A focus group discussion is an interaction among one or more experts and more than one individual with the intention of gathering data. Key findings the main findings from data generated by the focus group discussions are summarized below. The discussions in the focus groups can be kept under control. Your youth group discussion should be no more than an hour and an agenda helps you to stay on time and topic. Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses. Before launching into the discussion, make sure everyone knows the rules of conduct. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an indepth understanding of social issues. Schedule the fgd at a time that is convenient for the group. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules, and set the tone of the discussion. Some of the focus groups advantages are as follows. Interview focus group complex subject matter and knowledgeable respondents, promote discussion between participants on a specific topic when interviewing one person at a time will yield the best info ex.
Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in. Focus group discussions are becoming an increasingly popular methodology in primary health care research. Focus group discussion in qualitative research new delhi. The purpose of this focus group is to obtain information about a group s belief and attitudes on female cosmetic products. Focus group interviews are a qualitative research method that consist of a carefully designed discussion which allows people to express their points of view in a group setting and provide researchers with indicators of program impact. In focus group discussion investigators interview people with common qualities or experience for eliciting ideas, thoughts and perceptions about particular subject areas or certain issues associated with an area of interest.
Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. The groups composition and the group discussion should be carefully planned to create a nonthreatening environment, so that participants feel free to talk openly and give honest. This document is available from the following website address. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. If the facilitator is anxious, this may make the participants uncomfortable and limit discussion. A focus group discussion fgd is a good way to gather together people from. Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. This is an exploratory research done through a real time focus group discussion carried on with the purpose of analysing the expert opinions of the focus group participants and generating more relevant research questions for which the study can be. It can impact focus group discussion if the facilitator is anxious because materials are missing or purchased at the last minute.
They can be used to understand peoples beliefs, opinions and attitudes about the topic of inter. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. A sample agenda is included at the end of this guide. In this case, the idea is to use a small number of exploratory groups, in an initial stage of the research, to guide the construction of the topics of the interview. Focus group interviews nurture different perceptions and points of view and are used to gather. The dynamics of the focus group can have a hugely positive influence on the quality of the research output. Guidelines for conducting focus groups the guidelines below are based on the combined recommendations of beyea, mcnamara, meyer, nicoll and sharkensimon cited on the reference page. Schneider, kerwin, frechtling, and vivari 2002 found that ftf focus group participants are more likely to discuss their opinions and insights in detail than those participating in online textonly focus groups, and moore, mckee, and mc loughlin 2015 found that lack of human interaction was the main limitation to online textonly focus groups. In addition, you are provided with the appropriate focus group forms, including the verbal consent script, which will also act as a signin sheet for the focus groups. This is because there is no designated leader in the group and the discussions are made natural. Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus group research.
Focus groups can help clarify such perplexing information. Questions are openended, with the aim of stimulating an informal discussion with participants. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population. Sometimes it takes listening to the opinions of others in a small and safe group setting before they form thoughts and opinions. Important skills that a group moderator should possess 3.
The critical appraisal of focus group research articles. How to conduct a successful focus group discussion atlan. It is used to learn more about opinions on a designated topic, and then to guide future action. Print the sheet of famous people living with mental health conditions found at the end of the guide. I will guide the conversation by asking questions that each of you can respond to. The materials that you will need for focus groups are. A focus group is a group discussion on a particular topic organised for research purposes. There are only a few basic rules to keep in mind while participating today. Planning for a focus group for third graders will be different than planning one for their parents or teachers and may. 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.
Dos and donts of a positive focus group experience 5. This discussion is guided, monitored and recorded by a researcher. Fgds are a predetermined semistructured interview led by a skilled moderator. The ideas and the opinions flow freely without any rules and the regulations to follow. We work for the urban institute, which is an independent research organization in washington, d. A focus group discussion is a qualitative data collection method that engages a group with shared characteristics, and is led by a trained facilitator. Focus groups are a way to discover demographicrelevant information through an interactive group sessions that is run by a facilitator. Focus group discussion report for the civil society.
A focus group discussion or fgd is a qualitative research method in the social sciences, with a particular emphasis and application in the developmental program evaluation sphere. Notepads and pencils flip charts or easel paper focus group script. To start a group discussion, you will want to make sure everyone is comfortable. In this chapter, i will focus on the importance of the focus group method, its history, and its benefits and pitfalls. The shared characteristics may relate to a particular problem, livelihoods occupation, age, social group, place of residence, experience of.
The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data collection technique in which a selected group of people discusses a given topic or. A focus group is a small group discussion guided by a trained leader. Focus group interviewing richard krueger 4 beginning the focus group discussion the first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. The moderator asks broad questions to elicit responses and generate discussion among. Relocation of congolese refugees in lunda norte, angola unhcr 19, july, 2017 3 breakdown by sex and age group of focus group discussion participants. The use of focus groups is a research method that is intended to collect data, through interactive. Evaluation briefs no centers for disease control and.
More people will attend, and they will be more focussed on the discussion if they dont schedule several fgds for a representation of views if the geographic scope of the research is wide. Interactive performance and focus groups with adolescents. A focus group is a conversation that focuses on specific questions in a safe and confidential environment. Many topics related to health disparities are sensitive e. Because focus groups are a variety of qualitative research, the following discussion examines qualitative analytic. This method serves to solicit participants attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and. Dvhsc conducted 12 countywide focus groups in 2017. Pengambilan data kualitatif melalui fgd dikenal luas karena kelebihannya dalam memberikan. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data collection technique in which a selected group of people discusses a given topic or issue indepth, facilitated by a professional, external moderator. Guidelines for conducting a focus group surveys assume that people know how they feel. Focus group discussions generally last from an hour and a half to. Once the focus group discussions have been transcribed, analysis can begin.
Pemahaman tentang fgd istilah kelompok diskusi terarah atau dikenal sebagai focus group discussion fgd saat ini sangat populer dan banyak digunakan sebagai metode pengumpulan data dalam penelitian sosial. Today researchers have a variety of choices in analyzing focus group data, and these generally fall into two basic categories. The focus group needs to be appropriate for the type of participants in the group. A focus group is a small, but demographically diverse group of people and whose reactions are studied especially in market research or political analysis in guided or open discussions about a new product or something else to determine the reactions that can be expected from a larger population. 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. The critical appraisal of focus group research articles e vermeire, p van royen, f griffiths, s coenen, l peremans, k hendrickx background. Focus group discussion relies on facilitators or moderators to guide the groups discussion berg, 1989. The goal of todays meeting is to understand if the internal communications and news you currently receive is effective, relevant and valuable to you. A good moderator will know how to conduct a focus group discussion with the goal of stimulating a spirited discussion among the participants. Pdf a case study based on a focus group discussion on. Heong the focus group discussion fgd is a rapid assessment, semi. Were so excited to have the chance to sit down and talk with you. Instead of a traditional survey which offers specific question and answer options, the focus group allows participants to speak freely about the ideas presented and offer their opinions in a way that supports what the survey is attempting to discover. A focus group discussion fgd is a method for collecting qualitative data that gathers community individuals together to discuss a specific topic.
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