Pdf the focus group research method has been used in a variety of settings over the years. Maximizing resources and data quality show all authors. Focus groups, unlike individual interviews, provide the added dimension of the interactions among members. Focus groups have advantages for researchers in the field of health and medicine. Focus groups international journal for quality in health. How to conduct a successful focus group discussion atlan. The who, what, when, where, why, and how many of focus. 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. Pdf a case study based on a focus group discussion on the. Abstract the efficacy of focus group discussion as a qualitative data collection methodology is put on the line by. What you didnt know perhaps were the many hidden structures behind it all. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules, and set the tone of the discussion. It is a form of qualitative research where questions are asked about their perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or ideas. International journal of business and social science.
This paper highlights these advantages after providing guidelines on group composition, the management of group discussion and the process of analysing results. Evaluating the efficacy of focus group discussion fgd in qualitative social. This method serves to solicit participants attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and. The critical appraisal of focus group research articles taylor. These discussions should be held in an environment that is nonthreatening and receptive.
If youve ever participated in a wellrun focus group youd probably say it felt very natural and comfortable to be talking with a group of strangers. Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. This paper introduces focus group methodology, gives advice on group composition, running the groups, and analysing the results. Evaluating the efficacy of focus group discussion fgd in.
So lets take a look at some of my favorite strategies for small group discussions that will help you to engage your students in meaningful academic conversation. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. We performed qualitative content analysis on the interview data relating to recruitment, communication between the focus group participants, and appraisal of the focus group method. Two approaches to focus group data collection for qualitative. The two approaches to focus group data collection have methodological contribution to the current evidence base of focus groups in qualitative health services research.
Online focus groups and qualitative research in the social. As a qualitative data collection technique, the focus group has advantages over other qualitative methods, such as the indepth interview and the nominal group technique. What is the purpose and advantages of focus group interviews. It is not intended for focus groups in the context of developing a research hypothesis. The focus group fg has been actually employed by marketing, and is becoming importanct also in other areas. One of the participants, helen, was an extroverted woman who was the dominant group member. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore perceptions on aging well among older adult palestinians. After the focus group, when having a team debrief about what was observed, the observers are more likely to remember the more extreme and vivid comments. This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is. A focus group of parents of preschoolers meets to discuss child care needs. It is particularly useful when researchers seek to discover participants meanings and ways of understanding.
A focus group discussion is a qualitative data collection method that engages 6 to 12 peoplewith. It has become the subject of important methodological discussions and it is now considered a very innovative research method. Focus groups have received little attention from sociologists, although they are a commonly used qualitative technique in market research. 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. The impression is that fg is often adopted without any prior consideration of whether it. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in.
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. In this paper we relate the history of the focus group as a research tool, from its original uses by lazarsfeld and merton in early communications research to its decline as social science research became. The focus group needs to be appropriate for the type of participants in the group. Focus group research is used to develop or improve products or services. One or more participants provisionally take up the role of moderator. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an indepth understanding of social issues. 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. Imagine a focus group exploring peoples attitudes about an airlines customer service. Whereas locations inside the clinic were preferred in the case of the patient focus groups because of familiarity and easy accessibility, hospital doctors were more engaged in the discussion when the focus group site was located at least some yards away from their workplace. The focus group typically involves six to ten individuals who have some knowledge of or experience with the topic. Focus group interviews nurture different perceptions and points of view and are used to gather. What focus group discussions are and when to use them. It can impact focus group discussion if the facilitator is anxious because materials are missing or purchased at the last minute. Eacb group consisted of, on average, 6 researcb participants and tbe discussion lasted approximately 2 bours and was taperecorded.
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. Focus group interview as a tool for qualitative research. 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. Online focus groups and qualitative research in the social sciences. Taking focus groups as controlled group discussions, with their hallmark being their interactive nature, and other important features being the.
The focus group is the collaboration of people who come together to make an opinion, put forth their belief and perspective for the product or service initiate, in the company they help the company to grow as they are sort of critics who tell what is good and what is right for the company by forming their own ideas and correcting the wrong ones. It is used to learn about opinions on a designated topic, and to guide future action. The focus group technique is a type of qualitative research methodology. This versatile strategy for small group discussions incorporates movement as students scoot around the classroom. Journal of extension, spring 1993, volume 31, number 1. With increasing number of older adults worldwide, promoting health and wellbeing becomes a priority for aging well. Notepads and pencils flip charts or easel paper focus group script. The group of participants is guided by a moderator or group facilitator who introduces topics for discussion and helps the group to. Rethinking the focus group in media and communications. The interview data revealed aspects of the focus group method that are particularly relevant for health research and that should be considered in that context. A focus group lasting more than 90 minutes probably includes too many questions or topics for discussion. The questions and the manner in which the focus group is facilitated will vary based on the type of participants. A focus group discussion involves gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a specific topic of interest.
