Fgds are used in studies that aim to understand healthrelated issues in a particular social, cultural. The book provides readers with guidance on specific. Figure 1 provides a template to guide the development of a question route for focus group enquiry using an example of exploring recovery from traumatic injury. One person is the facilitator and the other is the note taker.
Conducting a focus group is simply a matter of asking the questions and recording the responses to those questions. Focus group discussion is a form of qualitative research method in which the interviewer also called the moderator asks research participants specific questions about a topic or an issue in a group discussion. If you have conducted focus groups or interviews, it is often appropriate to provide a brief descriptive e. Discussion rubric examples northwestern university. The focus group has become increasingly popular as a tool for social and market research across a wide range of sectors. It provides detailed guidance on the practical and theoretical considerations in conducting focus group discussions. The techniques for conducting them have since been developed by. An investigation of community responses to literature on environmental. Focus group method focus groups are a qualitative method of research. The key success factors in focus group discussions with the. A focus group could be formed of a group of care providers or of a group of patients who provide their opinions regarding a number of different treatments or types of care provision. The womens participation in the focus group was voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. A focus group discussion is a qualitative data collection method that engages 6 to 12 peoplewith shared characteristics pertinent to the specific discussion topicand is led by a trained facilitator. Depending on the research objective, the focus group can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods.
Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses. Focus groups are led by an experienced and welltrained discussion leader or moderator who follows a guide with topics, questions, probes, and target. Precincts and prospects in the use of focus groups in. For example, a n o r ganization is planning a major re s t ru c t u r i n g. They can be used to understand peoples beliefs, opinions and attitudes about the topic of inter. They are used to find out the perceptions and attitudes of a defined group of people. There are many definitions of a focus group in the literature, but features like organised discussion. This paper describes the methods and results of a pilot study conducted using four focus group interviews of faculty experienced in teaching using asynchronous learning networks aln at one university, and a single focus group at a second university in order to explore generalizability. Journal writing is something we have to learn on our own. Two focus group discussions were organized on relationship between stress, domestic violence, and health. After the focus group, the women were provided a gift card to thank. Once the focus group discussions have been transcribed, analysis can begin. Wheeler, in the social validity manual second edition, 2019 focus groups.
Although focus groups can be highly structured, we recommend a semi semistructured approach, so a list of proforma questions will guide rather than rigidly structure the focus group. The literature on focus group interviews with adult participants is extensive, but there are no current. The moderator should begin by explaining the purpose of the group and what is expected of the group. Evaluating the efficacy of focus group discussion fgd in. Focus group interviewing richard krueger 4 beginning the focus group discussion the first few moments in focus group discussion are critical.
Wherever possible, there should be a focus group team. Explain the ground rules for the focus group discussion. The collection of beneficiary feedback obtained through focus group discussions fgds. The shared characteristics may relate to a particular problem, livelihoods occupation, age, social group, place of residence, experience of adopting or. How to conduct a focus group discussion fgd swiss tph. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules, and set the tone of the discussion. Literature focus groups a ord opportunities to observe group press ures on an individual, and that. Discussion postings are at midpoint or later in the module or contributions are only posted on the last day of the module.
If that happens, you may need to teach some strategies for using questions as a focus for real conversation click here to learn more about teaching students the art of discussion. The first, an independent consultant whose background is in education and special education, led the discussion group as a layperson. There are no guidelines for best practice for the application of the technique in conserva tion literature. Purpose guide this guide is designed to provide you with an overview of the steps required to conduct a focus group discussion fgd including the resources required, and instructions about what. It would be desirable to have three separate focus groupsunion members, nonunion. The synergistic effect that occurs in a focus group discussion as members. Direct quotation and paraphrasing of data from focus groups, interviews, or historical artifacts then are used to support the generalizations made. Focus groups, unlike individual interviews, provide the added dimension of the interactions among members. The critical appraisal of focus group research articles e vermeire, p van royen, f griffiths, s coenen, l peremans, k hendrickx background. The focus group technique is a type of qualitative research methodology, generally defined as a structured discussion with a small group of people, run by a facilitator or using a moderating team, to generate. Preparing for discussion literature circles resource center. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the usefulness of focus group discussions fgds in family and consumer sciences research.
As such, the focus group method is sometimes referred to as a focus group interview, a group interview, or a group depth interview. The focus group method was chosen as it has characteristics that are similar to spontaneous and informal discussions that take place in everyday life which allows the researchers to understand the everyday experience of unemployment. It can negatively impact the discussion if the facilitator is stopping to write things down. Clark t he following conversation recently took place in a fourthgrade classroom during a small group, peerled literature discussion. When data collection methods have been compared with adult participants, interviews have been reported to be the most useful method for raising more ideas in some studies 2426 although others conclude that concepts are more likely to be raised during focus groups 27. A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data in. Two groups composed of six members each were constituted to dilate on the issue. The focus group discussion fgd, which is also referred to as group interviewing, is essentially a qualitative. Often a re s e a r ch project will use diff e re n t g r oups to get differing views.
The women participated in a group session that lasted one and a half hours and then filled out a survey on basic demographic information appendix a during the last 15 minutes. Participants within a focus group may respond very differently to a topic. Their responses were noted in the focus groups discussion. Focusing literature discussion groups on comprehension. Focus group discussions can be applied at any stage of the project or programme. The most recent definition of a focus group was provided by carey and asbury 2016 who states that research based on focus groups has traditionally been understood as a way of collecting good and detailed data, which essentially implies involving small numbers of people in informal group discussions, focussed on a specific subject or.
