Employing Focus Groups in Social Science Research

Focus groups help to collect data from multiple individuals quickly while focus group

transcription makes the data analysis efficient.

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.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Here is a detailed look of advantages and disadvantages of using focus groups for social

science research.

Pros

>> Interaction among the participants within the group creates rich answers to questions. If the group dynamics works well and participants work along with the researchers, it will take your social science research in a new direction

>> Research participants can have a more relaxed atmosphere with this type of conversation setting so that they will be more comfortable and provide truthful answers. They can explore and clarify their views in ways that are less accessible in one-to-one interviews.

>> Group processes help researchers access many different forms of communication people use in day-to-day interaction such as jokes, anecdotes, teasing, and arguing. This is quite useful as participants knowledge and attitudes are not entirely concealed in reasoned responses to direct questions.

Cons

>> Sensitive issues or topics may spoil the discussion. Either people behave aggressively and hamper views from emerging or they are too shy to reveal their opinions.

>> Focus groups tend to become influenced by one or two dominant participants when a

contribution is not strongly challenged by other participants. The dominant viewpoint

thus emerging will outshine other opinions, which could confound gathered data.

>> External validity or generalization to larger populations is another shortcoming for

focus groups since the participants are usually small in number and purposively selected.

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 wont be completed

before the deadline, you could consider obtaining professional transcription services and

save considerable time and effort.