Focus groups overview the focus group is an exploratory research method used to help researchers gather in. In another scenario, a member of the group can be asked to act as the moderator temporarily. Chapter 6 analyzing focus group results 141 participants, and that a short verbal summary at the conclusion of the discussion allows for verification. Focus groups have become apopular method in nursingresearch. The conceptualization of a focus group follows a process similar to a classic research study. One costsaving compromise is to hire a moderator whose sole role is to conduct the groups and not to analyze the data.
Focus groups are an exploratory research tool a structured. Responses to risk network scarr public understanding of regimes of risk regulation. Another option for conducting the focus group is to hold the sessions at a focus group discussion facility. The general requirements and the method for conducting focus groups are briefly explained. The same focus group was used to suggest key factors affecting the success of blended learning. Thus we consider the issues surrounding the transcription process and then turn our attention to some of the. Depending on the research objective, the focus group can. We created the focus group report template to help you communicate the findings of a focus group quickly and efficiently. Focus groups data collection method is most suitable for types of studies where multiple perspectives. Part of the understanding qualitative research series. Analyzing focus group data the analysis and interpretation of focus group data require a great deal of. 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 questions. During an fgd, a researcher and assistant facilitates a discussion with a small group of people using predetermined questions.
The results of the focus group interviews helped us design parent lounges that met the unique needs of parents who often spend days, weeks or even months in the hospital with a sick child. Focus group discussion diskusi kelompok terfokus sebagai. An introduction to the focus group method the nature of focus group research why the focus group is used in the health and social sciences some criticisms about the focus group method history and development of focus group methodology focus groups employed in market research and social research virtual focus groups. Focus group protocol guide a guide to organising effective. The questions and the manner in which the focus group is facilitated will vary based on the type of participants. A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data in focus group research anthony j. In developmentrelated research, focus group discussions are often seen as being a participatorytype method. Focus group discussions in medical research springerlink. Focus group discussions are facilitated discussions, held with a small group of. To enhance the credibility of focus group evidence and maximize potential learning from this popular qualitative data collection method, we offer a set of questions to guide evaluators reflection and decision making about focus group design and implementation.
The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population. Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses. A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data. A focus group discussion involves gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a specific topic of interest. While they can be used alongside participatory methods, they can be used as a single selfcontained method or alongside quantitative research. Ground rules are suggestions that will help guide the discussion and include rules such as. The basic idea of the focus group method is to generate a discussion on prese.
Marketing firms often have special facilities in which they conduct focus group discussions. The use of focus group discussion methodology researchgate. Research suggests that group discussion can cause participant. At this time, the moderator makes a quick check to ensure. There are numerous advantages to using this type of exploratory research method. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of.
It can impact focus group discussion if the facilitator is anxious because materials are missing or purchased at. The recommended pattern for introducing the group discussion includes. The primary characteristic of this method is to use interaction data resulting from discussion among participants. This brief serves as an introduction to focus groups. C2960i november 19, 2018 evaluation briefs data collection methods for program evaluation.
Before holding a group, discussion topics are developed using an. The analysis sequence continues after the focus group with an immediate debriefing with the moderator and assistant moderator. In this chapter, i will focus on the importance of the focus group method, its history, and its benefits and pitfalls. The goal of todays meeting is to understand if the internal communications and news you currently receive is effective, relevant and valuable to. Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. Focus group discussion overseas development institute. Once the study purpose has been defined, the study population and sample have to be defined. Focus group discussions are useful early on in a study when the researcher wants to gain a. Heong the focus group discussion fgd is a rapid assessment, semi.
Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an indepth understanding of social issues. Our study, which used this approach as part ofdata collection, raised many issues of. Focus group discussions fgd method is a common approach for data collection in qualitative research projects, without exception in nursing research in recent years. It is led by a moderator interviewer in a loosely structured discussion of various topics of interest. Only the moderator and focus group participants should be in the discussion room during the session. Planning for a focus group for third graders will be different than planning one for their parents or teachers and may. The focus group needs to be appropriate for the type of participants in the group. Definition of a focus group focus group discussions fgds are defined as semi structured group discussions, which yield qualitative data on the community level by facilitating interaction between participants. Focus group discussion how is focus group discussion.
