What is focus group data collection method?
Focus Groups. 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). Focus groups data collection method is most suitable for types of studies where multiple perspectives needed to be obtained regarding...
What is focus group discussion (FGD)?
Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is a method of data collection which is frequently used to collect in-depth qualitative data in various descriptive studies such as case studies, phenomenological and naturalistic studies).
What is focus group in qualitative research?
Focus group, a valuable tool for collecting qualitative data, is a group constituting of individuals with specific features who focus discussions on a certain topic or issue. Consider an example where the researcher wants to determine the crucial issues in a developing economy of Albania.
What are the limitations of focus group research?
Also, some members of focus group may be discouraged from participating in discussions due to lack of confidence or not articulate communication skills. Moreover, the nature of primary data obtained through focus groups are greatly influenced by environmental factors such as design of the room, room temperature, time of the day, etc.
What is a focused group discussion?
Abstract. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of social issues. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population.
What is a focus group in data collection?
A focus group is a group interview of approximately six to twelve people who share similar characteristics or common interests. A facilitator guides the group based on a predetermined set of topics. The facilitator creates an environment that encourages participants to share their perceptions and points of view.
What are the examples of focus group discussion?
Examples: A focus group of parents of preschoolers meets to discuss child care needs. Parents share their views on local child care programs, and on what could be done to improve them. A focus group of senior citizens meets at the new senior center.
Why are focus group discussions important?
Well firstly, one of the main benefits of focus groups is that they offer an in-depth understanding of the participants. This enables researchers to uncover personal attitudes and beliefs that other market research methods can't replicate - which, in turn, means more insightful results.
What are the characteristics of focus group discussion?
The general characteristics of the Focus Group are people's involvement, a series of meetings, the homogeneity of participants with respect to research interests, the generation of qualitative data, and discussion focused on a topic, which is determined by the purpose of the research.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups?
Focus groups are usually tools used by the advertising industry to measure the potential impact of a new product.Advantage: Easily Measure Customer Reaction. ... Disadvantage: Not as In-Depth as Other Market Research. ... Advantage: Time-Saving Opportunity. ... Disadvantage: Expense. ... Disadvantage: Moderator Bias.
How are focus groups used in research?
How to carry out a focus group studyencourage participants to discuss their views openly.use prompts and questions to make sure the discussion points you are interested in are covered.
What are the steps in conducting focus group discussion?
One way to approach focus groups is with the following six-step process:Step 1: Define the Purpose. Clarify the purpose of the focus group. ... Step 2: Select the Participants and Leader. ... Step 3: Manage the Atmospherics. ... Step 4: Develop the Questions. ... Step 5: Conduct the Session. ... Step 6: Analyze the Results.
What is the objective of a focus group?
What is the Purpose of a Focus Group? Focus group research is used to develop or improve products or services. The main purpose is to provide data to enhance, change or create a product or service targeted at a key customer group. The above example targeted improving the experience of parents of sick children.
What do focus groups do?
A focus group is a method of research involving a small group of people (usually six to eight participants) who are guided through a discussion by a moderator. Focus groups can be used to explore a variety of different issues, to test solutions, to explore the group's perspective of a problem and to generate ideas.
What are the three types of focus groups?
Types of focus groupsDual-moderator focus group: There are two moderators for this event. ... Two-way focus group: A two-way group involves two separate groups having discussions on the topic at different times. ... Mini focus group: This type of group restricts participants to 4-5 members instead of the usual 6-10.More items...
What is focus group in qualitative research?
Focus groups are a form of group interview that capitalises on communication between research participants in order to generate data.
When would you use a focus group?
When You Should Use a Focus GroupExplore needs, thoughts and feelings.Explore brand perceptions.Explore consumer language, issues that you saw from survey research.Understand decision process, factors.Explore use cases.When you want to learn from the banter between people.
What is a focus group?
A focus group is a research method that brings together a small group of people to answer questions in a moderated setting. The group is chosen...
How do you write focus group questions?
As a rule of thumb, questions related to thoughts, beliefs, and feelings work well in focus groups. Take your time formulating strong questions,...
How do you analyze qualitative data?
There are various approaches to qualitative data analysis , but they all share five steps in common: Prepare and organize your data. Review and ex...
How do you clean data?
Every dataset requires different techniques to clean dirty data , but you need to address these issues in a systematic way. You focus on finding a...
What are the 4 main types of interviews?
The four most common types of interviews are: Structured interviews : The questions are predetermined in both topic and order. Semi-structured...
