What types of research questions are most appropriate for a focus group methodology?
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Focus groups are group discussions conducted with the participation of 7 to 12 people to capture their experiences and views regarding specific issues closely related to research question(s). Focus groups data collection method is most suitable for types of studies where multiple perspectives needed to be obtained regarding the same problem. Focus groups
are led by a moderator who is responsible to ensure that group discussions remain focused on the research area. Advantages of focus groups include the possibility of obtaining primary data through non-verbal channels, as well as, verbal channels and approaching the research area from various perspectives. As is it is the case with any other research method, focus gropes have some
disadvantages as well. Group discussions may be heavily influenced by one or two dominant individuals in the group. Also, some members of focus group may be discouraged from participating in discussions due to lack of confidence or not articulate communication skills. Moreover, the nature of primary data obtained through focus groups are greatly influenced by environmental factors such as design of the room, room temperature, time of the day, etc. It is important to understand that
data collection and data analysis using focus groups is much more difficult compared to questionnaires and interviews. You have to make sure that you fully understand these difficulties before making a final choice of primary data collection method. However, this is not to say that you should not use focus group to collect primary data for your dissertation. My e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Writing a
Dissertation in Business Studies: a step by step assistance offers practical assistance to complete a dissertation with minimum or no stress. The e-book covers all stages of writing a dissertation starting from the selection of the research area to submitting the completed version of the work before the deadline. John Dudovskiy
Focus GroupA focus group is a qualitative research method in which a trained moderator conducts a collective interview of typically six to eight participants from similar backgrounds, similar demographic characteristics, or both. Focus groups create open lines of communication across individuals and rely on the dynamic interaction between participants to yield data that would be impossible to gather via other approaches, such as one-on-one interviewing. When done well, focus groups offer powerful insights into people's feelings and thoughts and thus a more detailed, nuanced, and richer understanding of their perspectives on ideas, products, and policies. This entry begins by describing the historical background of focus groups. The entry then discusses issues that researchers might consider in choosing to use focus groups, including their strengths and limitations. Next, ... locked icon Sign in to access this contentSign in Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL
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Focus GroupsThe focus group is a qualitative research methodology employed to gain rich insight into attitudes and behaviors. Researchers are better equipped to understand and meaningfully explain certain communication phenomena with descriptive data. The term focus group stems from interviewing a purposeful sample, ideally six to eight participants, and focuses on a preselected centralized topic. The focus group method is gaining recognition in the field of communication and is used to comprehend health and organizational communication issues, as well as media effects on consumers. This entry discusses how to effectively implement the focus group method. It considers what occurs prior to and during the focus group and possible weaknesses of the methodology. First, this entry offers a general description of the focus group and ... locked icon Sign in to access this contentSign in Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL
sign up today! What type of questions are used in focus groups?❑ There are three types of focus group questions:. Engagement questions: introduce participants to and make.. them comfortable with the topic of discussion.. Exploration questions: get to the meat of the discussion.. Exit question: check to see if anything was missed in the.. discussion.. AN EXAMPLE.. What methodology is commonly used by focus groups?Focus groups are a qualitative data collection method, meaning that the data is descriptive and cannot be measured numerically.
For what type of research design are focus groups most useful?Focus groups can be useful in action research methodology and other study designs which seek to empower research participants. Focus groups are also useful in multimethod studies utilising different forms of data collection.
Why are focus groups an ideal research method for this research question?These groups possess a distinct advantage over other market research methods. They capitalize on the moderator's communication with participants and the flexibility to move the discussion. It allows you to extract meaningful insights and opinions.
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