ABSTRACT
At the most basic level, focus group methods involve bringing together small groups of carefully selected individuals for an in-depth discussion of some topic, guided by a moderator, in order to learn how people think about that topic. Most of us should be familiar with this basic idea of focus group research. We all have participated in group discussions that involved family members, friends, classmates or colleagues. Some of these discussions were more civilized and structured than others, for sure, but all of them focused on an issue or event that meant something to all participants. Instinctively, we try to reach some kind of agreement in these group discussions. If that is not the case, we have at least learned how others are thinking about the event or issue in question. That is, more or less, what focus groups try to do in a more formal research setting.
