In any piece of research, there will be a time when the researchers have to manage the data they have collected and begin making sense of it. Managing and making sense of focus group data sage. How to conduct a successful focus group discussion atlan. The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. International journal of qualitative methods 2009, 83 2 keywords. The focus group may also be undertaken to discover preliminary issues that are of concern to a group or community, and. Focusgroup interview and data analysis fatemeh rabiee school of health and policy studies, university of central england, birmingham b42 2su, uk in recent years focus group interviews, as a means of qualitative data collection, have gained popularity amongst professionals within the health and social care arena. Analyzing focus group data the analysis and interpretation of focus group data require a great deal of judgment and care, just as any other scientific approach, and regardless of whether the analysis relies on quantitative or qualitative procedures. This method serves to solicit participants attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and. However, there are some tips for facilitating highquality focus groups. Dos and donts of a positive focus group experience 5. Fgds are a predetermined semistructured interview led by a skilled moderator. This paper explores the most common methods of data collection used in qualitative research. Focus groups aim to discover the key issues of concern for selected groups.
Use it to introduce the session and also to construct the time line, you might have a. Focus groups are indepth group interviews employing relatively homogenous groups to. Once the study purpose has been defined, the studypopulationandsamplehave to be defined. Transcribing data derived from traditional focus groups. Interview focus group complex subject matter and knowledgeable respondents, promote discussion between participants on a specific topic when interviewing one person at a time will yield the best info ex. A facilitator guides the group based on a predetermined set of topics. International journal of social research methodology. The sample for a focus group has individuals with characteristics of the overall population and can. A focus group is a group interview of approximately six to twelve people who share similar characteristics or common interests. Discovering these issues can help determine which of a number of options is the preferred way forward, or to determine what are the concerns that would prevent a proposal going ahead. Topics covered in this publication include focus group basics, preparing for the focus group, developing effective questions, planning the focus group session and analyzing the data. The population represents the individuals that are to be analyzed. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. Th ese techniques are commonly used in policy research and are applicable to many research questions.
Focus group discussion can be utilised within a suite of techniques in a multi. Todays market researcher has an embarrassment of tools available to them, yet one research option has stood the test of time the focus group. Pdf on jan 1, 2012, inga gaizauskaite and others published the use of the focus group method in social work research find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses. Focus groups enabled us to observe group dynamics and levels of consensus and to gather information on contextual factors that may shape the implementation process krueger, 1994. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups in research. Depending on the research objective, the focus groupcan be used alone or in conjunction with other methods. It is an inexpensive and fast method of acquiring valuable data. The article provides the rationale to use focus groups for a variety of research purposes in social work context. Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach. Following are the main advantages of focus group discussion in research. The method of using group interviews was described as long ago as 1926.
The focus group research method has been used in a variety of settings over the years. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in. Onwuegbuzie, department of educational leadership and. The focus group method continues to gain applicability in social work research. The focus group fg has been actually employed by marketing, and is becoming importanct also in other areas. This methodology brief outlines a fivestage process for conducting focus groups and reporting on the results. Pdf this paper considers the contemporary use of focus groups as a method of data collection within qualitative research settings. Toolkit for conducting focus groups, provided by omni, is a great resource intended to assist in conducting focus groups and enhance ones facilitation skills. The moderator asks broad questions to elicit responses and generate discussion among. The moderator should begin by explaining the purpose of the group and what is expected of the group. Group participants will likely have been chosen based. International journal of qualitative methods 1 2 spring 2002 1 focus group as a method of data collection in nursing research. Pdf the focus group research method has been used in a variety of settings over the years. Focus groups are group discussions conducted with the participation of 7 to 12 people to capture their experiences and views regarding specific issues closely related to research question s.
