Focus Group
Discussion
Lecture Plan
3:30-4:00= lecture
4:00-4:30= students work in groups to
compile their question lines. We will
check each groups to make sure that
their questions are appropriate.
4:35 -5:15 students practice - 3 groups of
7 students
FGD: What is it ?
Group discussion with a purpose
With small number of homogenous
participants
•
Age range or life stage
•
Gender
•
Professional, social and ethnic
background
Uses instrument to primarily guide
the discussion
Requires a moderator and note
FGD: Uses
To explore people’s experience and opinions
To develop questions for questionnaires when little
is known about the topic
To assess context in view of developing a study
• recruitment issues, intervention channels, etc.
To complement quantitative data to understand
findings
To generate ideas about a new product, an
intervention, etc.
To solve programmatic/management problems,
explore range of solutions
Program evaluation: formative research –process
Recruitment
Define eligibility criteria
•
Based on study purpose
Recruitment strategy
•
Convenience sample
Participants volunteer to participate
•
Random
Could be used if there are a large pool of
volunteers who would like to participate
Size, Types and
Number
Size
• Key factor for deciding the group size is the FGD purpose • 7-9 participants is a good group size to manage
Types
• Homogeneity is usually best to enhance discussion • But also depends on discussion topic
• Usually, FG includes participants from same gender, age
range, professional status, ethnic background
How many?
• 3 FGDs with each specific participants
• Number of FGDs increases validity of information
The Moderator
Identify with the participants, knowledgeable
about the community, speak their language
Introduces, moderates and concludes the FGD
Guides the group discussion but does
participate in the discussion
• Does not provide opinion• Does not educate participants
Insures that everybody has a chance to give
their opinion
Manage the group dynamic & potential
conflicts
Responsible for covering all the issues
included in the guide
Does require experience and practice!
http://old.solar-aid.org/project_lighting_malawian_homes/Chinyola%20microsolar %20group.pngThe
Moderator’s
Competence
Familiarity with the topic
Outstanding communication skills
In-depth probing without leading
Continuous linking
Flexibility
Excellent moderation skills
Demonstrate flexibility
Engage participants
Consider all opinions
The Notetaker
Take written notes during
discussion
•
including group dynamic, group
reactions, frustrations, giggles, etc.
Does not participate in the
discussion
•
Should remain “invisible” to the group
Assist with logistic of incentives
Manage time
Meet with moderator for
debriefing
Transcripts recording or assists
with
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The Transcriber
Transcribe tapes
verbatim including non
verbal (laughter, claps,
etc. )
Specific transcribing
protocol should be
provided
Should meet with note
taker and moderator to
discuss content
Focus Group Sitting
Tape recorder
Note taker
FGD: Considerations
Groups findings offer a range of views but
not their distribution in the population
FGD is not appropriate to explore individual
beliefs about issues that are considered as
sensitive or taboo
Group effect and dynamic on participants’
responses
Moderator’s influence on participants’
responses
Allocate enough time for transcribing data
FGD: Guide
List of topics areas from general to
specific topics of interest
List of probing questions to be used if
the information does not emerge
spontaneously
14
FGD Process : Three
Phases
1
. Introduction stage (10-15 minutes)
Moderator introduces himself/herself and Notetaker Explains consent and purpose of the FGD
Describes process
Time
Tape recorder
Goal to explore range of experience and not achieving consensus
Ground rules
Everyone should participate No right and wrong answers Turn off cell phones
Participants introduce themselves (may use a nickname)
Ice breaker activity
FGD Process: Three
Phases, cont
’
2
.
Interview/discussion (50-60 minutes)
Moderator starts with a grant tour question Moves to more specific questions
Note: Ask sensitive questions at the end, and only if you feel that participants will be confortable answering them
3. Closure stage ( 5-10 min)
Moderator identifies differences or summarizes what has been said
Invites participants to provide “last thoughts” Thanks participants
16
FGD: Example of an
Introduction
Good morning every body. My name is ______________ and I will be the moderator of this focus group discussion. This is my colleague _________________ who will be taking notes about our conversation.
I would like to thank you for being here today and before we start our discussion I would like to make sure that you have all read and
signed the consent form that was submitted to you. Do you have any questions?
