Hunter, D., McCallum, J. and Howes, D.

(2019) Defining Exploratory-Descriptive

Qualitative (EDQ) research and considering its application to healthcare. Journal of
Nursing and Health Care, 4(1),

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Defining Exploratory-Descriptive Qualitative (EDQ)
research and considering its application to healthcare.
Dr. David J Hunter Dr. Jacqueline McCallum
School of Health, Nursing & Midwifery School of Health and Life Sciences
University of the West of Scotland Glasgow Caledonian University
Paisley, UK Glasgow, UK

Dr. Dora Howes

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing
University of Glasgow (Singapore)
Singapore
[email protected]

Abstract— This article aims to introduce readers to a distinctive This article discusses a methodology which we refer to as
approach to health research when the topic under investigation Exploratory-Descriptive Qualitative research, and for brevity,
has received little previous attention. It provides details of the have abbreviated to EDQ research. Both exploratory and
theoretical underpinnings of the methodology, as well as qualitative descriptive research have been discussed
providing recommendations regarding the practicalities of its independently in the literature. Lederman [5] recognizes that
use. both are used where the concepts under study are vague. While
To address a specific research aim, the primary author believed
studies already exist that purport to use an ‘exploratory
that an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was the
most suitable. A subsequent review of the relevant literature
descriptive’ methodology; closer examination suggests that
identified a number of published research articles, which claimed their theoretical underpinning is lacking. This article provides a
to use an "exploratory descriptive qualitative" design. Closer theoretical framework, which would address this deficit.
inspection revealed that these papers lacked theoretical Discussion of potential research methods in relation to the
underpinning. As a result, the authors created a conceptual methodology is also provided.
framework, underpinned by appropriate theory, to support the
use of an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach. We refer II. GENISIS OF THE METHODOLOGY
to this approach as EDQ and argue that there is a place in health
research when it is deemed the most appropriate methodology to Polit and Beck [6] briefly consider exploratory research, and
achieve the aims of a study. suggest that it is designed to illuminate how a phenomenon is
manifested and is especially useful in uncovering the full
nature of a little-understood phenomenon. Reid-Searl and
Keywords- exploratory descriptive research; qualitative; Happell [7] concur suggesting that a qualitative exploratory
methodology. design allows the researcher to explore a topic with limited
coverage within the literature and allows the participants of the
I. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
study to contribute to the development of new knowledge in
"Qualitative research findings have been shown to be necessary that area.
to the advancement of health research" [1]. There are various
qualitative approaches for researchers to choose from [2] to As a result of paucity in the literature around exploratory
deliver such advancement. They include phenomenology, research as a methodology in its own right, the work of
ethnography, grounded theory and action research. However, Stebbins [8], a sociologist, is influential. Stebbins [8] defined
this is not an exhaustive list. Other qualitative methodologies exploratory research as "a broad-ranging, purposive,
exist which a researcher may choose to use if they can justify systematic, prearranged undertaking designed to maximize the
their rationale for using it [3]. Ultimately, a researcher has to discovery of generalizations leading to description and
defend their choice of methodology by demonstrating how it understanding of an area of social or psychological life. Such
relates to the aims of the research and provides the most exploration is, depending on the standpoint taken, a distinctive
suitable way of achieving those aims [4]. way of conducting science - a scientific process - a special
methodological approach...". This definition is a useful starting
point for understanding exploratory research as a methodology.
Descriptive Qualitative
Exploratory Research
Description of phenomena is recognized by Polit and Beck [6] Research based upon
based upon Stebbins
Sandelowski (2000,
to be an important purpose for research and one which nurse (2001)
2010)
researchers have embraced. Holloway and Wheeler [3] suggest
that description of the phenomena provides a detailed account
of its significance and generates a picture of the world from the
perspective of the participants. The purpose of a descriptive
study is to document and describe the phenomena of interest Exploratory-Descriptive Qualitative
[9]. (EDQ) Research used in this study

