As we saw in Chapter 3, a focus group is where a number of people are asked to come together in order to discuss a certain issue for the purpose of research. They are popular within the fields of market research, political research and educational research. The focus group is facilitated by a moderator who asks questions, probes for more detail, makes sure the discussion does not digress and tries to ensure that everyone has an input and that no one person dominates the discussion.

If you are interested in running focus groups for your research you will need to acquire a basic understanding of how people interact in a group setting and learn how to deal with awkward situations (see Table 8).

However, the best way to become a successful moderator is through experience and practice. If possible, try to sit in on a focus group run by an experienced moderator. Once you have done this, hold your own pilot focus group, either with friends or actual research participants. You might find it useful to visually record this focus group so that you can assess your body language, see how you deal with awkward situations, analyse how you ask questions, and so on. Don’t be disappointed if your first few groups do not go according to plan. Even the most experienced moderators have bad days.

THE ROLE OF THE MODERATOR

As moderator you must spend some time helping participants to relax. In all focus groups you need to explain the purpose of the group, what is expected of participants and what will happen to the results. Negotiate a length for the discussion and ask that everyone respects this as it can be very disruptive having people come in late, or leave early. Usually one and a half hours is an ideal length, although some focus groups may last a lot longer.

Assure the participants about anonymity and confidentiality, asking also that they respect this and do not pass on what has been said in the group to third parties. You may find it useful to produce and distribute a Code of Ethics (see Chapter 13).

Asking questions

General, easy to answer questions should be asked first. Don’t expect any type of personal disclosure early in the group. As moderator, listen carefully to everything people say, acknowledging that you are listening by making good eye contact and taking notes regarding issues to which you may return later. Make sure that no one person dominates the discussion as tis will influence your data.

Some moderators prefer to use a list of questions as their interview schedule, whereas others prefer to use a list of topics (see Chapter 7 for more information on developing an interview schedule). The overall aim is a free-flowing discussion within the subject area, and once this happens the input from the moderator may be considerably less than it would be in a one-to-one interview.

Seeking responses

In focus groups you need to try to get as many opinions as possible. You will find that in most focus groups, most people will talk some of the time, although to varying degrees. In some groups, some people may need gentle persuasion to make a contribution. You have to use your discretion about how much you do this as there might be occasions when somebody is unwilling or too nervous to contribute.

You often find that, even though you have negotiated a time, people enjoy the discussion and want to continue, although at this stage you must make it clear that people can leave, if they wish. Often, some of the most useful and pertinent information is given once the ‘official’ time is over. Also, you will find that people talk to you on an individual basis after the group has finished, especially those who might have been nervous contributing in a group setting. It is useful to take a notepad and jot down these conversations as soon as possible after the contact as the information might be relevant to your research.

Finishing the focus group

When you have finished your focus group, thank the participants for taking part and leave a contact name and number in case they wish to follow up any of the issues that have been raised during the discussion. It’s good practice to offer a copy of the report to anybody who wants one. However, this might not be practical if the final report is to be an undergraduate dissertation. You could explain this to the participants and hope that they understand, or you could offer to produce a summary report which you can send to them.

TABLE 8: STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH
AWKWARD SITUATIONS

RECORDING EQUIPMENT

Some market research organisations have purpose built viewing facilities with one-way mirrors and built in visual recording equipment. These facilities can be hired at a price which, unfortunately, tends to be beyond the budgets of most students and community groups.

Your local college or university might have a room which can be set up with visual recording equipment and the institution may provide an experienced person to operate the machinery. If your institution doesn’t provide this facility, think about whether you actually need to visually record your focus group as the more equipment you use, the more potential there is for things to go wrong. Most social researchers find that an audio recording of the discussion supplemented by a few handwritten notes is adequate (see Chapter 7 for further discussion on different methods of recording).

Using audio recording equipment

Your recorder needs to be powerful enough to pick up every voice. Ideally, it needs to be small and unobtrusive with an inbuilt microphone and a battery indicator light so that you can check it is still working throughout the discussion, without drawing attention to the machine. If using a tape-recorder, a self-turning facility is useful as you get twice as much recording without having to turn over the tape.