This FG discussion is meant to explore the various range of
knowledge and experiences regarding …. so feel free to express your most sincere opinions as there is no right and wrong answers.
Since we are going to spend the next hour together discussing about … do you have any suggestions regarding discussion rules. ….
17
FGD: Example of
Closure
We have reached the end of this very interesting discussion. I would like to summarize some of the key differences and agreements. There were many different opinions about
________. In another hand, there were some agreement regarding ___________.
Does anyone want to add or clarify an opinion on this? Is there any other information that you would like me to provide?
Thank you very much for participating in this Focus Group discussion. Your time is very much appreciated and your comments very insightful.
Building the FGD Guide
About 8 to 12 questions
• Should be open-ended questions
What do you know about female condom? How would you …
• Include some leading probes/prompts
What about your female friends? Your boyfriend?
Process
• Guide developed based on the objectives of the research • Important to be familiar with issue so you can anticipate
the probes - unless is it a explorative topic
• Initial draft reviewed by expert in the field • Pretest it with small group of participants
Sequence of the FGD
questions
Grand tour question
Ask participants about their general opinions, feelings
about the issue of interest
What do you know about female condom?
Mini-tour questions
•
Explore specific issues
What are the differences between male and female condoms?
Probing questions
•
Ask for more
details or some examples Leading probes are included in the guide
Any benefits in using female condoms?
Non leading probes to stimulate the participants to discuss further without moderator leading the response ( see next slides)
Tips when asking
questions
From impersonal to personal
Use open-ended questions
• How would you describe… • Where did you find …
• What do you think about…
Avoid yes/no question or use prompt for more
details
Avoid “why” question
Ask sensitive questions last
Use reflection, examples, illustration
Take participant back in the past but avoid asking
about the future
Use transitions when moving to a different
Probing for More
Probing is a way to get more info or to
better understand what someone has
said. A probe can be a question,
statement, or moment of silence
Reasons to probe
•
Learn more about underlying feelings,
meanings
•
Clarify a specific word
•
Get more information about a behavior or
process
Examples of Probing
Questions
Tell me more about that
Could you explains that?
Can you give me an example?
How do you feel about?
I am not sure I understand, can
you..?
What other people said about?
Explain why, why or why not?
Other Ways to Probe
Remain silence
Restate what the participant has just said
Repeat the participant’s word as a question
It’s good?
Gently confront the participants to clarify a
position
I’m a little confuse. Earlier I though you said… but
now, I’m hearing…
Use key words probes in responses to
participant’s statements
It’s good. What it’s good?
Use the third person technique
Encouraging
Participants to
interact
Restate rule about having them
speaking openly
•
“no right and wrong answers”
Refer questions to the entire group
Use body language to give someone
the permission to speak
Other tips
•
Silence
•
Incomplete statement
•
Sophisticated naivete
Let’s Practice
You are the director of a program. You are asked to implement a
HPV vaccination campaign among children. In the context of your formative evaluation, you want to conduct some FGDs to explore parents’ knowledge, attitude about HPV infection and HPV
vaccination.
Develop 10 - 12 questions and for each question you will include 2
probes
One or two student will role-play the moderator
• Introduce the FGD
• Conduct the interview
• Conclude the interview
Two students will take note The other will be the parents
Once you have completed the FGD, discuss with the process of the FGD, what was easy, less easy- what were the challenges to conduct a FGC .
Sources
Lecompte, M. D. and Goets, J. P. (1982) ‘Problems of Reliability and Validity
in EthnographicResearch’, Review of Educational Research, 53: 31-6
Guba, E. G. and Lincoln, Y. S. (1994), ‘Competing Paradigms in Qualitative
Research’ in N. K.Denzin and Y. S. Lincoln (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative
Research, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA:
Sage]
Creswell, J. W. & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative
inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124-131
Russel Bernard (2000). Focus Groups, in: Social Research Methods.
Qualitative and quantitative approaches. P.207-211
Spradley, James P. 1979. The Ethnographic Interview. New York
Shank, G.D. (2006). Qualitative research: A personal skills approach (2nd
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
FGD”
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