ABSTRACT
Brief Focused Inquiry (BFI) is a strategy designed for researchers working in professional contexts who are undertaking small-scale studies with limited amounts of data. The goal of BFI is to produce initial findings that will establish the basis for future large-scale studies. A researcher, beginning or experienced, investigates an important issue in a field with participants who have expertise in a particular area. In education, the participants may be students, teacher-candidates, teachers, consultants, administrators, researchers, retired educators, or graduate students, or any combination thereof. The range of potential participants will vary from field to field and may include early, middle, and late career individuals or retirees. They may be invited to participate in any number of ways; for example, by random selection, stratified or convenience sample, snowball, or volunteering. The approach is also eclectic as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method strategies can be employed.
