
structure within which
research is conducted ; it
constitutes the blue print
for the collection ,
measurement and analysis
of data.

5.  Exploratory type research
design
 Descriptive type research
design
 Diagnostic type research
design
 Experimental type research
design

6. Explorative research studies are
also termed as formulative
research studies
Exploratory study is a
systematic scientific approach
which enables a social scientist
to determine whether an idea is
in reality or not

7. Explorative studies can provide
ideas , hypothesis , suggestions
that might never occur to the
social scientist sitting in an
office and mediating over the
problem
More flexible
Done in the field whether there
is little knowledge is available

8.  The exploratory method ,
according to Katz , “ represents
the earlier stage of science “
 This significant observation
implies that all sciences must
have at the beginning had an
approach which has purely
exploratory.

9.  Inorder to attain research
objectives the exploratory method
, as suggested by Selltiz et.al . ,
should adopt the following steps :
 Review of related social science
and another pertinent literature ,
one of the simplest ways of
economizing effort in an enquiry ,
is to review the work already alone
by others

10.  Survey of people who had
partial experience with the
problem to be studied :
persons by virtue of the
nature of their jobs are in a
position to throw light on
the subject matter of
interest of the investigator.

11.  The analysis of insight stimulating
examples : social scientists working
in an area which is yet to be
explored , which incidentally is the
usual experience of an innovative
social scientist , have found the
intensive study of the selected
samples to be particularly fruitful
method of stimulating insight

12.  Katz has conceptualized exploratory
studies at two levels ;
 The first is the discovery of the
significant variable in the situation
 The second is the discovery of
relationship between variables
 It is imperative for the investigator to
delimit the area to be studied
specially at the first level

13.  Exploratory studies which do not sets
limits for themselves have limits
imposed by various practical matters
 Mostly the results obtained through
the explorative study are to be
treated as a sign post for future and
further study in the same or similar
direction
 For this reason , they are also known
as formulative studies

16.  It’s ability to generate many
ideas that could be further
explored in more controlled
conditions , apart from
overcoming the most difficult
portion of enquiry , which is
it’s initiation

17.  Exploratory research is a type of
research conducted for a problem that
has not been clearly defined
 Helps determine the best research
design, data collection method and
selection of subjects
 Exploratory research is not typically
generalizable to the population at large.

18.  It should draw definitive
conclusions only with
extreme caution. Given its
fundamental nature,
exploratory research often
concludes that a perceived
problem does not actually
exist.

19.  KOTHARI , C R. Research methodology :
Methods and techniques. 2nd ed. New Delhi :
New age international ltd , 2004.
 Hasouneh , Abdel Baset I . Research
methodology . Jaipur : Sublime publications .
2003.
 Sharma , BAV, ed .Research methods in social
sciences . New Delhi : Sterling publishers .
1984.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploratory_resear
ch

20. THANK YOU