What is a focus group survey?
A focus group survey is a survey method wherein the respondents from the target population are typically put in a single group and interviewed in an interactive manner. The participants in a focus group are given the opportunity to freely talk about and discuss their ideas and opinions towards the object of the survey. Place an Order.
Why are focus groups important?
One of the advantages of a focus group survey is that it is effective for a group of respondents that comprise of young children, people who use English as a second language and people with lower literacy levels. Another advantage of this type of survey is that respondents can answer and build on each other’s responses, improving the richness of data being gathered.
What is a dual focus group?
The dual moderator focus group involves two moderators – one moderator monitoring the smooth progression of the focus group session, and another moderator observing if all the questions in the survey are asked during the discussion. In contrast, the dueling moderator focus group includes two moderators who purposely get on opposing sides regarding the object. For example, one moderator is saying that the product is effective, whereas the other moderator is arguing that it is ineffective. On the other hand, one of the respondents temporarily becomes the moderator of the focus group in respondent moderator type.
What are the disadvantages of a focus group survey?
A major disadvantage of a focus group survey is that it the survey results may not fully represent the opinion of the larger target population. In addition, the facilitator must be well-trained to handle any situation that may arise from the focus group interaction.
What is the scope of survey?
Step 3. Scope: Scope of survey is the geographical area studied, time period of enquiry and if required themes of studies to be covered are defined. Step 4. Tools and Techniques of information collection: Various types of tools are required to collect information. These include:
How to do a field survey?
Field Survey Procedure Steps. Step 1. Defining the Problem: First the problem to be studied is defined precisely by statements indicating the nature of the problem. The problem is the title and sub-title of the topic of the survey. Step 2.
Who created the focus group?
The term “focus group” was created by Ernest Dichter, a famous market expert and psychologist. Robert K. Merton, a sociologist and the associate director of the Bureau of Applied Social Research headed the first focus groups in the United States. When used as a survey method, the focus group approach presents various pros, strengths and benefits, ...
Abstract
This paper reviews the literature on the focus group discussion as a data collection tool and provides information for a better understanding of focus group discussion by addressing the questions of what is the meaning of focus group discussion? What are logistics needed? Its advantages and limitations, how leader behaviors necessary to keep focus group discussion going? And its application in economic data collection.
References (20)
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How to use focus groups in research?
They can be used in three ways in the research design: 1 Stand alone – where the focus groups are the sole data collection method and they serve as the principal source of data 2 Supplementary – used to enhance alternative means of data collection. Typically this would be as a precursor to a quantitative stage – determining the issues to be covered in the structured interviewing and giving insights into the problems or opportunities that are being researched 3 As part of a multi method design – where studies use several sources of data collection and no one method determines the use of the others
What is a focus group?
A focus group is a research technique used to collect data through group interaction. The group comprises a small number of carefully selected people who discuss a given topic. Focus groups are used to identify and explore how people think and behave, and they throw light on why, what and how questions.
What is a focus group?
Focus groups are led by a moderator who is responsible to ensure that group discussions remain focused on the research area. Advantages of focus groups include the possibility of obtaining primary data through non-verbal channels, as well as, verbal channels and approaching the research area from various perspectives.
Why are focus gropes bad?
Also, some members of focus group may be discouraged from participating in discussions due to lack of confidence or not articulate communication skills. ...
Is focus group data analysis more difficult than questionnaires?
It is important to understand that data collection and data analysis using focus groups is much more difficult compared to questionnaires and interviews. You have to make sure that you fully understand these difficulties before making a final choice of primary data collection method.
What is focus group interview?
Background: Focus group interviews are a method for collecting qualitative data and have enjoyed a surge in popularity in health care research over the last 20 years . However, the literature on this method is ambiguous in relation to the size, constitution, purpose and execution of focus groups.
Why are focus groups used in nursing?
Focus group interviews were used to identify everyday language and constructs used by nurses, with the intention of incorporating the findings into an instrument to measure attitudes and beliefs quantitatively. Conclusions: Experiences of conducting focus group interviews demonstrated that smaller groups were more manageable and ...
Planning a Focus Group Discussion
This course presents a detailed overview of qualitative methods of data collection, including observation, interviews, and focus group discussions. We will start with an in-depth overview of each method, explore how to plan for data collection, including developing data collection guides, and discuss techniques for managing data collection.
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In this third week, we'll discuss moderating focus group discussions, using activities, facilitating interactions, and planning for note-taking.