Throughout this reflection, i will be referencing my own experience of conducting a focus group session within a group project and discussing the literature that grounded my. Introduction to conducting focus groups office for coastal. Focus group interviewing richard krueger 4 beginning the focus group discussion the first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. It aims at discussing practical aspects that constitute. How to conduct focus groups interaction design foundation. Conducting a focus group is simply a matter of asking the questions and recording the responses to those questions. Definitions of focus group and consequences for analysis some researchers, such as hughes and dumont 1993. A focus group discussion or fgd is a qualitative research method in the social sciences, with a particular emphasis and application in the developmental program evaluation sphere. Chapter 6 examines a variety of additional possibilities that go beyond the basic format. I will evaluate the effectiveness of focus groups as a research method. Methods of data collection in qualitative research. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data collection technique in which a selected group of people discusses a given topic or issue indepth, facilitated by a professional, external moderator. The questions and the manner in which the focus group is facilitated will.
The concluding chapter returns to the theme of focus groups as a qualitative method to look at the. Focus group methodology is an introductory text which leads readers through the entire process of designing a focus group study. Discuss recruiting for the focus group participants. Focus groups data collection method is most suitable for types of studies where multiple perspectives needed to be obtained regarding the same problem. Bradley th is course provides an overview of two types of qualitative data collection methodologies. Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus group research investigations into students learning experiences. Focus groups have advantages for researchers in the field of health and medicine. The focus group needs to be appropriate for the type of participants in the group. In this chapter, i will focus on the importance of the focus group method, its history, and its benefits and pitfalls.
A focus group lasting more than 90 minutes probably includes too many questions or topics for discussion. Focus group as a method of data collection in nursing. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. As discussed previously, fg may be considered as much a standalone research method as one used in conjunction with other methods. Focus groups typically involve a moderatorled group discussion with between eight and 10 people. Focus groups are a form of qualitative research that is commonly used in product marketing and marketing research, but it is a popular method within sociology as well. Pdf self reflection of focus groups as an appropriate. As with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses.
Dvhsc conducted 12 countywide focus groups in 2017. Focus group interviews are a qualitative research method that consist of a carefully designed discussion which allows people to express their points of view in a group setting and provide researchers with indicators of program impact. The conceptualization of a focus group follows a process similar to a classic research study. A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data. Focus groups typically last about 60 to 90 minutes. Focus groups generally utilize convenience sampling. Pdf the use of the focus group method in social work. Important skills that a group moderator should possess 3.
Coworkers and friends are more comfortable in voicing views in each others company than on their own with the researcher. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population. In this article, the researcher reflects on one of those methods focus groups which has been used extensively in market research, and explores a what focus groups are, b how they have been utilised by researchers and c some of the practical and theoretical implications for incorporating focus groups in the design of educational. The focus group is an exploratory research method used to help researchers gather in depth, qualitative information of their participants attitudes and.
The focus group is an exploratory research method used to help researchers gather in depth, qualitative information of their participants attitudes and perceptions. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of in. When writing the background and methods section, aim to summarize exactly what procedure was used for deciding the who, what, when, where aspects of the focus group. Oban youth cafe focus group plan soup groups 20072011 make to measure. Focus group interviews nurture different perceptions and points of view and are used to gather. The difference between quality data and data with bias depends on how people are screened and the data is treated. Thus, for our research purpose, focus groups were the best method of data collection to. As long as the disadvantages are equally weighed with the advantages that focus groups provide, the. Focus group interview as a tool for qualitative research. The facilitator creates an environment that encourages. Semistructured interviews and focus groups margaret c. Focus groups can help clarify such perplexing information. This paper introduces focus group methodology, gives advice on group composition, running the groups, and analysing the results.
Study purpose methodology conceptualization logistics facilitation preparation presession session analysis reporting using this fivestage process as a guide will contribute to the completion of an. Never gossip about the focus groups after the study. The use of focus group in the research design the goal of a focus group is to have the participants understand the topic of interest to the researcher, irrespective of its use, alone or together with other research methods. Writing a focus group report analyze, interpret and. During a focus group, a group of individualsusually 612 peopleis brought together in a room to engage in a. A great deal of the skepticism about the value of focus groups probably arises from the. Establish our thoughts on their journey memory and records.