Focusing researchers’ minds: contrasting experiences of using focus groups in feminist qualitative research

Abstract

In this article, we reflect on our contrasting experiences of using focus groups in two different empirical research projects, one that explored the attitudes of mature students in further education towards possible participation in higher education, the other that examined young women’s relationships to feminism. In particular, we analyse the ways in which our research questions and approaches were challenged, honed and sometimes transformed in the light of our participants’ responses to our chosen method of research. For, while the mature students of the former project - many of whom had previously experienced formal education as negative - felt discomfort at the atmosphere of collective examination that the group engendered, and resisted discussion on their thoughts and feelings, the young women of the latter study welcomed the legitimacy that the formal focus group lent to their desire to discuss the socially taboo subject of feminism. We thus seek to show how we gained knowledge and understanding about our research topics through our participants’ responses to the method we selected as well as through their direct contributions in the research moment.

‘Most of industry's shutting down up here. . .’: Employability Initiatives to Tackle Worklessness in Areas of Low Labour Market Demand

“…The aim of the qualitative approach to the study was to gain some insights into the worlds, beliefs and views of those involved in the employability interventions (Jowett & O"Toole, 2006;Kvale, 1996). Focus groups (one per project) were used to explore the views of participants involved eleven of the projects but, due to the sensitivity of some of the issues involved, it was deemed more appropriate to employ face-to-face interviews with participants in the Young Parent's Outreach Worker project and the Counselling Service.…”

Culturally Responsive Focus Groups: Reframing the Research Experience to Focus on Participants

“…For focus groups to be culturally effective, the environment must either be chosen or intentionally designed to value and affirm the participants (Hennick, 2008). Simply inviting participants with similar characteristics will not be sufficient (Jowett & O'Toole, 2006). While there is value in having similar participants share a focus group experience, our research demonstrates the depth of information which may be garnered from CRFGs designed specifically to value and uphold the participants' identities.…”

“…Focus groups are not effective in every situation and with every group (Jowett & O'Toole, 2006) and can be time consuming, costly, and difficult to arrange, facilitate, and transcribe. Facilitating CRFGs adds an additional layer of challenge.…”

“…This allows multivocality (multiple voices are heard) during the research process (Madriz, 2000). Thus focus groups afford participants more influence in the research setting (Jowett & O'Toole, 2006;Madriz, 2000). As researchers, we believe the act of conducting research can be a transformational process in which we challenge assumptions and make meaning of new information (Creswell, 1998;Crotty, 1998).…”

“…We address some of the historical concerns of focus group researchers' in this section. A current controversy in focus group research is that even though focus groups should be designed to feel natural, some researchers suggest that focus groups validity may be compromised because participants mask their true feelings and beliefs to fit in with other focus group participants (Jowett & O'Toole, 2006;Morgan, 2002). Culturally responsive researchers may have a different orientation toward issues of validity as they take the view that trustworthy data can be elicited in relational, community settings.…”