Focus group discussions (FGDs) involve gathering individuals with similar backgrounds to discuss a specific topic, facilitated by a moderator. They are used to explore perceptions, beliefs, and ideas in a structured yet expressive manner, yielding rich qualitative data. Key considerations for conducting FGDs include participant recruitment, setting, timing, and challenges like maintaining confidentiality and participation.

1. FOCUS GROUP
DISCUSSION
By
Sumbal
MPhil Sociology
Email: sumbalfarooq43@gmail.com

2. What is focus group discussion?
• Gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to
discuss a specific topic of interest.
• In FGD questions are asked about perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or
ideas.
• In FDG participants are free to talk with other group members.
• It generally involves group interviewing in which a small group of usually 8
to 12 people.
• It is led by a moderator (interviewer) in a loosely structured discussion of
various topics of interest.

3. What is focus group discussion?
• The group discussion should be carefully planned to create a comforting
environment for participants to feel free to talk openly and give honest
opinions.
• All the participants are encouraging to express their own opinions and to
respond to other members questions.
• FDGs are structured, directed and expressive to yield a lot of information in
a short period of time.

5. Why conduct a focus group?
• To find solution to problems
• To deepen understanding of Qualitative data
• To investigate group attitudes and beliefs
• When there is believed to be a difference in power between the researcher and
participants
• To investigate complex ideas and behavior
• To explore difference and commonalities
• To generate ideas at the exploratory stage

6. Why conduct a focus group?
In-depth understanding
• Rich descriptive details
• Understand and explain the way in which individuals make meaning
of a situation, experience, or concept
• Unpack embedded ideas

7. How Do I Conduct a Focus Group?
Who?
• Determine inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Participants with the same characteristics or different?
• Friends or strangers?
How many?
• How many groups? –exploratory (3-4) or detailed (8-12) – minimum of two!
• How many people? Ideal size is about 7-8; maximum is 10; over recruit for
no-shows

8. How do I conduct a focus group?
Where?
• Quiet, confidential, comfortable location
• Seated so everyone can be seen
• Sound quality are important
• College or university board room, library, hotel, research Centre, etc.
• Do you need a viewing room (do your clients want to observe)?
• What kind of audio/video equipment is necessary?
When?
• Time of day (who’s your target population and when is good for them?)
• Date within research project: you will need (ideally) about a month’s time to pull it all together.
• You should take this into consideration when planning your research timeline.

9. Challenges of Focus Groups
Recruitment
Participation
Confidentiality
Recording

10. Maintain participation of group members
There might be a
dominant voice in
the group
Some members of
the group might
need encouragement
to speak
Silence might
require the
moderator to do
additional probing

11. Confidentiality
Cannot guarantee
confidentiality of
information among group
members
No guarantee that signing a
Statement of Confidentiality
means that group members
will not talk about the
issues outside of the focus
group setting.

12. Recording
Locating the recording device so, it captures
all voices in the group clearly
If recording with videotape, a challenge is for
the technician to be unobtrusive so as not to
distract participants
Transcriptionist may have difficulty
distinguishing voices of individuals
consistently

13. What other
challenges
can you think
of?