Author: Vijay Laxmi

Qualitative researchers are often interested in determining the attributes, behaviour and opinions of individuals pertaining to certain issues. While there are several qualitative data collection techniques, a researcher commonly uses either participant observation (which occurs in groups) or open-ended interview (involving individuals). As group interviews, focus group occupies an intermediate position between other qualitative approaches. 

Focus group, a valuable tool for collecting qualitative data, is a group constituting of individuals with specific features who focus discussions on a certain topic or issue. 

Consider an example where the researcher wants to determine the crucial issues in a developing economy of Albania. To achieve this, the researcher utilised focus group and collected the necessary data from the participants. In the initial stage, the researcher selected participants on the basis of their knowledge on the issues faced. This was followed by dividing the participants into groups consisting of individuals of different gender and age group. The focus group helped the researcher to acquire information as well as solution for the issues faced by the people in Albania. 

Although focus group is regarded as a major qualitative data collection tool, it cannot be used in every circumstance. 

You can probably consider using this method if (1) you want to obtain detailed information about attributes, (2) gather additional information and (3) as a part of mixed method evaluation. 

1. Acquiring in-depth information about behaviour, experience, attitudes -It is useful for collecting subjective perspectives from the participants. For instance, an evaluation of a meditation program included focus groups of high school students participated in the event. Data were collected on students’ perceptions about how meditation affected their school performance.
2. Collect additional information – Like any other qualitative method, focus group provide interpretation of data. For example, teachers are trained to take up engaging classroom session. A focus group performed after several months will help you determine how the teachers are benefited from the training program and do they require any further training. 
3. As a part of mixed method evaluation – Typically, mixed methods are used to enhance the validity of evaluation findings utilising various data collection techniques. Since in focus group data is collected from groups, it can be deployed with mixed method. 

To successfully collect data using this approach, one should pay attention to two significant factors; development of focus group guide and deciding the type & number of participants. 

1. Development of focus group guide –  

The focus group guide serves as a road map to the instructor. It is nothing but a series a questions for the instructor/facilitator to use. When developing the guide, identify what kind of information you want to obtain, from whom you want to collect the information, and what are the benefits of the gathered information. Note that this guide can be used for each focus group. 

2. Select the type and number of participants for each focus group – 

Upon deciding the type of information to be acquired, finalise the number and type of participants required for each focus group. Ensure that each individual focus group consists of similar individuals. This is so because the number of focus groups depends on the number of different types of groups from which you want to collect the data. 

Next determine the type of participant. This depends on two concepts.

• Sampling concerns: While choosing the sample, it is better to minimise the sample bias rather than accomplishing generalisability as focus groups are performed with purposive samples in which participants are obtained from a limited number of sources. 
• Homogeneity & segmentation: Typically, segmentation is a decision made to control group composition to match selected categories of participants.

Segmented samples are linked with the importance of homogeneity in the focus groups composition. This homogeneity allows for free-flowing conversations among participants and facilitates assessment of differences in perspective between groups. 

Just like another data collection approach, focus group too has several characteristics such as 

• It provides desired answers rather than insightful responses.
• Investigates benefits of specific library collections
• Investigates & identifies changes in behaviour of an individual
• Adds human dimension to impersonal information
• Suggests potential solutions to identified issues

A focus group is more useful when the results of the study are unpredictable and you require open-feedback rather than comparisons of outcomes as in quantified research. It also allows participants to express their ideas, feelings. Another major benefit of this approach is that it allows you to observe the dynamics among members of the focus group while discussing their opinions. 

So, if you are looking forward to obtaining a wider range and clarify information for your research, utilize focus groups rather than any other qualitative data collection method. 

In the journey as a writer, many times you face criticism for your writing and most of us have the habit to take the criticism seriously and reflect it in our further initiatives. What is important to know here is that giving and interpreting feedback is not an easy job and it requires a lot of sorting to identify the criticism that has the required merits and the one that is ill advised. Or can we do it better? Let us give you a ready made and handy quiz to assess, to which if you answer honestly, you can know what your strong and weak areas as a writer are.If you answer this genuinely, you may not need to look at external and unreliable sources to assess your writing as you would very well know your merits and demerits as a writer.

In the below-mentioned statements, honestly evaluate your ability in each of the areas on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 meaning poor and 10 meaning outstanding ability)

• I have the ability to put together and synthesise lots of research and have a look at the bigger picture.
• I am efficient at summarising research in a clear and easy to follow a pattern.
• I have a critical perspective and can identify research gaps or flaws in existing literature and reasoning available.
• My sentence formation style is clear and there is a good transition between sentences that I frame.
• My application of transition phrases and words in sentences adds on to the synchronisation and the meaning of the sentences
• My articulation of research sentences is effective and I can draft good problem statement
• I create interesting content by combining long and short sentences in an appropriate manner
• I can craft an interesting introduction from the readers perspective for clearer understanding of the topic
• My style of writing is more active and not passive to complicate the meaning of the content
• I always complete my research before I start writing so that I feel completely ready for the endeavour
• I have the habit of writing on consistent basis, few hours every day rather than an unorganised pattern
• My writing schedule is planned according to my productivity pattern, and I make sure to use my most productive hours for writing
• I often take breaks during long writing spells for reenergising my focus
• I am open to multiple efforts in writing and recreating drafts again and again after various attempts of revision
• I am confident of my ability as a writer and do not hesitate sharing my drafts for expert advise and inputs.

Tally up the score of all the statements and see how m much you have scored from the maximum of 150. Notice the items you have rated high and the ones you have rated low. The ones you have scored good on are your strength areas while the lower ones need some focus and effort from your side. Now you are the best critique for your writing, what say?