Today’s Plan:
- Focus Groups
- Homework
Focus Groups
Today I want to spend some time exploring focus groups. Focus groups can come in one of two generic flavors–either simple question/response (more common) or activity-based (less common). The value of a focus group lies in collecting a variety of perspectives *and* recording how people react to the ideas/opinions/experiences of other people. There is something unpredictably inventive, or choric, about the kind of dynamic conversations that focus groups can prompt.
- Group size: 3-5, 6-8
- Record discussion, assistant moderator takes notes
- Generate an outline and a “script” of questions
- Welcome
- Overview of Topic
- Ground Rules
- First Question
- Sample questions / activities
- How to synthesize data
Let’s start by walking through this guide to focus groups by Richard Krueger.
Outside of academia, focus groups are generally used by marketing researchers.
You will also encounter focus groups in local journalism and political research
Homework
Your next research article.
