Researching online populations: the use of online focus groups for social research

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Stewart ◽  
Matthew Williams
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Online Focus Groups

scholarly journals Asynchronous Online Focus Groups for Health Research: Case Study and Lessons Learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allegra R. Gordon ◽  
Jerel P. Calzo ◽  
Rose Eiduson ◽  
Kendall Sharp ◽  
Scout Silverstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Online Technologies ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
And Gender

Increasingly, social life—and accordingly, social research—is conducted in online environments. Asynchronous online focus groups (AOFGs) have emerged as an important tool to conduct remote research with geographically diverse populations. However, there remain few systematic accounts of AOFG methods to guide researchers’ decision-making in designing and implementing studies. This paper seeks to address this gap by describing a recent study on body image and health among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young adults. In this study, eight AOFGs were conducted in August-October 2019 with 66 TGD young adults residing in 25 U.S. states. Each AOFG lasted four consecutive days with two prompts posted by moderators per day. Overall, participant satisfaction with AOFGs was high: 98% reported their experience was excellent, very good, or good and 95% would be somewhat or very likely to sign up for another AOFG. This example is used to illustrate key methodological decision-points, acceptability of the method to participants, and lessons learned. The goal of this paper is to encourage other researchers, particularly health researchers, to consider using AOFGs and to engage with the method’s strengths and limitations in order to develop new opportunities for online technologies to enrich the field of qualitative health research.

Online Focus Groups

2015 ◽  
pp. 31-55
Author(s):  
Oksana Parylo
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Online Research ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Data Collection Technique

The overall aim of this chapter is to provide a better understanding of how a specific technique of online research methodology, online focus groups, has been theoretically conceptualized and practically utilized in order to examine its advantages and disadvantages to improve future applications of this technique in qualitative and mixed methods research. The chapter offers an overview of qualitative and mixed methods empirical research using online focus groups in different disciplines and outlines the strengths and weaknesses of this data collection technique. In addition, based on the review of empirical and theoretical research, the current and emerging practices in and characteristics of using online focus groups for data collection are outlined and used to suggest future trends in using this data collection technique in qualitative and mixed methods research.

Locating Presence and Positions in Online Focus Group Text with Stance-Shift Analysis

2011 ◽  
pp. 634-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boyd Davis ◽  
Peyton Mason
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Cues ◽  
Primary Mode ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Shift Analysis ◽  
Group Members

Social cues in online focus groups surface in the ways group members manipulate language, to signal their attitudinal shifts in position toward the group’s topics and what both moderators and members may have said. Their primary mode is task-based: their “job” is to respond to topics introduced by the focus group moderator; they also engage in “sidebar chat” among themselves. Using stance-shift analysis on a million-word corpus of online text genres, we identify 10 characteristics of online focus group chat, which may help researchers and retailers to identify when and how group participants might be strongly committed to what they have just written.

Stance Analysis

2011 ◽  
pp. 262-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peyton Mason ◽  
Boyd Davis ◽  
Deborah Bosley
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Online Chat ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Marketing Information

In this chapter, we will first discuss what stance is and highlight how we identify and measure stance using multivariate techniques, using an ongoing example taken from an Online Financial Focus Group. We review differences in stance between online real-time focus groups and online chat, as well as between online and face-to-face focus groups; and finally, proffer examples of stance analysis in two very different online focus groups: older adults discussing financial services and teens discussing clothes. As marketers see that online focus groups offer valuable marketing information by understanding the significance of how something is said as well as what is said, their confidence in the use of online focus-group data should increase.

scholarly journals STEER: Factors to Consider When Designing Online Focus Groups Using Audiovisual Technology in Health Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691988578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Daniels ◽  
Patricia Gillen ◽  
Karen Casson ◽  
Iseult Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Health Care Practitioners ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
Journal Entries

Technological advancements and ease of Internet accessibility have made using Internet-based audiovisual software a viable option for researchers conducting focus groups. Online platforms overcome any geographical limitations placed on sampling by the location of potential participants and so enhance opportunities for real-time discussions and data collection in groups that otherwise might not be feasible. Although researchers have been adopting Internet-based options for some time, empirical evaluations and published examples of focus groups conducted using audiovisual technology are sparse. It therefore cannot yet be established whether conducting focus groups in this way can truly mirror face-to-face discussions in achieving the authentic interaction to generate data. We use our experiences to add to the developing body of literature by analyzing our critical reflections on how procedural aspects had the potential to influence the data we collected using audiovisual technology to conduct synchronous focus groups. As part of a mixed methods study, we chose to conduct focus groups in this way to access geographically dispersed populations and to enhance sample variation. We conducted eight online focus groups using audiovisual technology with both academic researchers and health-care practitioners across the four regions of the United Kingdom. A reflexive journal was completed throughout the planning, conduct and analysis of the focus groups. Content analysis of journal entries was carried out to identify procedural factors that had the potential to affect the data collected during this study. Five themes were identified ( Stability of group numbers, Technology, Environment, Evaluation, and Recruitment), incorporating several categories of issues for consideration. Combined with the reflections of the researcher and published experiences of others, suggested actions to minimize any potential impacts of issues which could affect interactions are presented to assist others who are contemplating this method of data collection.

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