Qualitative Methods, Focus Group Interviewing, Topic 7

FOCUS GROUP Interviewing
Qualitative Research Methods

Topic 7
Villa College
24 May 2014
Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

3/13/2015
Methods
Selecting the Group
Unrelated individuals or related individuals

Why do some emphasize on including
unrelated individuals?
Purposive sampling
Participants would have something to say
about the topic
Applicability the topic is applicable to
participants
3/13/2015
Methods
Selecting the Group
Limit the group size ( 8 t0 10 max)

Easier to manage
Reduce group think and formation of sub-
groups
Reduce dominance of few individuals

3/13/2015
Methods
Purposes of Focus Group
Interviews
Exploratory
Developing a better understanding of the
topic
Developing emerging questions
Developing ideas, themes or issues on a
topic
In combination with interviews as a kind of
validity check or member checking
3/13/2015
Methods
Purposes of Focus Groups
Preparatory
Test readability of survey instruments or
questionnaires (pilot study)
codes

3/13/2015
Methods
Purposes of Focus Groups
Enhancing Triangulation and Rigor

Additional methodological rigor
Opinion from larger number of subjects
Further clarification of concepts,
themes and

3/13/2015
Methods
Purposes of Focus Group
Interviews
Application purposes
Marketing
Programme development
Evaluation of programmes

3/13/2015
Methods
Role of Moderator
Making the participants feel welcomed and relaxed

Provide guidelines for the group discussion
Draw out the feelings and opinions of the
participants
Keep the participants on track, on the topic

3/13/2015
Methods
Role of Moderator
Passive Interviewer/Moderator
Interviewer-Observer only asks enough

questions and probes to generate discussion
(applicable for exploratory purposes)

3/13/2015
Methods
Role of Moderator
Directive or Active Moderator/Interviewer
Active and Empathetic
Control over direction of interview and keep

the group on track (applicable for more
formal settings)
3/13/2015
Methods
Focus Group Setting
Formal setting
Pre-arranged and structured.
Conducted often in market research
Audio and video recorded sometimes

3/13/2015
Methods
Focus Group Setting
Informal Setting
Example street corner, restaurants or office

canteen, open area within the setting
A place where naturally people gather
Less structured
3/13/2015
Methods
Face-to-Face Interview
versus Focus Group Interviews
Give-and-take nature of interaction leads to

spontaneous responses
Responses and meanings could be socially

constructed rather than individually created
The responses may be more extreme than in

face-to-face interviews
3/13/2015
Methods
Important Considerations
in Planning Focus Groups
Conduct group interviews only when you can

justify the use of it for data collection, based on
the purpose of the study?
The facilitator or moderator must be very clear

about what she or he is interested in examining
Be clear about the purpose of group interview

3/13/2015
Methods
Important Considerations
in Planning Focus Groups
Be realistic about how many questions to ask,

and how long to continue the group interview
Be cognizant of the influence of the

moderator on the group. Be flexible to make
changes if moderators input is too much or
too little
3/13/2015
Methods
Conducting Focus Group Interviews
Provide a good introduction of each other,

purpose of the group, topic of discussion,
questions, and guidelines to follow
Encourage everyone to speak, even when

opinions differ
Explain reasons for recording devices

3/13/2015
Methods
Conducting Focus Groups
Begin with a short discussion, followed by

questions from moderator
Questions could be written, as in semi-structured

interviews (experience moderators may not use
such guides)
Plan intentional probes that could be used in the

event of not sufficient responses
3/13/2015
Methods
Conducting Focus Groups
Activities such as using pictures to stimulate

conversation, storytelling, and role-playing
can be used.
Such activities could be useful when having to

explore sensitive matters
A separate record keeper and a moderator

can be used
3/13/2015
Methods
Recoding and Gathering
Focus Group Data
During the data collection, begin by

making reflective notes
Keep a separate set of notes for each

focus group

3/13/2015
Methods
Recording and Gathering
Focus Group Data
An observer should take field notes of aspects

such as facial expressions, head shakes and side
comments (interaction cues)
Record the session and create transcripts.
Transcripts and observer notes provide the data

3/13/2015
Methods
Recording ad Gathering
Focus Group Data
Familiarize with the data:
- listening to tapes
- reading the transcripts, observational notes taken during

interview.
- Review summary notes written immediately after the focus

group interview
Emergent themes will appear

3/13/2015
Methods
Recording and Gathering
Focus Group Data
When conducting analysis of focus group data,

look for
Consensus points of agreement within the

group. Ideas that were unchallenged
Ideas that group could not come to compromise
Points that suddenly unites members.

3/13/2015
Methods

Qualitative Methods, Focus Group Interviewing, Topic 7

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FOCUS GROUP Interviewing

Qualitative Research Methods

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Unrelated individuals or related individuals

Limit the group size ( 8 t0 10 max)

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Enhancing Triangulation and Rigor

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Making the participants feel welcomed and relaxed

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Interviewer-Observer only asks enough

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Directive or Active Moderator/Interviewer

Active and Empathetic

Control over direction of interview and keep

Pre-arranged and structured.

Conducted often in market research

Audio and video recorded sometimes

Example street corner, restaurants or office

A place where naturally people gather

Give-and-take nature of interaction leads to

Responses and meanings could be socially

The responses may be more extreme than in

Conduct group interviews only when you can

The facilitator or moderator must be very clear

Be clear about the purpose of group interview

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

Be realistic about how many questions to ask,

Be cognizant of the influence of the

Provide a good introduction of each other,

Encourage everyone to speak, even when

Explain reasons for recording devices

Begin with a short discussion, followed by

Questions could be written, as in semi-structured

Plan intentional probes that could be used in the

Activities such as using pictures to stimulate

Such activities could be useful when having to

A separate record keeper and a moderator

During the data collection, begin by

Keep a separate set of notes for each

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

An observer should take field notes of aspects

Record the session and create transcripts.

Transcripts and observer notes provide the data

Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Villa College, Qualitative Research

- reading the transcripts, observational notes taken during

- Review summary notes written immediately after the focus

Emergent themes will appear

When conducting analysis of focus group data,

Consensus points of agreement within the

Ideas that group could not come to compromise

Points that suddenly unites members.

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