What Is a Qualitative Research Focus Group?

Qualitative research is a concept opposite to quantitative on research (Quantitative research), also known as qualitative research. It is a basic research paradigm in the social sciences and one of the important steps and methods of scientific research.

Qualitative research

Qualitative research is the way researchers use to define or deal with problems. The specific purpose is to deeply study the specific characteristics or behaviors of the objects and further explore the reasons for their occurrence. If

It is one of the basic steps and methods of scientific research to determine the essential attributes of things. It uses observations, experiments, and analysis to investigate whether the research object has one or more attributes or characteristics, and whether there is a relationship between them. Because it only requires an answer to the nature of the research object, it is called qualitative research.

Researchers use methods such as historical review, document analysis, interviews, observations, and participation experiences to obtain data in natural situations, and use non-quantitative methods to analyze them and obtain research conclusions. Qualitative research emphasizes meaning, experience (usually verbal description), description, and so on.

Qualitative research is a group of small-scale, carefully selected sample individuals. The research does not require statistical significance, but with the experience, sensitivity and related technologies of the researcher, it can effectively gain insight into the behavior and motivation of the research subject, and Their possible impact, etc.

At present, the main methods of market research are qualitative research and quantitative research. It is not difficult to see from the text that the so-called qualitative research refers to a method of research from the nature; and quantitative research is a method of research from the quantity.

Qualitative research is a way for researchers to define or deal with problems. It is a market research method that reveals the nature of things. In layman's terms, it is a thorough study of consumer perceptions and further exploration of why consumers are one way or another. If quantitative research addresses the "what" problem, then qualitative research addresses the "why" problem.

Generally, as a new product, planners face a lot of confusion before going on the market. For example, to whom should it be sold, what are the benefits of its products, whether consumers need these benefits, how much are they willing to spend to buy these benefits, what do consumers think of this new product, and will they like it? This packaging, style ... why? So many questions cannot be solved by planners having a meeting in the office, surfing the Internet, or slap their heads. Only through well-controlled qualitative research can correct answers to these questions be obtained.

The main forms of qualitative research are group discussions and one-on-one in-depth interviews. Because its research process is relatively short and easy to control, in recent years, qualitative research has received more and more attention from enterprises and marketing planners. Data show that the qualitative research expenses used by American companies in the country increased from 350 million US dollars in 1989 to 1 billion US dollars in 1999, an increase of 280%.

Regardless of the form, in the process of qualitative research, three main steps must be mastered: planning, execution, analysis and application. With these three key points in hand, the entire qualitative research has a foundation for success.

The following is an example of a panel discussion.

The first step, planning: skills are most important

A successful qualitative research also requires careful planning, which is mainly reflected in the following two aspects:

How many meetings should be held in a reasonable group ? How to determine the respondent of each invitation? These two seemingly simple questions actually reflect the purpose and scientific nature of qualitative research. At the same time, rational grouping not only directly affects the research results, but also greatly saves research costs.

Designing the outline of the interview: Usually, before the group discussion begins, the researcher will design an outline including the main process and specific content. This seemingly simple outline is very particular about it. A symposium should generally have 6 to 10 respondents to participate. How to keep these unknown respondents from being disturbed by other factors, to ensure that they provide the most authentic information, which requires a high level of skill. For example, the qualitative research symposium on health rice mentioned earlier. In the entire interview outline, we did not directly mention the problems related to health rice, but all of them were centered on what we need to know.

Step two: implementation: details are key

The key to implementation is the control of details. During the discussion, the following links were the key to implementation:

Personnel selection and invitation: Because the number of respondents in qualitative research is small, the answer of each respondent will have a greater impact on the overall research results. Therefore, the work of personnel selection and invitation is crucial. For example, the company where the author belongs employs a large number of full-time and part-time interviewers. They usually collect the information of various personnel. Once the conditions of the interviewees are determined, they can find suitable personnel in the shortest time. At the same time, we will design a test questionnaire to further evaluate these people and select the most appropriate respondents from them.

