What is focused group Interview An Over ViewZulfiqar Behan

1. What is focused group
Interview
An Over View
Zulfiqar Behan

2. Content of the Presentation
1. What Is A Focus Group?
2. When Focus Groups are used?
3. Why Are Focus Groups used?
4. Types of Focus Groups
5. Use of Focus Groups in Qualitative Research
6. How to set a Focus Group
7. Steps In Focus Groups
8. Advantages of Focus Groups
9. How Focus Group technique is different with
Interview
10. Problems and issues with the Focus Groups
11. Ethical Guidelines in Focus Group
12. Logistics of Focus Group

3. What is Focus Group?
• Focus group interview is a qualitative technique for data
collection.
• A focus group is “a group comprised of individuals with
certain characteristics who focus discussions on a given
issue or topic” (Anderson, 1990, p.241)
• According to Denscombe
• (2007, p.115), “focus group consists of a small group
of people, usually between eight to twelve in number,
who are brought together by a trained moderator (the
researcher) to
• explore attitudes and perceptions, feelings and ideas
about a topic”.
• In 1950s, first time the market researchers began to use
Focus Group technique to collect more accurate
information about the consumer product preferences.
(Anderson, 1990).

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• Focus group interview aims at collecting high-
quality data in a social context (Patton, 2002),
which primarily help understand a specific
problem from the viewpoint of
the participants of research (Khan &
Manderson, 1992).

5. When Focus Groups are used?
• Focus group interview aims at collecting high-
quality data in a social context (Patton, 2002),
which primarily help understand a specific
problem from the viewpoint of the participants of
research (Khan & Manderson, 1992).
• Focus group provides “a rich and detailed set of
data about perceptions, thoughts, feelings and
impressions of people in their own words”
(Stewart & Shamdasani, 1990, p.140).

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• Secondly, focus groups are predominantly
beneficial when a researcher intends to find out
the people‘s understanding and experiences about
the issue and reasons behind their particular
pattern of thinking. (Kitzinger, 1995).
• Thirdly, this method is suitable for examining
sensitive issues e.g. AIDS and for getting
information from very sensitive population.

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• Fourthly, use of focus groups is common to give
opportunity to marginalized segments of society
e.g. minorities, women etc. for exposing their
feelings about their needs and problems.
While
• Morgan and Krueger (1993) emphasize that use
of focus group is undesirable when
• a group discussion is inappropriate,
• the subjects face problem in speaking about the
topic quantitative data is needed.

8. Why Are Focus Groups used?
• Researchers undertaking pedagogic research
might decide to use focus groups:
• To know about Participants experiences of a
particular teaching and/or assessment method;
• To generate ideas among a group of staff for the
purposes of curriculum development;
• To find out how a new policy will be received by
staff and/or students in order to devise
appropriate means of implementation.

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• Kneale (2002) used focus groups to explore
student experiences of Personal Development
Plans,
• Fuller et al. (2003) used Nominal Group
Technique (a more structured and narrow
version of focus-group methodology) to
explore student experiences of fieldwork.

10. When and why are focus groups used?
• When there is a new curriculum/instructional
methodology to be launched.
• When depth of opinion is more important.
• When a written survey cannot bring out the
necessary insights.
• When a larger amount of information is needed in
a short span of time.
• When everyday language and culture of common
people is of interest and this cannot be explored by
professionals.

11. Types of Focus Groups
• There are various types of focus groups, among
them given types of more famous and useful:
• Two-Way
One group watches another group answer the
questions posed by the moderator. By listening to
what the other group thinks and says, the group
that listens are able to facilitate more discussion
and potentially draw different conclusions.
•

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• Dual-Moderator
• Two moderators are present, one which ensures the
focus group session progresses smoothly and one
that makes sure that the topics in question are all
covered. Dual-moderator focus groups typically
result in a more productive session.
• Dueling-Moderator
There are two moderators who play devil’s
advocate. The purpose of the dueling-moderator
focus group is to facilitate new ideas by
introducing new ways of thinking and varying
viewpoints.

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• Respondent-Moderator
• One or more of the participants in the focus group
takes the lead as moderator. This is done to
change the dynamics of the group and generate
more varied responses.
• Mini Focus Group
A focus group that consists of fewer participants
– usually four or five. A mini focus group creates
a more intimate group.

