Focus Group Discussions

There are times when the research question may be at a stage when qualitative research may be more suitable than a quantitative survey. For example, policy makers can identify an important issue or program, but are unsure how it is viewed by affected citizens.

Focus groups provides the opportunity to hear the in-depth attitudes and perceptions of individuals in a group setting in order to gauge the intensity of feeling. The research team can also learn the language people use to communicate information about the issue. Listening to how people talk provides an opportunity to craft messages that are guided by the actual rhetoric used by those who the themes are targeted to reach and gives these messages added credibility.

Focus group discussions generally last 90 minutes to two hours and include 10-12 participants. Participants are generally recruited by telephone and screened using a short questionnaire to make sure they are the appropriate people to include in the discussion. A minimum of two group discussions are usually held so a comparison can be made and the researcher can identify recurring themes.