Krueger, R. A. & Casey, M. A. (2000). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research(3rd ed). Sage Publications.

Krueger, R. A. & Casey, M. A. (2000). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research(3rd ed). Sage Publications.

I read this book, which is excellent by the way, due to the fact I was most interested in focus group work for my study.

Overview .This chapter discusses groups as a whole and the commanlities we share in planning and decision making and often the purpose is not clearly defined. For example, in committies there may be an officer or elected individuals each with a role, but most importantly a leader. The author states the purpose of the book is to serve as a guide to learn about the process of focus groups and how these groups are used in research.

Characteristics of Focus Groups:

•Involve People
•Certain characteristics of people
•Provide qualitative data
•Are focused on a certain top of discussion
•Aid in the decision making process
•Grew out of business or commercial interests
•Aid in goal setting
•Needs assessment-discovering needs of a group/community
•Understanding concerns
•Focus groups are a research procedure
•Focus groups can be a primary or secondary research tool

Planning the focus group .Planning is a process like putting thoughts on paper. Planning is cruicial to the success of the focus group and making certain the fundamental questions are asked and answered. As new questions arise from brainstorming more information may be needed and may need clarification. To begin in a focus group there must be a person who is requesting the study and key questions must be considered.
•What is the study we are going to address?
•What led us to do the focus group?
•What is the purpose of the study?
•What kinds of information do we need to know?
•What information is the most important?
•Who needs the information and how will it be used in the course of research?
•Is focus interviewing the right method and how do you determine this?

When to Use Focus Groups .Use focus groups when:

•When you are looking for a range of ideas or feelings a certain group of people have.
•You are trying to understand differences in perspectives between groups or people.
•When you are trying to uncover facts or influences, opinions, behaviors or motivation.
•You want ideas to emerge.
•You need information to design a large scale study or need insight into a smaller one.
•You (the researcher) places high value on capturing the discourse of the target audience.

When Not to use Focus Groups .Focus groups should not be used when:
•You want the group the reach an agreement.
•You want to education the group.
•You are asking for sensitive information.
•You need statistics for a projection or prediction.
•The environment is hostile or overly critical.
•The researcher has lost control over the study.
•Do not use a focus group if another method will work better.
•You (the researcher) cannot maintain confidentiality of sensitive material or information.

Identifying the Participants. This section discusses what type of participants do you (the researcher) need for your focus group.

Who is the target audience and what characteristics do they possess relating to your research. Careful consideration should be given to exactly who is needed for participation in the focus group. The author calls this the, "information rich." In order words, "who has the greatest amount of information and potential to deliver this during a focus interview group.

Combining two groups of individuals with vastly different perspectives may sometimes work when organizing a focus group and may offer differing opinions and potential solutions.

Determining how many Groups .The authors states the researcher must plan on a minimum of 3-4 focus groups with any one type of participant. Next the researcher must determine if they have reached saturation (this is the point when the researcher feels the ideas have all been laid out on the table and no new information is forthcoming. This is one of the most important parts of conducing a focus group in my opinion and that is determining what the research question or hypothesis is and how does this relate to the type of focus group you have? If your question entails men and women, or only adults, or adults and children how do you categorize these and compare and contrast the groups for inclusion in the research? The atmosphere of the environment is critical for success and must be one of comfort. So how the researcher leads the group is crucial..

Designs of Focus Groups .As the author previously stated the researcher must conduct enough focus groups to reach saturation and the research question will determine what type of design you will use.

Designs:

•Single category design-your target group is teaches-you might conduct 3-4 sessions.
•Multiple-category design-several audiences-Group #1 children, Group #2 Teachers Group #3 Parents Group #4 Staff or community members.
•Double -Layer Design- Main Focus Teachers, then sub groups of participants.

Quality of Focus Groups .Questions needing answers:

•Are focus groups scientific research?
•What about subjective opinions?
•How do you determine validity?
•How can this be generalized to the population?
•Why not just use random sampling?
•How big should the sample be?
The author stated scientific research takes many forms, the intent is to discover, find relationships, to predict (in science research). In the social sciences researchers use many of the same approached but adapt these to human experiences. The answer is yes, focus groups are research, but not the type of scientific research we normally think of with control groups, but rather with coming to an understanding and insight into a specific problem of study.

Summary of Focus Groups .Focus groups can be repeated with the same participants or new ones when continuous feedback is needed. In this way the researcher or group conducing the study can continually monitor and seek to understanding the underlying perceptions and actions to rethink their hypothesis. Focus groups can be modified to two moderators or also conducted by telephone and additionally internet focus groups may be used. The text reminds us focus groups are used to collect information, to listen, and to learn. They are not intended to teach, to inform, or to have others sanction a certain postion or make a statement. Focus groups can be used successfully in a variety of situations and conducted with the same people over a period of time.