Research Methods Handbook.pdf - CLES

guiding the discussion rather than taking notes. However, you will needto make sure that you have a good quality tape recorder in order topick-up the group discussion. A good alternative is to have a note-takersit in on the discussion.How should it be used?Discussion groups are used when seeking the views, perceptions andopinions of people in an open forum. They are often used when morein-depth information is required than that which can be gained from aquestionnaire. Compared with interviews, they can be used when confidentialityis not an issue and where it is felt that participants are morelikely to contribute within a group setting rather than on a one-to-onebasis. They can often be used to explore issues emerging from othertypes of research (eg interviews, surveys) in more depth.What is the output?The discussion group produces qualitative data about thoughts, views,experiences etc.ProsYou select and recruit group membersYou can control the topicInteraction between participants may promptnew insightsConsLack of interest in group could make recruitmentdifficultParticipants do not have much to say or someparticipants dominate discussionMay be unsuitable for researching sensitive issuesFurther readingModerating focus groups – The national centre for social researchprovides training courses in moderating or facilitating discussiongroups - http://www.natcen.ac.ukFacilitating Workshops - Practical Tips for Workshop Facilitators,Seeds for Changehttp://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/free/facilwsh.pdfHow should it be analysed?Use the information from interviews to identify the relevant themesthat emerge from the discussions to put into your evaluation report.There are also statistical packages that you can use to analyse this typeof data including:NUD*IST: a qualitative data analysis package which enables non statisticalinformation from interviews, group work, observation etc to beanalysed according to chosen criteria. For example, it is possible to usethe package to pull out all material relating to key words or phrases (egneighbourhood renewal). If recorded, you may not need to transcribethe whole discussion but just make relevant notes from the tape. Thiswill enable you to quote directly from the discussion within your evaluationreport, remembering to adhere to any issues of confidentiality.WorkshopsWhat is the method?Workshops are a group-based method of research in which there is anemphasis on activity-based, interactive working. The focus is on everyoneparticipating and undertaking the work. Therefore, when using thistype of research technique, the researcher acts as a facilitator, ratherthan leading the discussion or activity.When should it be used?There are a variety of reasons why it would be appropriate to hold workshopsessions, including:Raising awareness (e.g. about a new funding stream and how toapply);Capturing views and information (e.g. about local serviceprovision);46 47