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• Online Focus Group
• Participants respond and share information
through online means. Online focus groups are
done to reach a broader range of participants.

15. Use of Focus Groups in Qualitative Research
• Use of Focus Group as A Method
• As Self-contained Method: In this situation, the main
function of Focus Group discussion is to act as chief
source of data collection.
• As Supplementary Source of Data: Focus Group
discussion may be used to generate survey questionnaires,
to develop a program or intervention or to validate the
findings of quantitative research.
• Use in Multi-method Studies: Focus Group discussion
may be used effectively when several approaches such as
in-depth interviews, participant observation are used to
collect data. This is also known as triangulation.

16. How to set a Focus Group
• Suitable timing, interest and relevant topic
knowledge of the participants is necessary.
• Categorize the participants by the purpose of
study.
• Groups should be homogenous and comprise
between four and six people in each.
• Convenient Location for the participants is an
important consideration.
• Gather the necessary equipment/logistics
(oval/round tables promote discussion, tape
recorder, Table microphone etc).
• Focus groups participants often need leaflets, or
flash cards for new ideas or progression.

17. Steps In Focus Groups
• Planning the Focus Group
• The Moderator must be clear about the objectives
of the focus group. The participants should be
informed in advance about the topic and objectives
of the activity. It is important to select the suitable
class of the persons for the focus group.
• The time and interference free location of the
meeting should be decided keeping in view the
convenience of the participants.
• Deciding what and how many questions are to be
asked is very important for every interview. The
questions may have both content and process
functions.

18. Continue• Anderson (1990) gives some guidelines for
• constructing the questions for focus groups:
• i. Focus questions are always open ended,
• ii. Questions must be of “qualitative nature” and
quantifiers e.g. as how much may be avoided.
• iii. Avoid questions that have a possible ‘yes’ or ‘no’
answers,
• iv. Use of directive approach is avoided to know the
reasons behind a particular reaction of the participant`.
Thus ‘why’ question is not generally asked.
• v. Large number of questions may be outlined through
brainstorming, and then may be reduced to questions as
desired.
• vi. The question should be sequenced in a natural flow.

19. Characteristics of Focus Group Interview
• The three distinctive characteristics of focus groups,
identified by Denscombe (2007), are as follows:
• i. Prompt: The sessions usually revolve around a
prompt, activate, some stimulus introduced by the
moderator in order to focus the discussion.
• ii. Moderator-not a Neutral Person: There is less
emphasis on the moderator to adopt a neutral role in
the proceedings than is normally the case with other
interview techniques.
• iii. Interaction within the Group: Interaction between
group members is given a particular value rather
than just gathering opinions of people.

20. Advantages of Focus Groups
• Participants are encouraged to interact with each
other and not merely respond to the moderator.
• Rich source of data for qualitative research.
• Allow to use ideas of others as cues to express their
own views.
• Able to reach many participants once.
• Gives deeper understanding, and new insights
• It generates opportunity to collect data from the
group interaction, which concentrates on the topic.
• Data has high face validity.
• Data is collected on low cost.

21. Problems and issues with the Focus Group
• If the moderator is not experienced enough, it is
very easy for the whole discussion to be
dominated by a few people.
• It is not based on a natural atmosphere.
• It is not possible to know if the interaction in
group he/she contemplates.
• The data analyses are more difficult to be done.
• It demands interviewers carefully trained.
• It takes efforts to assemble the groups.

22. Ethical Guidelines in Focus Group
• Some golden rules for overcoming common ethical
issues are:
• . Put your interviewee at ease.
• . Assure confidentiality.
• . Establish positive understanding among the participants.
• . Explain the interview format and the sequence of topics.
• . If necessary to make notes, explain why.
• . Provide supplementary exploration; prompts.
• . Avoid bias.
• . Avoid piling questions on top of each other (confuses).
• . Keep pace up and stick to time.
• . Be ready with further advice.

23. Logistics of Focus Group
• Note pads, Pencils and Markers
• Laptop with data projector
• Flip chart
• Focus Group script
• List of the Participants
• Marking Tap
• Name tags
• Watch
• Refreshments

24. Thank You