exploratory research exploratory research
A process to find facts that can guide the design of future studies.
Example of exploratory research in a sentence
Exploratory research is helpful to find out how to approach future research questions.
More Info
Exploratory research clarifies the question to be solved. It does not result in final conclusions or solutions.
Exploratory research can test whether a method or study design can be used, or whether an outcome can be measured in a reliable way.
Sometimes exploratory research is done using samples stored in biobanks.
Other info to think about when joining a study
You may see the term “exploratory research” to describe early research that was done to figure out processes and inform the next study.
If you are thinking about joining a research study, you can always ask what exploratory research informed the design of the study, or what exploratory research might be conducted with the data that is collected during the study.
