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Business Research Methods, Chapter 15: Focus Groups

Instructions: For each question, click on the radio button beside your answer. When you have completed the entire quiz, click the Submit my answers button at the bottom of the page to receive your results.

Question 1:


a) It is a method of research involving the observations of a small group
b) It is a quantitative research method involving structured interviewing using closed question in a large group of people
c) It is a method of interviewing which involves more than one, and usually four, interviewees
d) None of the above

Question 2:


a) Focus groups typically want to explore a specific topic in depth, whereas group interviews are often more broad in focus
b) Group interviews are sometimes carried out to save time and money, but focus group interviews are not carried out for this reason
c) In a focus group interview, the researcher is more interested in the ways the individuals discuss a certain topic as members of a group, rather than as individuals
d) All of the above

Question 3:


a) Provides the researcher with an understanding regarding why participants feel the way they do
b) Participants are able to highlight topics that are important to them
c) Offers researchers a way to study how participants make collective sense of a phenomenon
d) All of the above

Question 4:


a) There are many different voices to follow and particular nuances of language may otherwise be lost
b) It is not important, rather it is recommended to write the answers down within the focus group discussion as participants would be distracted by a tape recorder
c) Researchers may otherwise forget to take notes
d) Researchers cannot write fast enough to cover all information discussed

Question 5:


a) When participant opinions are likely to be affected by socio-demographic factors
b) When the topic is controversial or complex
c) When involvement is likely to be low
d) All of the above

Question 6:


a) To dominate the discussion and direct the discussion toward certain areas
b) To facilitate the discussion and to keep the conversation on track
c) To observe the behaviour of the group
d) All of the above

Question 7:


a) They are less artificial than other types of interviews
b) Feminist researchers have a preference for methods that avoid decontextualization
c) Feminist researchers prefer methods that do not create a power relationship between researcher and respondent
d) All of the above

Question 8:


a) The researcher likely has less control over proceedings
b) The data generated is difficult to analyze because it produces a large volume of information
c) This type of interview can be very time-consuming
d) This type of interview takes social interaction into account

Question 9:


a) Selection is based on occupational or organizational groupings
b) Selection is based on socio-demographic factors
c) Participants are selected at random or via a kind of snowball sampling
d) All of the above

Question 10:


a) The aim and format of the focus group interview
b) An introduction of the research team and their roles
c) The conventions surrounding the research
d) All of the above