Use this group when clients ask you to conduct a focus group and invite those who ask. 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. However, such a widespread use of fg seems to have become a fashionable research technique. If the facilitator is anxious, this may make the participants uncomfortable and limit discussion. This publication, introduction to conducting focus groups, is the fifth in a series of guides developed to bring information to this audience about the use of social science tools in their field of work. It is always a good idea to check which reporting standard is preferred by the journal. Focus group interviewing richard krueger 4 beginning the focus group discussion the first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. We conclude that focus groupsare not a quick and easy methodof collecting. They help the company to grow as they are sort of critics who tell what is good and what is right for the company by forming their own ideas and correcting the wrong ones. Fgds are a predetermined semistructured interview led by a skilled moderator. The materials that you will need for focus groups are. 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 group discussion can be utilised within a suite of techniques in a multi. How to fix the 5 most common mistakes with focus groups.
Number of focus groups conducted date of focus group case study area number of participants. Focus group discussion overseas development institute. 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. Aug 16, 2011 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. This manuscript has been published in the american journal of evaluation 2014, v 35, no 3, pp. Depending on the research objective, the focus group can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group. Tbe bulk of tbese sessions were conducted by tbe autbor, otbers were mn by colleagues on tbe project. In focus group discussion participants are free to.
International journal of qualitative methods 2011, 104 401 introduction within the past two decades, focus groups have gained popularity as a research method within. Please look for signs once you arrive directing you to the room where the focus group will be held. Guidelines for conducting a focus group data innovation project. Parents share their views on local child care programs, and on what could be done to improve them. 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. 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. Wellbeing and physical and mental health are closely related, and this relation may become more vital at older ages as it may contribute to aging well. Two approaches to focus group data collection for qualitative health research. 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. Pdf a case study based on a focus group discussion on. Use of the focus group technique in research for planning of interventions the research aimed to discuss the construction of the. Heong the focus group discussion fgd is a rapid assessment, semi. The focus group is a frequently used method in the social sciences. Fgds are a predetermined semistructured interview led.
A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data. The key difference between onetoone interviews and focusgroup discussions is that the. This type of group restricts participants to 45 members instead of the usual 610. Metode focus group discussion fgd merupakan pendekatan yang umum digunakan untuk mengumpulkan datainformasi pada penelitian kualitatif, tidak terkecuali penelitian keperawatan yang saat ini semakin populer menggunakan metode fgd sebagai metode pengumpulan data. Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focusgroup research investigations into students learning experiences. Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focusgroup research.
This is an exploratory research done through a real time focus group discussion carried on with the purpose of analysing the expert opinions of the focus group participants and generating more relevant research questions for which the study can be. Conducting a focus group discussion with a natural group may reveal. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population. We also explore the recent revival of the focus group in audience reception studies. A focus group is a gathering of deliberately selected people who participate in a facilitated discussion intended to elicit consumer perceptions about a particular topic or area of interest. The focus group technique is one example of a qualitative research methodology used to explore the opinions, knowledge, perceptions, and concerns of individuals in regard to a particular topic.
A focus group is a small group discussion guided by a trained leader. The goal of todays meeting is to understand if the internal communications and news you currently receive is effective, relevant and valuable to. Focus group discussion diskusi kelompok terfokus sebagai. In this paper we relate the history of the focus group as a research tool, from its original uses by lazarsfeld and merton in early communications research to its decline as social science research became more strongly quantitative and experimental. 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 unit or department at the university of arizona is conducting a program assessment under the supervision of insert responsible party, director, etc.
A qualitative research design in the context of focus group discussions was used. The focus group is the collaboration of people who come together to make an opinion, put forth their belief and perspective for the product or service initiate, in the company. These proposed approaches to focus group data collection yielded strong participation rates, rich qualitative data, and cost savings. The focus group fg technique has been recently rediscovered by social scientists. The purpose of the study is to examine insert topic of study. The who, what, when, where, why, and how many of focus groups this guide is intended for use for focus groups in the context of preparing a new survey or doing an evaluation project. Article pdf available in singapore medical journal 493. Ela teaching strategies for small group discussions. Focus group interview is one of the valuable tools for collecting qualitative data.
The data collected in focus group sessions typically consist of taperecorded group discussions among four to ten participants who share their thoughts and experiences on a set of topics selected by the researcher. A focus group gathers together people from similar backgrounds or experiences to discuss a specific topic of interest, guided by a moderator who introduces topics for discussion and helps the group to participate in a lively and natural discussion amongst themselves. Intevnalioiwt journal of sociat researcti meltwchtogy. This is an exploratory research done through a real time focus group discussion carried on with the purpose of analysing the expert opinions of the focus group. A focus group is a smallgroup discussion guided by a trained leader.
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