Colucci, E., 2007. "Focus groups can be fun": The use of activity-oriented questions in focus group discussions. Qualitative Health Research, 17(10), pp.1422-1433.
The author of this article explores methods that can be used by moderators of focus groups to improve the method and make it more efficient in collecting data. The author develops a framework of understanding with regard to several exercises that can be conducted to make the focus groups more interactive and interesting for participants with the aim of improving the use of focus groups. As such, the exercises are instrumental in improving the attention and focus of the participants towards the theme of the research especially when it comes to sensitive topics, like youth suicide, which may provide some level of difficulty when using focus groups.
Gill, P., Stewart, K., Treasure, E. and Chadwick, B., 2008. Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups. British dental journal, 204(6), p.291.
Gill and his fellow researchers provide an in-depth discussion of the use of interviews and focus groups as data collection methods in qualitative research. As such, the research discusses interviews and focus groups and their effectiveness in data collection while focusing on how they work and where they can be used effectively. Additionally, the research provides a specific focus on dentistry with regard to how the methods can be used in the field to collect data while also providing examples of studies that have used the methods.
Leung, F.H. and Savithiri, R., 2009. Spotlight on focus groups. Canadian Family Physician, 55(2), pp.218-219.
The authors of this article provide an in-depth analysis of the use of focus groups to collect data with a special focus on patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. As such, the authors seek to address the procedures and techniques that can be used to collect data using focus groups and make an accurate analysis. The author also discusses the merits and demerits of using focus groups to collect data. Additionally, the author also provides information on how the research method can be conducted with a high degree of efficiency.
Morgan, D.L., 1996. Focus groups. Annual review of sociology, 22(1), pp.129-152.
Morgan's article provides an in-depth study of focus groups and group interviews which have been used to collect qualitative data. The researcher covers the use of focus groups and how they have been used in combination with other research methods to allow effective collection of data. The author proceeds to give information on the advantages of focus groups with a focus on how the method can be improved and how participants can be encouraged to enhance their participation in data collection.
O Nyumba, T., Wilson, K., Derrick, C.J. and Mukherjee, N., 2018. The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), pp.20-32.
This research develops a framework of understanding on the use of focus groups research method to collect data. The authors analyzed two decades of data that has used focus groups as the primary method of data collection. Ideally, the research provides information on the types of focus group discussions, how the data is analyzed, its merits and demerits. The research is instrumental in identifying gaps that have been identified with regard to the use of focus group discussions for data collection.
The references above will be instrumental in developing an understanding of focus groups as a research method in qualitative data collection. The references will also be used to identify the weaknesses of the method and how researchers can introduce techniques and strategies to address the issues. Additionally, the references also provide information on the ethical issues to consider when using focus groups. This is especially when dealing with issues that are sensitive to the participants of the group. Ideally, focus groups are practical and useful in biodiversity research. The references also provide information on the gaps identified when using focus groups as a data collection method and this will be imperative in identifying ways to improve the method.