Authors type of article purpose key contentfindings oconnor and murphy 15 discussion paper to describe how a novice researcher can conduct a focus group interview. Free and open discussion among the respondents results in generation of new ideas that can be very useful for decisionmaking. Focus groups are a special type of group discussion, first used by merton merton et al. Group discussions are very common in the user re q u i r ement stage of product development. Today researchers have a variety of choices in analyzing focus group data, and these generally fall into two basic categories. Originalityvalue focus group discussions with the elderly are complex and challenging for novice researchers. Rather than having the direction of the discussion wholly determined by the moderator, a wellconducted focus group allows. The aim of the question structure is to first introduce the discussion with a simple introductory question that would stimulate group discussion morgan 1995, krueger 1998. The critical appraisal of focus group research articles. Focus group discussion in qualitative research new delhi. This book addresses the challenges associated with conducting and writing focus group research. Rarely have the studies provided any information on the rationale for choosing the technique. A focus group discussion fgd is a method for collecting qualitative data that gathers community individuals together to discuss a specific topic. The stu dents were discussing roberto innocentis historical fiction picture book rose blanche, a story of a.
A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data. Pdf focus group discussion in built environment qualitative. A topic related to gender equity, for example, may provoke intense discussion among. To complete this the project prepared questions, guidelines and notes which were piloted in south sudan oxfam gb. Focus group, qualitative research, group interview, data collection. Facilitators two facilitators were present for the group discussion.
Pdf self reflection of focus groups as an appropriate. Thirteen semistructured focus group interviews involving unemployed people were carried out. There is dearth of literature on the evaluation of social research. Focusing literature discussion groups on comprehension strategies jennifer i. Planning having identified the purpose of the study, we began to design the process.
Focus group discussion 2 instructions for submission conduct a focus group about a specific topic of interest to you e. Return to top postit notes the best though unintentional invention for literature circles is the postit note. Focus group discussions are frequently used to obtain perspectives and attitudes of people about issues, seek explanations for behavior, triangulate data obtained through other qualitative methods. According to 18, focus group discussion is a qualitative method of collecting systematic data and information and facilitated by a professional on a specific problem that is very specific. May 27, 2019 introduction focus group discussion fgd involves gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a specific topic of interest. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. Research or literature related to focus group discussions key success factors in focus group for new researchers 363. However, there are some tips for facilitating highquality focus groups. In general, the focus group discussions gave useful insights regarding peoples perceptions, concerns, and attitudes towards their health and the current state of health care in kiev. Traditionally, focus group research is a way of collecting qualitative data, whichessentially involves engaging a small number of people in an informal group discussion or discussions, focused around a particular topic or set of issues wilkinson, 2004, p. The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. A practical guide for applied research, a text by krueger and casey 2000. Focus group discussions are facilitated discussions, held with a small group of people who have specialist knowledge or interest in a particular topic. The focus group method is a technique of group interview that generates data through the opinions expressed by participants.
This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is of prior importance to this methodology. Depending on the research objective, the focus group can. Understanding focus group discussions oxford scholarship. It is a form of qualitative research where questions are asked about their perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or ideas.
The advantages of focus group discussion are as follows. A total of four focus group discussions were held throughout the study to maintain a high degree of ownership from the gop and other stakeholders. Focus group discussion relies on facilitators or moderators to guide the group s discussion berg, 1989. First, we briefly describe thefgdmethodology in terms of question development, group composition and recruitment, interview protocol and logistics, and data analysis. What is focus group discussion fgd a focus group discussion involves gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a. Group discussionsfocus groups sage research methods. The first focus group discussion was held to identify and obtain consensus on issues and. They take the form of indepth discussions with groups of about eight to twelve participants, lasting from one to two hours. Focus group guide for workplace safety, health and wellbeing. The shared characteristics may relate to a particular problem, livelihoods occupation, age, social group, place of residence, experience of.
It allows the researcher to increase the size of the sample of the qualitative studies. The first, an independent consultant whose background is in education and special education, led the discussion group as. It is necessary that a novice researcher in the nursing field builds up the skills of a moderator in conducting focus group interviews if he or she wishes to obtain rigorous data. This means that you simultaneously interview at least three but less than a dozen persons about the topic, and spend at least 15 minutes. Earlier into the focus group discussion it led to a wider conversation off topic about. The key success factors in focus group discussions with. The focus group fg has been actually employed by marketing, and is becoming importanct also in other areas.
Powell and single 1996 define a focus group as a group of individuals selected and assembled by researchers to discuss and comment on, from personal experience, the topic that is the subject of the research p. Those articles using focus group discussion fgd methods within the field of workplace health, stress, and coping among health professionals were included. B r a i n s t o rm i n g b r a i n s t o r ming is an essentially creative exercise, where groups of. Saldana j 2016 the coding manual for qualitative r. Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. International journal of qualitative methods volume 18. We relied mainly on what is generally thought to be the bible of focus group research, focus groups. Focus group discussions are becoming an increasingly popular methodology in primary health care research.
This was followed up with a oneonone qualitative interview with the same respondents. A focus group discussion is a qualitative data collection method that engages 6 to 12. This method serves to solicit participants attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and. Three focus groups were conducted in april 2012 led. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data. Summary of focus group discussions of donor screening. Because focus groups are a variety of qualitative research, the. Gap analysis in emergency water, sanitation and hygiene promotion. When looking at the literature that discusses focus groups, its clear that there are definitive rules as can be seen in the online pdf guidelines for conducting a focus group 2005 published by eliot and associates that work within focus group studies. The moderator can bring any changes in order to better facilitate the discussion during the group discussion. Fern 1982 also defines focus groups as small group discussions, addressing a specific topic, which usually involves six to 12 participants, either matched or varied on specific characteristics of interest to the researcher. A focus group is a semistructured group interview with a small number of. Questions are openended, with the aim of stimulating an informal discussion with participants.
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