ABSTRACT
In designing a research project, there are eight steps to follow: (1) defining the population; (2) determining the makeup of the groups; (3) determining the sample to represent the population; (4) deciding on the sample size-in a focus group project this refers to the number of groups and the number of participants in each group; (5) deciding how to recruit participants; (6) attending to ethical considerations and preparing an IRB-Institutional Research Board-application; (7) deciding on
group logistics (location, day, time of the sessions); and (8) deciding what you are going to discuss in the sessions and writing a facilitation guide. There are many details to keep track of, and small items of preparation make a huge difference in the success of focus groups. In one sense, focus groups are a performance, a public discourse (Smithson, 2000), and like any good performance, preparation is key.
