Research seminar for Educational Sciences, Lecture 9 by prof. Dr. Chang Zhu

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Research Seminar for
Educational Sciences
Prof. Dr. Chang Zhu
Department of Educational Sciences
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Focus Groups

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Focus Groups
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKCkV-
HuHWU
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Focus Groups
A focus group is a small group discussion
guided by a trained leader/moderator, used
to learn more about opinions on a
designated topic, and then guide future
action.

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A Focus Group Is . . .
What
• A carefully planned discussion
• To obtain perceptions of
• a defined interest area
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A Focus Group Is . . .
Where
• In a permissive,
non-threatening environment
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A Focus Group Is . . .
Who
• A group of people (7-10,
8-12, 5-10)
• With common
characteristics relating
to a discussion topic
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A Focus Group Is . . .
How
• Conducted by a trained interviewer (moderator,
facilitator).
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A Focus Group Is . . .
• How many
• “Theoretical saturation”
– Same ideas repeating
– Improves validity
• Practical concerns
– Cost
– Time
– Available participants
Recommendation: Plan for min. 3
focus groups
A Focus Group Is . . .
How long
• 60-150 minutes
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Selecting Participants
• Each group of participants are similar
• General selection rules:
– Set specification
– Maintain control of the selection process
– Use the resources of the sponsoring organization in
recruiting
– Beware of bias
– Develop a pool of eligible participants and then
randomly select
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When focus groups?
• When considering introducing a new
program or service
• When the main concern is depth of
opinion
• When you want to ask questions that
can’t easily be asked or answered in a
written survey

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How are focus groups different
from regular “groups”?
• They are focused on a specific topic
• They have a trained facilitator
• Members of the group are encouraged to talk
openly about their opinions and respond to
other members
Moderator Skills
• Is mentally prepared
• Selects appropriate location
• Records the discussion
• Uses purposeful small talk
• Has a smooth & snappy introduction
• Uses pauses and probes
• Uses subtle group control
• Controls reactions to participants
• Uses an assistant moderator
• Uses appropriate conclusion
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Assistant Moderator
• Equipment
• Refreshments
• Room arrangement
• Greeting
• Taking notes
• Tape recording
• Oral summary
• Incentives
• Debriefing w/moderator
• Feedback on analysis
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Beginning the Focus Group
Discussion
• The first few moments in focus group
discussion are critical.
– Create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere
– Provide the ground rules
– Set the tone
• Recommended introduction pattern:
– Welcome
– Overview and topic
– Ground rules
– First question16

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Asking Questions
• Ask questions that yield powerful
• Information
• Use open-ended questions
• Avoid dichotomous questions
• Use "think back" questions
• Carefully prepare focus questions
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Ending Questions
• Summary question
"Is this an adequate summary?“
• Reflection question
Ask participants to reflect on the entire discussion
and then offer their positions or opinions
• Final question
"Have we missed anything?

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Types and Sequence of
Questions
Opening – brief, factual, everyone answers,
establishes common ground
Introductory – introduces topic, open-ended,
helps participants connect to topic
Transition – bridge fm intro to key questions
Key (2-5) – focus of the study & analysis
Ending – summarizes or highlights most
important points or looks for gaps
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Characteristics of FG
Questions
Questions SHOULD be…
• Open-ended
• Focused in scope
• Conversational
• Clear (not ambiguous)
• Uni-dimensional (i.e.
1 question=1 idea)
• Presented in context
Questns should NOT be…
• Closed-ended
– dichotomous: yes/no
– how much/to what extent
• Why did you…? (instead
ask for influence or attribute)
• Multi-dimensional (e.g.
– two adjectives
– multiple phrases
• Long or contain jargon
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Managing the Discussion
• Explicitly encourage differing points of
view
• Moderating techniques
– Pause: wait 5 seconds after a comment
– Probe: most useful early in session
• Would you explain further?
• Would you give me an example of what you
mean?
• Would you say more?
• Is there anything else?
• Please describe what you mean.
Analyzing Focus Group
Results
Good analysis takes
time, discipline
and skill!
• Principles
• Alternative strategies
• Procedures

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Begin Analysis Immediately
• Schedule FGs carefully
(max: 2/day)
• During session
– take good notes
– use summary end
question
• Right after session
– tape record debriefing
• Within 1-2 days
– use tape to complete
notes
– label & file everything2
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Systematic Analysis Process
• Start while still in the group
• Immediately after the focus group
• Soon after the focus group--within hours
analyze individual focus group
• Later--within days analyze the series of focus
groups
• Finally, prepare the report
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Data Analysis
• Driven by underlying research question
• Qualitative
– Interpretive, constrained by context
– Topics – linked to group guidelines
• Steps
– Mechanical – organizing, subdividing
– Interpretive – developing subdivisions (code mapping),
search for patterns within subdivisions, drawing
meaningful conclusions
– Software: e.g., Atlas.ti; The Ethnograph; …..
• Reliability
– Repeated review of data
– Independent analysis by > two experienced analysts
Focus Group Analysis Tips
When analyzing focus group data, consider…
• Words
• Context
• Internal consistency
• Frequency or extensiveness of comments
• Intensity of the comments
• Specificity of responses
• Find the big ideas
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Principles: FG Analysis Should
Be...
• Systematic: follow procedures
• Verifiable: another person could repeat it
• Focused: concentrate on key questions
• Practical: appropriate to info. needed
• Open: seek alternative explanations
• Vetted: incorporate feedback from others
• Prompt: analysis is hurt by delay
Considerations in the Analysis
• Actual words used
• Context of the responses
• Internal consistency
• Strength of the comments
– Frequency
– Extensiveness
– Specificity
Don’t forget: Find the big ideas!!!

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Results
• Qualitative:
– Themes, Issues, Concerns
– Substantiating Quotes
• Quantitative:
– No. of participants who agreed or disagreed
– Frequency of themes within the group discussion
– Sample characteristics
Strengths
• Provides concentrated amounts of rich data, in
participants’ own words, on precisely the topic
of interest
• Interaction of participants adds richness to the
data that may be missed in individual
interviews
• Provides critical information in development
of hypotheses or interpretation of quantitative
data

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Limitations
• Small number of participants
• Limited generalizability
• Group dynamics can be a challenge
– Particularly if moderator is inexperienced
• Interpretation
– Time-consuming
– Requires experienced analysts
Conclusions
• Focus group methodology
– provides rich depth of understanding of the
phenomenon of interest
– can be used in isolation, or to complement or
supplement quantitative methods
– is as useful and as strong as its link to the
underlying research question and the rigor with
which it is applied.

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More reading….
Focus Groups: A
Practical Guide for
Applied Research
by Richard A. Krueger
Sage Publications, Inc.
2008 (4th edition)
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Software for qualitative data
analysis
• Atlas.ti
• Nvivo
• MAXQDA
• Nvivo
• The Ethnograph
• HyperQual
• HyperResearch
• HyperSoft
• Qualrus
• QUALOG
• Textbase Alpha
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Task
• Conduct a focus group interview
Assignment
• Work on your draft research proposal
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