A key advocate of descriptive qualitative research is

Sandelowski [2] whose seminal article "Whatever happened to
qualitative description?" was published in 2000. Sandelowski Fig. 1. The creation of EDQ [16]
revisited her work ten years later to clarify several
misconceptions that the original piece had inadvertently The majority of the articles identified simply stated that an
created, the most notable being that qualitative description exploratory and descriptive piece of qualitative research had
requires no interpretation of data [10]. Indeed, Sandelowski been conducted. An article by Sehularo et al. [12] imparts the
[10] reminds researchers that they must analyze or interpret in most significant discussion around exploratory descriptive
order to “make something of their data.” She suggested that qualitative research as a methodology. This paper states that
descriptive qualitative studies should be the methodology of "explorative research examines a phenomenon of interest,
choice when the aims of the research were to produce a straight rather than simply observing and recording incidents of the
forward description of the phenomena [2]. Caelli et al. [11] phenomenon..." and goes on to suggest that the descriptive
highlight that this approach is effective in allowing the element is used to gain insight and inform nursing care [12].
researcher to understand who is involved, what was involved While Sehualro et al. [12] provide this information as
and where events took place in relation to the phenomena of background to the methodology, it lacks a detailed theoretical
interest. A key point, which Sandelowski [10] stresses, is that underpinning. This is a recurring theme in papers published
qualitative descriptive studies are not intended to be used to which have used a similar approach and may be more related to
salvage pieces of research which have been poorly conceived the published works themselves, rather than the specific
or conducted. Qualitative descriptive studies cannot be justified methodology. No papers were identified which claim to be
when a different, more interpretive, qualitative methodology based on a combined approach of using Stebbins [8] and
would have been more suited to the aims of the research [10]. Sandelowski [2,10] thus strengthening our assertion that this
These final points are also relevant to EDQ research. approach is new.
Having recognized the potential application of Stebbins' [8] IV. METHODS FOR UNDERTAKING EDQ RESEARCH
work to healthcare and the existing contributions of The research methods discussed in this section are based,
Sandelowski [2,10], the authors have formally created a hybrid predominately, upon the work of Stebbins [8] and Sandelowski
of the two methodologies, as illustrated in Figure 1. [2,10], as well as the other researchers [12, 13, 14, 15] who
III. JUSTIFICATION FOR USING EDQ RESEARCH have used a similar design. The lead author of this paper [16]
used the approach described here for his doctoral research, as
The authors are not the first to coin the term "exploratory- illustrated in Figure 3. Stebbins [8] highlights that exploratory
descriptive qualitative research" however; we are the first to researchers should have "flexibility in looking for data and
give it significant theoretical underpinning. To illustrate, a open-mindedness about where to find them" while
literature search using the CINAHL database was undertaken Sandelowski [2] suggests that the descriptive researcher may
using the following key words: exploratory, descriptive AND use techniques that allow the item under investigation to
qualitative, research AND nursing. This search resulted in 167 present itself as if it was not under study. Regardless, decisions
papers being identified, reduced to 66 when an age restriction about the research methods used still have to be made and
of ‘being published between 2010 and the present (2015)’ was justified. Sandelowski [10] recognizes this and highlights that
applied. This time scale was applied to identify the most the researcher should describe and explain the various methods
current papers. Fifty papers were rejected as they were not used over the course of the study.
available electronically, were not in English or were
advertisements for future research. In total, 16 published Literature Review in an EDQ study
articles were examined to draw out key information about their
research approach. Table 1 provides examples from the 16 A review of the literature can, in its own right, be used to
published articles which were considered. inform best clinical practice [17]. In the context of EDQ
research, the review of the literature should identify a deficit of
knowledge and therefore justify the need for further study in
 Table 1: Examples and features of other studies using exploratory-descriptive qualitative research
Author(s) Isaacs et al. [14] Ranse et al. [15] Smith and Wu [13]
Year 2013 2012 2012
Title Registered nurses' role in End-of-life care in the Nurses’ beliefs, experiences and practice
diagnosing childhood intensive care setting: regarding complementary
tuberculosis in South Africa A descriptive exploratory and alternative medicine in Taiwan
qualitative study of
nurses’ beliefs and practices
Methodological "An exploratory, descriptive, "This study used a "An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative
discussion qualitative study was descriptive exploratory research design was
conducted... qualitative used in the present study..."
The design was appropriate research approach. A
because it allowed the descriptive exploratory "... descriptive method of qualitative research
researchers to contextualise qualitative approach is emphasis is on describing rather than on
how the participants useful in summarising and conceptualising or
perceived their activities and understanding an area of interpreting..."
environment and their role interest, and was
within the appropriately
context of the study and selected for this study to
provided a picture of what describe and
naturally occurred.." explore the end-of-life care
beliefs and practices
of intensive care nurses."
Sample 6 nurses. Purposeful 5 nurses, all female. 11 nurses, all female. Purposeful sampling.
sampling with inclusion Convenience sample.
criteria discussed.
Data Collection Semi-structured interviews, Semi-structured interviews, Semi-structured interviews, between 30-60
method(s) lasted approximately 45-60 between 13-72 minutes each. minutes each. Recorded and transcribed. The
minutes each. Recorded and Recorded and transcribed. researcher also made field notes during the
transcribed. The researcher interviews.
also made field notes during
the interviews.
Data Analysis thematic analysis based upon "Transcripts were analysed "The transcribed data were
method Braun & Clarke (2006) using an inductive coding analysed using the constant comparative
approach." method (Glaser &
Strauss 1967)."
that topic area [18]. It is important to identify a gap in the Sampling
literature to justify the use of EDQ over other methodological
approaches. The sampling strategy used in EDQ research can be classed as
purposeful. Sandelowski [2] stated that purposeful sampling
Sandelowski [2] makes no explicit comment on how, or if a was the most appropriate strategy for descriptive qualitative
literature review should be presented in a descriptive research and that sampling should allow the researcher to
qualitative study. Stebbins [8], on the other hand, provides a capture and describe the phenomena over a variety of
detailed discussion and as such, has influenced the approach situations. Similarly, Stebbins [8] suggested that the aim of
we recommend when utilizing EDQ. Stebbins [8] suggests that sampling should be to maximize the representativeness of a
in exploratory research, literature reviews are "carried out to population and recognized that this might be achieved through
demonstrate that little or no work has been done on the group, purposeful or snowball procedures. Ultimately, the researcher
process or activity under consideration". In exploratory has to obtain participants who can provide the information
research, and hence in EDQ, the literature review is short when required to address the aims of the study [2]. Sandelowski
compared to other qualitative approaches. This is because [2,10] does not comment upon sample size. However, in
Stebbins [8] argues that an extensive review of studies, which previous work, Sandelowski [19] had suggested that it is
are only marginally related to the topic of interest, is important in qualitative research to ensure that the sample size
distracting. He goes on to suggest that the researcher should enables the quality of information sought to be gained.
search for studies which are most closely related to the topic Stebbins [8] recommends a sample size of 30 participants, as
under investigation and then demonstrate how they leave this should allow important categories and sub-categories to
certain critical aspects of that phenomena unexplored [8]. In emerge, but does recognize that a smaller sample may be
EDQ, we propose that the researcher should follow Stebbins' appropriate. Having considered studies that have used an
[8] suggestion to devote the greatest energy to those papers exploratory-descriptive approach (n=16), the average sample
which closely relate to the topic and then move outwards, as if size appears to be 15. EDQ gives flexibility in regards sample
by concentric rings, devoting less and less space to literature size, however it is the responsibility of the researcher to justify
that is increasingly removed from the topic under study (figure the sample size used in their study as long as the selection has a
2). clear rationale with the potential to fulfil a specific function in
relation to the aims of the research [20].
Previous work that is considered in the outer rings of the
literature review should not be ignored entirely. Although they Neither Sandelowski [2] nor Stebbins [8] discuss the need to
may not appear in a "Literature Review" section of an EDQ conduct a pilot study. Additionally, only one study which has
report, EDQ researchers may use them to support or contradict used an exploratory-descriptive approach (n=16) included a
the findings of their study and provide what Stebbins [8] terms pilot study. However, novice researchers may find this useful
"intellectual anchorage." to test their data collection method and the information gained
can form part of the data analysis [21].

