Research Techniques

Focus Groups

Focus groups are a research method that involves the gathering of multiple selected people, to participate in a discussion about a specific topic in which they are encouraged to give their opinions and discuss with others.

A focus group allows for the gathering of qualitative data over quantitative data that a questionnaire would provide. Thanks to it being a discussion in person it means that the people can give more in depth and personalised answers to the topic of discussion, where they can then interact with others giving arguments for and against points made. This allows the researcher to get a more thorough opinion that can then be used to help influence the outcome of the research by having a broader perspective.

Pros:
Quantitative over qualitative data.
Everyone has an opportunity to give their opinion
Can verify or clarify results from a survey



Questionnaires
Pros
They are cost efficient, the reason for this is how easily they can be made and distributed. They can be created from scratch on a document, or be made on a template from a website. Then they can be emailed, texted or mailed or even just handed out in person.

They also allow for comparability of answers, and easy analysis of the results, as well as providing quantitative data.

Cons
Can get dishonest answers
Can be hard to interpret answers correctly