Employing Focus Groups in Social Science Research

Focus group research is a method of collecting qualitative data by engaging a small number of people in an informal group discussion or discussions that focus around a particular topic or set of issues. Social science researchers often employ focus groups to gather data from multiple individuals simultaneously. Unlike group interviewing in which a number of people are simultaneously interviewed, focus groups are employed for interacting within the group based on the topics given by the researcher. Hence, the insight and data produced by the interaction of participants in focus groups would be different from those obtained through group interviews.

Improving the Reliability of Retrieved Data

You can utilize the following tips to overcome the limitations of focus groups and enhance confidence in the data gathered from this source.

Perform multiple focus group discussions from multiple sites

Take account of other data sources including quantitative and demographic data

Create interview guides using nondirective questions and let moderators review them before conducting focus groups

Provide training to the moderators to guide the discussion and encourage deeper conversations

Employ multiple researchers in the same group in order to prevent biased and misleading notions and take notes including notes regarding nonverbal behavior

Debrief with the research team once the focus group is over, regarding any potential problem that may hamper data analysis (for example, dominated conversations)

Make sure that you have a stable group of people if you conduct focus groups more than once.

Data Analysis and Focus Group Transcription

Analysis is critical for all qualitative data and it is applicable to focus group data as well. Most of researchers use actual text of what participants stated in focus groups for their analyses. However, the researchers are required to follow an analytical approach that helps them to identify and eliminate any confounding influence before making final conclusions. Multiple types of data collected during focus group discussion such as audio/video recordings of research participants, notes taken by the moderator and assistant moderator and information recalled by the moderator and assistant moderator. Even though all these data can be analyzed, the amount of time and rigor taken for approaches used are different. Here are approaches taken by researchers for focus group data analysis.

Transcript-based Analysis – This involves the transcription of audio and video recordings and will results in lots of pages of text per focus group meeting. The transcribed data thus obtained can be analyzed alongside field notes of moderator and assistant moderator and any notes constructed from the debriefing of members with the debriefing team. This data analysis approach is the most rigorous and time-intensive among others.

Tape-based Analysis – In this approach, researchers listen to the recordings of focus groups and create an abridged transcript for analysis instead of full transcript in the case of transcript-based analysis. This approach is indeed helpful as the researchers can focus on the research question and transcribe only those portions that assist in better understanding regarding the matter of interest.

Notes-based Analysis – This type of approach includes analysis of notes constructed during a focus group session, debriefing session and any summary comments by the moderator or assistant moderator.

Memory-based Analysis – Being the least rigorous approach, memory-based analysis involves moderator recalling what happened during the focus group and presenting it to stakeholders. The focus group researcher or moderator should be well-experienced to follow this approach.

Transcript-based analysis is the most effective one among the approaches, if the researcher is not that experienced. This will allow researchers to analyze each and everything such as participants’ opinions, thoughts, ideas, attitudes and body language (if there is video recording) along with the notes and debriefing. The recording should be transcribed as soon as possible after the focus group. If the researchers transcribe the focus group recordings by themselves, they can consider the transcription as the first-level analysis. However, if you think it will take too much time and won’t be completed before the deadline, you could consider obtaining professional transcription services and save considerable time and effort.

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