Conducting An Online Focus Group

Becoming a competent researcher can be an arduous task filled with insecurities and indecisiveness. Fortunately, there are many resources available to make this process easier, engaging, and, I might add, even enjoyable. Qualitative research, on the surface, may seem straightforward and therefore an easy method to use; this belief, however, would be untrue. To carry out a quality research study using qualitative methods, the researcher must be well versed in all aspects of data collection. There are many decisions and questions which must be answered prior to actually engaging in the data collection process. For these decisions to produce a credible study the researcher will need to understand the various methods available for data collection. Technology has had a significant impact in much of our everyday lives. From basic tasks such as answering the phone, paying bills, and purchasing groceries to more complicated processes such as automobile operation, technology has impacted all of us. It is no surprise that technology has influenced the process of research inquiry. In many ways the pragmatics of data collection have been improved through technology such as digital cameras, video recorders, and transcription software. These electronic pieces have become more reasonably priced with enhanced abilities allowing for more accurate transcription of the data collected, thus helping to ensure quality. Today the digital camera, video recorder and transcription software are the staples of qualitative research. Advances in internet applications have allowed the researcher to employ virtual communications formats to capture the research participants' understanding of a phenomenon of interest. Through online asynchronous discussion boards, chat rooms, and even online live synchronous discussions, the internet has changed the manner of qualitative data collection forever. This article will discuss my journey to understand the data collection method of online focus groups. My goal is to assist the novice researcher in understanding the use, benefits, and limitations of online focus groups. Yet to understand the utility of online focus groups one must first understand general qualitative research principles, including the data collection method of traditional focus groups. Taking a class is an excellent way to learn more about a specific aspect of qualitative research. For me that class was one which explored data collection methods in depth. This in-depth exploration allowed me to study the different facets of data collection methods without the time constraints which would be present in a general qualitative research course. Of course the added benefit of an instructor helped to mentor me through my process of discovery. To begin the journey to understand the application of online focus groups, novice researchers will need to spend some time educating themselves on general qualitative research principles. Doing this helped me understand what constitutes a quality study as well as understand what a focus group is, and, equally as important, what a focus group is not. To explore the world of qualitative research a general text is helpful. I would recommend Qualitative Research in Health: An Introduction by Carol Grbich (2003). This text provides an overview of qualitative research principles and includes content on theory and design, quality and rigor issues. Specific chapters are dedicated to data collection, methodology, and data analysis. Although this text provides a solid background in all aspects of qualitative research, it lacks the in-depth knowledge on focus groups that I was seeking in my quest to understand both traditional face-to-face and online focus groups. It also contains little information about electronic medium for data collection but does, however, provide information related to software and computer usage for data analysis. Recognizing that topic-specific information was not the intent of this text, Grbich's text is an excellent resource for all interested in understanding traditional qualitative research. …