Data Collection

While Sandelowski [2] recognizes that focus groups and the

Literature most closely observation of certain target events may be used to collect data
related to the aims of the
EDQ study in descriptive qualitative studies, semi-structured interviews are
normally used. Equally, Stebbins [8] suggests that while
Literature less closely
related to the aims of the
exploring through observation is useful, exploring through the
EDQ study
use of interviews is more focused. Sandelowski [2] stated that
Marginal literature with
the aim of descriptive qualitative studies was to uncover the
limited relationship to
the aims of the EDQ
‘who, what and where’ of events or experiences while Stebbins
study [8] expanded this description suggesting that exploratory
researchers should "try to generalize about who is doing
(thinking, feeling) what to (with, for, about) whom and when
and where the action is taking place". Other forms of data may
be collected, including quantitative materials such as
participant demographics, to help support the study.
Fig 2: Literature review structure in EDQ research [16, based upon 8]
 Title: A strange, new world: compassion in the Emergency Department as experienced by student nurses. An
exploratory-descriptive qualitative study.

Aim: To explore the experiences of student Literature review: no studies identified which
nurses in relation to the provision of directly address this topic. Surrounding literature
compassionate care within the Emergency critiqued.
Department.

Research questions:

1. What does the term "compassionate care" mean to student nurses?

2. How has student nurses' understanding of compassionate care been
developed?
3. If, how and from whom do student nurses learn to deliver
compassionate care within the Emergency Department?
4. What are the barriers and enablers of providing compassionate care
within the Emergency Department, as experienced by student nurses?

Purposeful sample of 15 student Data collection: semi- Data analysis: Thematic

nurses (5 x year 1, 5 x year 2, 5 x structured interviews, analysis based on Braun &
year 3) transcribed verbatim Clarke [26]

Findings identified (see below). Some direct quotes used to illustrate. Discussed in relation to wider literature. Rigour
demonstrated as suggested by Whittemore et al. [31].