A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data. Advantages and disadvantages the research in management, especially in marketing, frequently considers focus group and other qualitative methods as exploratory tools, its results needing to be verified by a quantitative study, in a representative sample. Focus group data can be used to collect information for many purposes, such as conducting a needs assessment or evaluating a program. Focus group discussion is a form of qualitative research method in which the interviewer also called the moderator asks research participants specific questions about a topic or an issue in a group discussion.
A method to gain more indepth information to supplement surveys is interviews. In virtually every focus group discussion fgd, participants. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. In focus group discussion participants are free to. Aside from the few occasions when only a short summary of focus group discussions is required, all analytic techniques for focus group data require transcription of the interview as a first step.
Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach. Morgan university of california, riverside margaret t. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of in. Focus group discussion conclusions blora district, central java november 2009 laura paler columbia university 1 main points there is a high demand for better government in blora, but ordinary citizens do not feel empowered to bring about change.
This guide is designed to provide you with an overview of the steps required to conduct a focus group discussion fgd including the resources required, and instructions about what you do with the information when you have completed the fgds. Planning and research design for focus groups in line with the resources of corporate clients rather than academics. It allows respondents to express detailed feelings, opinions and attitudes usually. This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is of prior importance to this methodology. Serves as a comprehensive guide to focus group discussions, a qualitative research methodology that involves a focus on specific issues, with a predetermined group of people, participating in an interactive discussion. Focus group discussion is a research methodology in which a small group of participants gather to discuss a specified topic or an issue to generate data. The aim is to gain insight into a groups attitudes, enablers and barriers to behaviour.
The groups composition and the group discussion are carefully planned to create a nonthreatening environment in. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in. 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. The unit or department at the university of arizona is conducting a program assessment under the supervision of insert responsible party, director, etc. There can be two focus groups being studied at the same time, where one group watches and reacts to the discussion of the other group. Their history can be traced back to marketing research methods, but they have also been used in qualitative, ethnographic research. This microsoft word document includes the following sections to complete with your market research team.
Focus group discussion at chucchepati site, kathmandu facilitated by iom 29th july to 31st july, 2015 introduction six focus group discussions were held at chucchepati site over the course of three days with the objective of finding out the return intention of the site residents. Conducting focus group discussions the purpose of focus group discussions is to gain knowledge about a particular topic or need by interviewing a group of people directly affected by the issue. Evaluating the efficacy of focus group discussion fgd in qualitative social research william boateng, phd department of sociology university of saskatchewan 1019 9 campus drive, saskatoon sk. Focus groups, unlike individual interviews, provide the. A report on focus group discussions with citizens and consumers peter lunt, brunel university sonia livingstone, lse sarita malik, brunel university september 2008.
The focus group fg has been actually employed by marketing, and is becoming importanct also in other areas. Participants within a focus group may respond very differently to a topic. Evaluating the efficacy of focus group discussion fgd in. Focus group discussion guidelines focus group discussions, or fgds are a qualitative research method. 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.
P regular supply of contraceptives from phsc and asha when required. The group discussion focuses on a relatively narrow set of topics thereby giving the method its name. The group of participants is guided by a moderator or group facilitator who introduces topics for discussion and helps the group to. A topic related to gender equity, for example, may provoke intense discussion among. Social contexts and responses to risk network scarr. It is a form of qualitative research where questions are asked about their perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or ideas. The best method for asking questions is to make sure they are as open as possible and. Focus group discussion a focus group discussion fgd is a good way to gather together people from similar backgrounds or experiences to discuss a specific topic of interest. During a focus group, a group of individualsusually 612 peopleis brought together in a room to engage in a. Abstract the efficacy of focus group discussion as a qualitative data collection methodology is put on the line by. It generally involves group interviewing in which a small group of usually 8 to 12 people. To facilitate clinicians to comprehend the use of focus group methodology in the clinical field, the meaning, purpose, advantages, limitations and quality assurance measures of focus group discussions are described. The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. The main difference is the group has a specific, focused discussion topic.
The main characteristic of a focus group is the interaction between the moderator and the group, as well as the interaction. Time and resources permitting, a project or programme would hope. The purpose of these interviews was to identify research domains, topics and terminology for use in the focus group discussions. The participants placed some needs awareness programme to motivate men for f.
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