The recorder should be placed on a non-vibratory surface at equal distance from each participant so that every voice can be heard. Before the participants arrive, place it in the centre of the room and test your voice from each seat, varying your pitch and tone.

Participants in focus groups tend to speak quietly at the beginning, but once they begin to relax, they tend to raise their voices. Be aware of any noise which could disrupt the recorder, such as ticking clocks or traffic outside.

CHOOSING AVENUE

It is extremely important to make sure you choose the right venue for your focus group as this will affect participation levels, the level of discussion and the standard of recording. You should ask yourself the following questions when considering a venue:

• Is the venue accessible in terms of physical access for those with mobility difficulties?
• Is it accessible in terms of ‘mental’ access, that is, would the type of people you intend to recruit feel comfortable entering that building?
• Is the building easy to find and the room easy to locate?
• Is free parking available close by?
• Is it accessible by public transport?
• Is the room big enough to accommodate the number of people you intend to recruit?

• Are there enough chairs and are they comfortable?
• Is there anything which could distract the participants (loud noises, telephones, doorbells, people entering the room, people walking past windows, etc)?
• Is there anything which could disrupt the recording (ticking clocks, drink machines, traffic outside, etc)?

Once you have chosen your venue, you need to arrive early to make sure that the seating is arranged in an appropriate manner. There is no set rule for this - think about your participants and arrange it accordingly. For example, business people might prefer a boardroom style seating arrangement, whereas adult learners may prefer an informal seminar style arrangement.

RECRUITING YOUR PARTICIPANTS

Without participants you have no focus group. It is essential, therefore, that you take time to ensure that you achieve a high turn out for your focus group. Think about the following points when recruiting your participants:

• The ideal number of participants is nine or eleven. Odd numbers work better than even numbers as it is harder for people to pair up in breakaway conversations.
• Over-recruit by between three and five people as some participants, despite reassurances to the contrary, will not attend.
• Offer incentives. If you cannot afford to pay participants, offer refreshments such as wine, soft drinks and nibbles. Do not provide too much wine as a drunken discussion is not productive, and think about the cultural and/or religious background of participants before using alcohol as an incentive.

• The goal is to achieve a free-flowing, useful and interesting discussion. Think about whether the people you are recruiting would be able to chat to each other in everyday life. People must have some sort of common bond to be able to feel comfortable in a group and this will probably be the focus of your research.
• When someone has agreed to take part in a focus group, contact them a week in advance to let them know about the venue, date and time. Telephone them the day before to make sure they have remembered and are still able to attend.
• Never force, bully or cajole someone into taking part. If someone else is arranging the focus group for you, make sure they do not force or cajole people into participating. Someone who does not want to attend usually makes it clear during the discussion. This can have a detrimental effect on the whole group.
• If someone is in a position of power they should not be included in the group as it may stop others airing their opinions, although this is not always possible, as Example 7 illustrates.

SUMMARY

• Find a suitable venue and check availability. Is it accessible physically and mentally?
• Visit the venue and check it is free from background noises, distractions and interruptions.
• Obtain appropriate recording equipment and practise.
• Try your recording equipment in the venue to test suitability.

• Contact participants and check availability for time and place.
• Over-recruit to ensure enough participants.
• Telephone participants the day before the focus group to check they’re still intending to participate.
• Arrive at the venue early and arrange the seating in a way which will suit the group.
• Test the recording equipment from each seat.
• Lay out refreshments away from the recorder.
• Greet participants with drinks and nibbles.
• Introduce yourself; explain what the group is about, what is expected of the participants, who the research is for and what will happen to the results.
• Negotiate a discussion length and ask that no one leaves early.
• Discuss issues of confidentiality, anonymity and personal disclosure.
• Start recorder and begin with general, easy to answer questions.
• Watch for group dynamics and deal with them accordingly.
• Listen and take notes.
• Ask questions and probe for more detail.
• Wind up within negotiated time, unless participants wish to continue.

• Thank participants and give them your name and contact number in case they wish to follow up any of the issues with you.
• Send a summary report to anyone interested.

FURTHER READING