Dear researchers
I hope that all is well with you
I am a PhD qualitative novice researcher
I have to interview, focus group, journal tools and demographics questionnaire (asking about gender, age, language level, motivation, anxiety)
My aim of having a focus group is to triangulate the findings with the interview.
I am intended to analyse my data by using thematic analyses for each individual and then classifying them based on different gender, age, motivation, and so on
As one of my research aims is to compare participants’ experiences with using data-driven learning in online classrooms, with different age, gender, motivation, and learners’ proficiency.
However, I am confused with some issues in collecting and analyse focus group data which are as the following:
What is the most suitable way of conducting and analyse the focus group?
Should I conduct a homogenous focus group ( same age, gender, motivation, learners proficiency)?
I am thinking about this but I am not sure that I will find the participants who all share the same characteristics
Or
Should I conduct a heterogeneous focus group ( different age, gender, motivation, learners’ proficiency)?
Regarding the analysis
I am thinking if I conduct a homogenous focus group, I will analyse each group separately and compare between them, however as I mentioned before I am not sure that I will be able to specify group sharing all same characteristics ( age, gender, motivation, learners’ proficiency),
On the other hand, If I conduct a heterogeneous focus group, I am confused about how can I analyse them regarding different participants’ characteristics
Also, I read about some arguments about analysis focus group data as individuals or as groups, but I am not sure how can I decide each one of them
Thanks in advance
There are a number of good introductory books on focus groups, including my own "Basic and Advanced Focus Groups" (2019) from Sage.
With regard to homogeneity, the key point is the participants should be homogeneous with regard to the topic, not to demographics (unless those demographics have clear, strong links to the topics). A useful comparative design is to set up two types of focus groups that are each homogeneous but which have contrasting relationships to the research topic. In other words, there is homogeneity within each group, but heterogeneity between them.
Three main ethical challenges are embedded in conducting focus group discussions. Those challenges are consent; confidentiality and anonymity; and risk of harm (Sim & Waterfield, 2019). Besides the book suggested by David L Morgan, I would recommend that you go through the book by Cyr (2019).
Cyr, J. (2019). Focus groups for the social science researcher. Cambridge University Press.Book Focus Groups for the Social Science Researcher
Sim, J., & Waterfield, J. (2019). Focus group methodology: Some ethical challenges. Quality & Quantity, 53(6), 3003-3022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-019-00914-5
Good luck,
thank you very much, David L Morgan, Mohialdeen Alotumi and Simon Stephens for raising my awareness toward these issues. your valuable suggestions and help are very appreciated and I am really grateful to you.
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