You are a student who wants to write a research paper on

the effects of social media on mental health. You have

chosen to use an exploratory research approach, which

involves asking open-ended questions, collecting various

types of data, and analyzing them to identify patterns and

themes. You have also decided to use a mixed-methods

design, which combines quantitative and qualitative data.

Questions:

1. What is the main purpose of exploratory research?

a) To test a hypothesis or a theory

b) To describe a phenomenon or a population

c) To investigate a problem or a question

d) To evaluate a program or an intervention

Answer: c) To investigate a problem or a question

Rationale: Exploratory research is used when there is little

or no existing knowledge about a topic, and the researcher

wants to gain more insight and understanding.

2. What are some advantages of using a mixed-methods

design in exploratory research?

a) It allows for triangulation and complementarity of data

b) It increases the validity and reliability of the findings

c) It provides a richer and more comprehensive picture of

the topic

d) All of the above