1. Getting Started with Focus Groups
Kimberly Yousey-Elsener, PhD.
SUNY Oswego Student Affairs Assessment Retreat
June 9, 2016
With thanks to Sherry Woolsey, Gavin Henning, Matt Fifolt and Melanie Guentzel for their significant contributions to this presentation.

2. Session Outcomes General understanding of focus groups
Articulate appropriate use of focus groups
Identify considerations in planning focus group research/assessment
Identify the skills needed to moderate and record focus groups
Ask useful focus group questions
How many of you have participated in a focus group? How many of you have facilitated a focus group?
Who would say they are more comfortable with qualitative methods than quantitative methods?

3. How many of you have participated in a focus group
How many of you have participated in a focus group? How many of you have facilitated a focus group?
Who would say they are more comfortable with qualitative methods than quantitative methods?

4. What is a focus group?
Group discussions where the facilitator supplies the topics and monitors the discussion.
The purpose is to gather information about a specific (or focused) topic in a group environment, allowing for discussion and interaction by participants.
Similar to interviews, but use then the group interaction will give you better data

5. Focus groups are used to:
Examine perceptions, beliefs, or opinions
Understanding the why? and how? questions
Identify strengths and weaknesses of programs
Interpret results from other assessment projects
Provide information to develop surveys

6. Advantages of Focus Groups
Can be a direct or indirect measure
Members build feed off from each other’s ideas
Flexible and dynamic
Relatively low cost
Sometimes more comfortable for participants than individual interviews
Qualitative nature of data

7. Disadvantages of Focus Groups
Difficult to assemble
Groups can influence individual response
Small numbers of participants limit generalizability
Dependent on the skills of the facilitator
Qualitative nature of data
Time needed for analysis and logistics
Lack of control over discussion

8. Focus groups should not be used:
Asking closed-ended questions
For assessments that require statistical data
In situations where participants are not comfortable with each other
Situations where the group may sway individual opinion
Unsafe or not confidential environments
In situations that are emotionally charged

9. Quick Conversation
What topics or outcomes do currently have that you think might lend themselves to using focus groups?

10. Conducting Focus Groups

11. Steps to designing focus groups
Debrief and organize data
Conduct the focus group
Soliciting participants
Decide on logistical considerations 
Get IRB approval if necessary
Developing questions
Determine your purpose and resources needed

12. Determine Your Purpose

13. Determining your Purpose
What do you want to know?
How does this relate to your assessment goals and objectives?
Set the topic boundaries (not too broad or specific)
How will you use the information?

14. Developing Questions

15. Interview Structure:
Highly structured or standardized interviews – ask exactly the same question for everyone
Semi-structured – a mix of structured questions and free-form questions.
Unstructured or informal interviews –no predetermined questions, interview is exploratory.

16. Tip to developing questions
Move from general to specific
Begin with a “grand tour” question
Concrete, specific, simple, and open-ended
Use phrases such as “what prompted you,” and “what influenced you,” or “what features” instead of “why”
Include a summary question
Plan unstructured or structured approach
Take care of closed-ended questions at the beginning
Grand tour questions are descriptions of the significant features of a cultural scene; they encourage informants to open up and ramble on about their experiences.  Typical grand tour questions ask for a description of how things usually are and ask informants to generalize and talk about a pattern of events.
Encourage story telling – Tell me one important thing you learned from your participation and how you learned it
Summary – We asked you here today to discuss – did we miss anything? What else would you like to share about your experience with…

17. Brainstorm
Write 2-3 questions you would include in a focus group related to ________?

18. Institutional Review Board
Aka Human Subjects

19. Decide on logistical considerations

20. Resources Needed Staff: One facilitator, one note taker (minimum)
Facilities: Eye contact, privacy, no interruptions
Materials:
Audio or video recorder (recommended)
Note-taking materials (e.g., paper/pen, laptop)
Nametags
Consent form and non-disclosure form
Incentives
Time: 1 – 2 hours for each session
Participants: 6 – 12 per group
Rounds: 3 – 5 (until redundancy is reached)
(Krueger, 1998b; Stage, 1992; Schuh, Upcraft, & Associates, 2001; Vaughn, Schuman, & Sinagub, 1996)

21. Choosing a location Convenience for participants
Availability and accessibility
Comfortable seating arrangements
Free from distractions
Feeling safe and confidential

22. Choosing a facilitator
Facilitation skills
Experience with focus groups
Appropriateness for the topic
Appropriateness for the participants
Connection to the topic or the participants

23. Selecting Appropriate Recording Techniques
Audio recording, video recording, or written note taking
Consider participant reactions
Consider resources and support
Transcription or logs
Have a back up plan
Test and practice in advance

24. Choosing a Recorder/Note-taker
Sit Quietly
Listen Carefully
Operate a Recorder/Video Camera
Take Notes – discuss prior to group what is needed
Help facilitate as needed

25. Soliciting participants

26. Soliciting Participants
Determine how you will select participants
Homogeneous or heterogeneous
5-10 people, 6-8 is ideal
Plan to have more than one group
Invite more participants than you need

27. CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS

28. Getting Ready Arrange the seating Find a place for the note taker
Choose facilitator seat
Check supplies
Handle other concerns…
Greet guests
Other concerns – potential distractions, temperature,

29. Introduction Should include: Sets the tone for the group
A brief welcome
An overview of the topic
Some guidelines or ground rules
An opening question or exercise
Sets the tone for the group
Should also explain recording devices, confidentiality, and the role of the facilitator
Set expectations and/or groundrules

30. Some common challenges…
The take-over artist
Those that stray
Negative Nellies
Positive Petes
TMI
Quiet as a mouse

31. Debrief and organize data…

32. Immediately Following
Debrief with the note taker
What themes or issues were discussed?
How did these differ from what we expected?
How did these differ from what occurred in earlier focus groups?
What points need to be included in the report?
What quotes should be remembered and possibly included in the report?
Should we do anything differently for the next focus group?
Fill in any blanks in the notes
Make notes about the tone of the focus groups
Note initial impressions/learning

33. Making Sense of Notes Summarize key ideas:
Find the BIG ideas
Examine the participants’ choice of words
Consider the group context
Look for consistency among groups and group members
Categories should come from the language of the notes
Use quotes to illustrate main ideas
Categories -

34. Evaluating the Entire Process
Did you get the information you wanted?
Evaluate protocol, facilitator, participant selection, incentives, data recording techniques, facility, sharing format, etc.
Recommend changes for the process
Keep notes for next time!

35. Best Resource I have found…
Boston College Student Affairs Assessment Focus Group Protocol pdf/assessment/focus.pdf

36. For Further Reading:
Greenbaum, T.L. (1988) The Practical Handbook and Guide to Focus Group Research.
Greenbaum, T.L. (2000) Moderating Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Group Facilitation.
Krueger, R.A. & Casey, M.A. (2000) Focus Groups A Practical Guide For Applied Research.
Morgan, D.L. (1993) Successful Focus Groups: Advancing the State of the Art.
Stage, F.K. & Associates (1992). Diverse methods for research and assessment of college students. ACPA Publications.
Vaugh, Schumm, & Sinagub (1996) Focus Group Interviews in Education and Psychology.
Focus Group Kit. (1998). Sage Publications.