ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the use of focus groups in applied linguistics research. It begins with an overview of this approach to qualitative data collection, exploring its origin and current use. The various benefits to the applied linguistics researcher that focus groups offer are then examined, including collecting multiple voices at one time and enabling the examination of group interaction, as well as opportunities for spontaneous thinking, as well as reduced research control. Focus groups have the potential to generate rich data and can be used in various ways, either as an adjunct to another method or as a single data collection tool in their own right. However, the chapter ends with a discussion of various issues to consider when conducting focus group research, including the important role of the moderator and data analysis techniques.
