ABSTRACT
Online focus groups are a collection of interacting individuals, with common characteristics or interests, holding an online discussion on a particular topic that is introduced and led by a moderator. Online focus groups can be used in the preliminary or planning stages of a research project, perhaps to help inform and develop a questionnaire, or they can be used as the sole data collection method in a research project. Online focus groups are used in a wide variety of disciplines including education, sociology, politics, health and medicine, business and marketing. There are two types of online focus group: synchronous online focus groups take place in real-time by video, web conferencing or in a chat room, for example. Participants are able to communicate with each other, and with the moderator, listening, reacting, commenting and adding to the discussion as it unfolds.