On-site environment of the symposium The environment and atmosphere of the on-site symposium will affect the emotions of the interviewees and thus the research results. A good site environment should be: closed, quiet, casual, and comfortable. In addition to the host and recorder, access to other unrelated personnel should be controlled. The number of respondents should be controlled between 6 and 10. Too little is not conducive to the collection of answers, too much is not conducive to the control of the scene, and it is not possible to conduct more in-depth research. Researchers can place snacks, fruits, drinks, etc. for the interviewees to take, so that the interviewees can enter a relaxed and pleasant situation as soon as possible. It is most appropriate to arrange the seats in the form of a round table. It is necessary to avoid making the interviewee feel deliberately arranging seats.

Moderator's Attitude and Responsiveness: Moderator is the core of the whole forum. A good host should have the following basic qualities:

First, very affinity. The duration of a seminar is preferably no more than 2 hours. This requires the host to allow the interviewees to establish a good degree of trust in them in the shortest possible time.

Second, there is no tendency. The moderator's words must be absolutely neutral, without any personal opinions and tendencies, so as to gain the interviewee's approval and get real-world feedback.

3. Superb control and resilience. In almost every forum, there will always be some interviewees who don't cooperate with you so well. I met a male interviewee in his 40s who was successful and highly educated. He was dismissive of all issues and kept calling on his mobile phone. Seeing this situation, I first "brave" him fiercely, saying that he has rich experience, temperament, education, and asked him very humbly, implying that we particularly care about his opinions. After 10 minutes, he turned off the phone and actively participated in the discussion.

Fourth, with professional-level marketing capabilities. Every forum

Pinyin title

ding xing yan jiu

Other titles

Side title

ISBN

978-7-5624-3286-9

Responsible Person

Norman K. Denzin, editor-in-chief of Yvonna S. Lincoln

publisher

Chongqing University Press

publisher place

Chongqing

date of publish

2007

Chinese picture classification number

C34

Notes

Summary

This book covers the development history of qualitative research, the methodological basis of qualitative research, the specific methods, strategies and arts of qualitative research, and the future development of qualitative research. These contents are respectively reflected in 41 topics. ^[1]

13 Art of Choreography for Qualitative Research Design: Minu Ai Minor Dance, Improvisation and Crystallization

14 Untold Story: Doing Qualified Research Granted

15 Performing Ethnography: A Brief History and Some Suggestions

16 case study

17 Ethnography and Ethnographic Description

18 Analysis of Interpretation Practice

19 Grounded Theory: Objectivism and Constructivism

20 Fearless: Challenges from Life Courses and Postmodernism

21 Testimony, subordination, and authority of narrative

22 Participating in Action Research

23 clinical research

Qualitative Research (Vol. 1): Methodological Basis

Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research Methods: History in Sociology and Anthropology

Rebuilding the relationship between universities and society through action research

For whom-qualitative research, description and social responsibility

Ethics and Politics in Qualitative Research

Controversies, contradictions, and emerging fusions among paradigms

Three Epistemological Approaches to Qualitative Research: Hermeneutics, Hermeneutics, and Social Constructivism

Feminism and Qualitative Studies in the New Century

Racial Discourse and Racial Epistemology

Rethinking Critical Theory and Qualitative Research

culture Research

Gender, Queer Theory and Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research (Volume 2): Strategy and Art

Art of Choreography for Qualitative Research Design: Minu Ai Minor Dance, Improvisation and Crystallization

Unspeakable story: do qualitative research funded

Performing Ethnography: A Brief History and Some Suggestions

Case study

Ethnography and ethnographic description

Analysis of Interpretation Practice

Grounded Theory: Objectivism and Constructivism

Fearless: Challenges from Life Course and Postmodernism

Testimony, subordination, and authority of narrative

Participate in action research

Clinical research

Qualitative Research (Vol. 3): Methods of Empirical Data Collection and Analysis

Interviews: From Structured Questions to Guided Topics

Reflective observation: from procedure to text

Interpretation of literature and material culture

Rethinking the visual approach: from Galileo to the "nervous rover"

Researcher as subject: Ethnography of the self, individual narrative, reflexivity

Data processing and analysis methods

Software and Qualitative Research

Dialogue and text analysis

Focus Group Approach in Feminist Studies

Applied ethnography

Qualitative Research (Vol. 4): The Art of Interpretation, Evaluation, and Description and the Future of Qualitative Research

Standard question of relativism

Practical and Political Issues of Interpretation

Writing: A Research Method

Anthropological poetics

Understanding social plans through assessment

Influencing policy processes with qualitative research

Qualitative research pressure and innovation

Seventh stage ^[1]