Fig 3: example of an EDQ study [16]

Interviews should be arranged at a time and venue that is credibility, authenticity, criticality and integrity. Reflexivity
convenient to participants. This approach is taken to help should also be considered.
reduce the researcher-participant power imbalance which may
exist [22]. Interviews should be recorded with the written Milne and Oberle [33] suggested that the credibility of a piece
consent of the participants using audio equipment that allows of research is related to its purpose and its ability to achieve its
for accurate and verbatim transcription [23]. Participants can stated aims. To assure the credibility of EDQ, the researcher
choose their pseudonym as it will allow them to recognize any would describe their experiences and should demonstrate
comments made when the research is published [24]. prolonged engagement, observation (if appropriate) and audit
trails [34]. Milne and Oberle [33] suggested that authenticity
Data Analysis could be reached if the following criteria were met:
"participants had the freedom to speak, participants' voices
While content analysis is recommended by Sandelowski [2] were heard, and participants' perceptions were accurately
and taking note that Stebbins [8] did not make explicit represented". This can be achieved through the data collection
suggestions in relation to data analysis, reviewing articles and analysis methods already discussed.
(n=16) which claim to use an exploratory descriptive design
indicate the application of various approaches. This includes The overall integrity of a study can be gauged by the level of
content analysis (n=3), thematic analysis (n=5) and the critical appraisal applied to the research decisions made [33].
constant comparative method (n=1). The remainder (n=7) use The criticality and integrity of EDQ can be enhanced by
other methods of data analysis or do not make it clear how data reflecting on researcher bias, respondent validation and peer
analysis has been performed. review. Reflexivity enhances the rigour of a qualitative study
[35]. We, therefore, recommend that a reflexive diary is used
As Patton [25] highlights, there is no recipe for the process of by the researcher during the study to record thoughts, feelings
qualitative data analysis, but there are guidelines and principles and personal experiences. Polit and Beck [6] recognize that a
to aid the process. The chosen approach to data analysis in reflexive journal is the most widely used strategy and that its
EDQ is that of thematic analysis, based upon the work of purpose is to make the researcher aware of their unique
Braun and Clarke [26]. In their paper, Braun and Clarke [26] background, values, social and professional identity, all of
provide a detailed, six phased, step-by-step guide to which can affect the research process.
undertaking thematic analysis, as well as considering other
aspects about the interaction between thematic analysis and V. CONCLUSION
epistemological and ontological perspectives.
EDQ is one formalization of an approach to qualitative
Thematic analysis is justified as the data analysis method in research that appears in the literature, but is ill-defined. Other
EDQ research for a number of reasons. Firstly, EDQ aims to versions may well exist. By providing a foundation based on
explore and describe the experiences of participants in relation the respected works of Sandelowski [2,10] and Stebbins [8],
to phenomena under study. Green and Thorogood [27] suggest EDQ has been identified as a suitable theoretical framework to
that thematic analysis is suited to this very purpose. Secondly, study areas within healthcare practice that have previously
the exploratory aspect of EDQ is concerned with discovering received little or no attention. All things considered, EDQ has
generalizations [8] and as such, thematic analysis should the potential to provide explorative researchers with a
identify the main statements, the core of the experience, from ‘textured, toned and hued’ approach, as Sandelowski [2]
participants [3]. These ‘statements’ will be used to form the suggested.
generalizations. Braun and Clarke's [26] work is considered in
research textbooks [28, 29], as well as being recognized as Possible research methods, which relate to EDQ have been
seminal in relation to this aspect of qualitative nursing research provided although the flexibility of the EDQ approach is also
[30]. Furthermore, thematic analysis appears to have worked in recognized, allowing researchers to be creative in their
other, similar studies where Braun and Clarke [26] are referred thinking. We believe that EDQ has the potential to both
to as respected thematic analysts. explore and describe aspects of clinical nursing practice (both
nursing and patient perspectives), nurse education and nursing
Rigour policy. It may also have applicability to other allied health
professions, medicine and possibly beyond. However,
As with any research approach involving human subjects, full researchers who choose to use an EDQ approach for their own
recognition of relevant ethical issues and the ethical approval work must acknowledge the concerns of Sandelowski [10] in
processes is required. Taking cognizance of what both that it must not be used as a fallback position to salvage pieces
Sandelowski [31] and Stebbins [8] suggest about rigour, EDQ of research which have been poorly conceived or conducted
addresses rigour under the framework suggested by and that it needs to be justified as being the most appropriate
Whittemore et al. [32]. This approach has been used by Milne approach to address the aims of the study.
and Oberle [33] in a qualitative descriptive study and is
discussed in detail by Polit and Beck [6]. The focus in EDQ is
on the four main criteria suggested by Whittemore et al. [32]:
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