focus groups

Question 1

what is a focus group?

Answer 1

group of people with certain characteristics generate narrative data in a focused discussion

Question 2

what is the difference between focus groups and interviews?

Answer 2

1. group rather than one-to-one - getting them to discuss is part of the reasoning behind focus groups
2. focus groups are often used as the ‘qualitative’ element of larger quantitative studies

Question 3

what are the advantages of focus groups?

Answer 3

1. elicit a wide range of perspectives from several participants in short timeframe
2. help understand what is the cultural and social consensus/dissensus around a topic
3. allows participants to form new perspectives

Question 4

what are the disadvantages of focus groups?

Answer 4

1. can be dominated by one or two inidividuals
2. not usually appropiate for highly personal/individual or socially contenious issues

Question 5

how diverse should focus groups be?

Answer 5

1. 6-12 people
2. homogenous and segmented according to area of interest
3. groups for whom the issue is relevant

Question 6

when should homogeneous groups be used?

Answer 6

for sensitive issues like abortion, violence, depression etc, creates a supportive environement

Question 7

when should heterogeneous groups be used?

Answer 7

for a diverse set of perspectives

Question 8

how many groups should be used?

Answer 8

very specific - 3
diverse - 6-10
as many sessions as required to provide a reliable answer

Question 9

how to run a focus group

Answer 9

1. lay down the ground rules before begin
2. limit your own participation
3. encourage participation
4. friendly, smile, relaxed body language
5. patience