The online regular training course on Focus Group Discussion: Administration and Analysis of Results* will be held on September 20-23, 2021. CLICK HERE for complete details on how to enroll in this course including prerequisites (if any), training rates/fees, and alternate schedules. Users with existing OTRS accounts need not register again. See you!

*Microsoft Excel for Database Management and Survey Operations and Questionnaire Design are prerequisites to this course.

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION: ADMINISTRATION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS (STS 2) COURSE DESCRIPTION

This training course concentrates on the data collection method called Focus Group Discussion, often used for qualitative studies, where emphasis is given to specific issues with a predetermined group of people participating in an interactive discussion. Whereas quantitative researchers tend to see the world in terms of variables, qualitative researchers in focus group discussions tend to see the world in terms of people, situations, events, and the processes that connect these. The ultimate objective of a focus group discussion is to identify a range of perspectives or enables a broad range of insights on a research topic or on the research issues, in a single sitting. It also aims to gain understanding on the issues from the perspectives of the participants themselves.

Purpose: To provide participants with knowledge and skills in the conduct of focus group discussion or FGD. This will enhance the capacity of the participants to conceptualize, design and conduct qualitative research using the focus group discussion with a mixed method perspective. It follows the step-by-step process from planning, moderation of interviews, to analysis and presentation of results.

Benefits to Participants: Prepares participants for the conduct and analysis of an often used qualitative data collection method for case studies, market research, or investigative studies. The course enables participants to prepare FGD, construct guide questions for FGD, conduct and analyze FGD results.

Target Participants: Personnel involved in the planning and administration of FGD. They are required to have background knowledge in basic statistics and computing concepts, as well as background on conduct of survey operations and questionnaire design. The equivalent recommended PSRTI course prerequisite is Microsoft Excel for Data Management (SW 1).

Course Coverage

1. Overview of Qualitative Research and Focus Groups
   1. What is qualitative research?
   2. What are the uses of qualitative research?
   3. What topics are suited for qualitative research?
   4. How do we formulate a qualitative research question?
2. Design and Moderation Techniques
   1. Focus Group Discussion
   2. Design
   3. Moderation Techniques
3. Data Processing
   1. Considerations Before the Processing of FGD data
   2. Preparing Focus Group Transcripts
   3. Coding Data
   4. Analytic Frameworks
4. Data Analysis
   1. Qualitative Research Fundamentals
   2. Qualitative Analysis of FGD data
5. Presentation of FGD Results
   1. Preliminaries
   2. Reporting FGD Results
   3. Presentation Guidelines

Duration: 4 Days – 8:30am to 4:00pm