Resource Center

Focus group interview is one of the valuable tools for collecting qualitative data.  In view of extensive literature on the subject, this paper examines the background, purpose, rationale, and various forms of focus groups to be used in qualitative research. Characteristics of moderator, major phases and criteria of successful focus groups have also been discussed. It is concluded that the focus groups, compared to other techniques, may yield shared understanding and several perspectives of a given topic if they are conducted by well-trained efficient researchers.