B04: Focus Group Methods

Focus groups have become an increasingly prominent method in the social sciences, valued for their unique ability to generate rich, interactive data and to capture how meanings, opinions, and norms are produced collectively. By bringing participants into dialogue, focus groups offer insights that go beyond individual interviews, making them particularly well suited to the study of social processes, representations, and group dynamics. At the same time, using this method effectively requires thoughtful methodological choices and a clear articulation of research objectives.

This course introduces students to the wide range of applications of focus groups, while engaging with their epistemological foundations and relevance for different types of research questions. It covers the full process of designing and conducting focus groups, from classical methodological issues—such as sampling strategies, question design, and moderation—to practical considerations including room setup, recording techniques, participant recruitment, selection, and compensation.

Finally, a substantial part of the course is devoted to data analysis. Analysing focus group discussions poses specific analytical challenges, as it requires attention not only to what is said but also to how interaction and group dynamics shape discourse. To address this complexity, the course presents a combination of analytical approaches, including interpretive analysis, abductive coding, and automated textual analysis.

Group interviews, collective interviews, group discussions, multiple interviews, focus groups—these terms are often used interchangeably, yet they point to a long and diverse methodological tradition. The idea of interviewing several participants simultaneously has been recognized for decades as a powerful alternative to individual interviews, particularly for capturing shared meanings, collective reasoning, and social dynamics. Early formulations, such as Robert K. Merton’s focused interview, laid the conceptual groundwork for what would later become a widely used research method.

From the 1970s onward, this approach was extensively developed in applied research and consulting, where its technical dimensions were refined. In the 1990s, social scientists reappropriated the method, popularizing the term focus group and expanding its use across disciplines. Despite this apparent standardization, the variety of practices and epistemological assumptions inherited from these earlier traditions remains. Understanding this diversity is essential for using focus groups thoughtfully rather than mechanically.

To clarify what is meant by a focus group, the course builds on the influential definition proposed by David L. Morgan, a central figure in adapting this method for social science research. Morgan defines a focus group as “a research technique that collects data through group interaction on a topic determined by the researcher” (Morgan, 1997: 130). This definition highlights three core dimensions that structure the course:

Data collection for research purposes: Focus groups are a qualitative research method designed to produce discursive data for systematic analysis, based on topics and questions defined by the researcher.

Group interaction as a central source of data: Unlike individual interviews, focus groups generate data through interaction among participants. Meaning emerges collectively, through agreement, disagreement, negotiation, and shared references.

Active involvement of the researcher: The researcher plays a central role in designing, initiating, and moderating the discussion to create conditions conducive to meaningful interaction.

This definition also helps distinguish focus groups from practices that may appear similar but differ in important ways. Collective discussions conducted for non-research purposes (such as marketing or training), group experiments focused on behavior rather than discourse, or naturally occurring conversations observed without researcher intervention fall outside the scope of focus group methodology. Likewise, focus groups differ from informal conversations and from participatory or deliberative formats (such as citizen assemblies), whose primary objectives are political or civic rather than analytical.

Key Characteristics and Challenges

What makes focus groups particularly valuable is the richness and density of the data they produce. In this approach, discourse is not treated as a simple expression of individual opinions, but as a form of social action shaped by interaction, power relations, and group dynamics. Focus groups are therefore especially well-suited to studying norms, representations, justifications, and collective sense-making.

This richness, however, comes with methodological demands. Designing and conducting focus groups requires careful planning, clear research objectives, and a thoughtful allocation of resources—considerations that can be challenging, especially for early-career researchers working independently.

Analysis also poses specific challenges. Unlike face-to-face interviews, focus group data require attention not only to what is said but also to how interaction unfolds: who speaks, who responds, how positions are reinforced or contested, and how collective narratives take shape. As focus groups have become increasingly popular, these analytical complexities are sometimes underestimated. This course addresses them directly, helping students make informed methodological choices rather than adopting the method by default.

Detailed Course Overview

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to focus group methodology, from its conceptual and epistemological foundations to its practical implementation and analysis. Its primary objective is to help students assess whether focus groups are appropriate for their research questions and, if so, to equip them with the tools to design a rigorous, feasible, and analytically meaningful study.

The course is organized as follows:

Day 1: Foundation and Applications

An introduction to the history, evolution, and epistemological assumptions of focus group research, with particular attention to the types of research questions and contexts for which the method is most relevant.

Days 2–3: Design and Practical Organization

In-depth guidance on designing focus groups, including sampling strategies, question formulation, moderation techniques, and ethical considerations. Practical aspects such as room setup, recording, participant recruitment, selection, and compensation are also covered. 

Day 4: Data Analysis

A focus on the specific challenges of analysing focus group data. Students are introduced to a range of analytical approaches, including interpretive analysis, systematic comparison, abductive coding, and automated textual analysis.

Day 5: Application to Students’ Projects

A workshop-style session dedicated to students’ own research projects. Participants are guided in evaluating the relevance of focus groups for their work and in designing a realistic and rigorous focus group strategy tailored to their objectives.

Teaching Approach

The course combines lectures with hands-on exercises designed to foster both conceptual understanding and practical skills. Students work with focus group recordings, transcripts, and published examples, and practical exercises – including a mock focus group, are directly integrated into class discussions. This pedagogical approach ensures that participants not only understand how focus groups work in theory, but also gain concrete experience in designing, conducting, and analysing them as a research method.

This description is subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor

2 Credits

For completion of all work before and during the course, as outlined by the Instructor, and 90% participation and attendance of the course.

2 Additional Credits

Course specific extra assignments. These can include submitting assignments before the course, daily assignments, and/or a final assignment to be completed after the course as decided by the Instructor.