William H. Weare, Jr. and Rebecca H. Byrum of Valparaiso University
Introducing the process:
- Chose focus group over surveys to get at the “how” and “why.”
- Qualitative research method
- Choose based on specification: ex. all juniors, all business majors, etc.
- Used Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research
- IRB Approval (for presenting!)
- Recruit in building, ask students for recommendations
- They chose to compensate with food from Panera (students chose food in advance, create sense of obligation to come)
- Recruitment is a challenge (especially with scheduling)
- Used cassette transcriber
- Oral statement and written statement: would be recorded, tapes would be destroyed after use, and there might be a written report without names
- Good questions: easy to understand, short, one-dimensional, and open-ended
- Developed a report card for library and asked what got high grades and discuss those items, then the things with low grades.
- Did reveal who they are, but asked that they not think about who they are. Found students were surprisingly frank about what they didn’t like. It was also clear they didn’t understand what jobs the moderators had, as they asked if one was the dean.
- When students revealed they didn’t understand something, they occasionally broke from moderator stance to let them know the correct information, but tried to always wait until the end. Made a list of misperceptions, and waited until the recorder was off and gave the correct information.
They demonstrated a focus group process by holding a mock one:
- One facilitator acted as moderator, one as recorder.
- Sessions planned for 3 hours: name cards, pens, small gift, script, consent forms, report cards, food
- Small talk ahead of time: avoided library discussion so that they could record all the library discussion
- Held a mock focus group with four participants
- Criteria: attended 2 ACRLs, academic librarians
- Fine print: not real, not as relaxed since demoing in front of a crowd.
- Read the welcome script
- Started with a question that didn’t indicated rank or hierarchy.
- Followed up with a conference that generally introduced the topic (what do you think of when you think of conferences?)
- Transitioned to ask questions to encourage discussion about the topic at hand.
- “think back” questions allow people to talk about specific examples rather than general statements.
- What got the highest/lowest grade? Discussion of why.
- Didn’t review report card point by point, allowed participants to drive participation.
- Followed up asking if there was anything they wanted to address that didn’t get brought up?
- If you had the chance to tell the important person in the organization one thing, what would that be?
- Many questions can close the questioning round, but here is one:
- “Is there anything that we should have talked about but did not?”
- Normally read back a summary of the discussion.
- Gave example of concluding remarks and giving gifts.
- Turn off the recorder and ask participants about the process itself.
Afterwards:
- Transcribed the tapes, which took a long time.
- For the last 3, they hired a student to do the transcription for them.
In conclusion:
- Then they read some of the quotes from students.
- Found that since the groups were homogeneous, they were very willing to talk.
- Literature suggests best to use outside moderator, but they felt they were able to get good information without that effort and expense.
- Focus group participation builds good PR, students know you care about what they have to say.
- But then, you have to adapt to what they say!
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