Focus Group Methodology is an introductory text which leads readers through the entire process of designing a focus group study, from conducting interviews to analysing data and presenting the findings. It also includes discussions on cross-cultural and virtual focus group. Liamputtong presents clear, practical advice in simple terms which will be appropriate for undergraduate and postgraduate students who are undertaking research, making this an ideal starter text for anyone new to focus group research. Like her previous book, Researching the Vulnerable, Liamputtong's latest work pays close attention to research ethics and will also be of great interest to researchers who are working with different social groups - such as women, men, older people, children and ethnic groups - and anybody who is engaging in cross-cultural research. Illustrated with case studies and examples throughout, this is a perfect introduction to focus group methods for students and new researchers alike.
Pranee Liamputtong is a medical anthropologist and holds a Personal Chair in Public Health at the School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Pranee has her interests in issues regarding childbearing, childrearing, and women's reproductive and sexual health. She has conducted research with migrant and refugee women in Australia and with women in Southeast Asia. She has published several books and a large number of papers in these areas. Her recent books in the health and social science areas include: The Journey of Becoming a Mother Amongst Women in Northern Thailand (Lexington Books, 2007); Community , Health and Population (with Sansnee Jirojwong, Oxford University Press, 2008); Infant Feeding Practices : A Cross-Cultural Perspective (Springer 2011); Motherhood and Postnatal Depression : Narratives of Women and Their Partners (with Carolyn Westall, Springer, 2011); and Health , Illness and Well -Being : Perspectives and Social Determinants (with Rebecca Fanany and Glenda Verrinder, Oxford University Press, 2012). She has recently edited two books on HIV/AIDS for Springer including Women, Motherhood and HIV /AIDS: A Cross -Cultural Perspective and Stigma, Discrimination and HIV /AIDS: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Both were published in 2013. Pranee is a qualitative researcher and has also published several method books. Her most recent method books include: Researching the Vulnerable : A Guide to Sensitive Research Methods (Sage, 2007); Performing Qualitative Cross-Cultural Research (Cambridge University Press, 2010); Focus Group Methodology: Principles and Practice (Sage, 2011); Qualitative Research Methods , 4th Edition (Oxford University Press, 2013); and Research Methods in Health: Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice, 2nd Edition (Oxford University Press, 2013).
Focus Group Methodology: Introduction and History Focus Group Methodology: Theories and Ethics Focus Group Methodology and Principles Focus Group Methodology and Practical Considerations Conducting Focus Groups and Practicalities The Use of Focus Group Methodology in the Health and Social Sciences Focus Group Methodology and Sensitive Topics and Vulnerable Groups Focus Group Methodology in Cross-Cultural Research Virtual Focus Groups Managing and Making Sense of Focus Group Data In Conclusion
'This lucidly written book will appeal to readers ranging from undergraduate students to seasoned academics in the field of social science research. Liamputtong has succinctly provided valuable insights into conducting focus group discussions, not merely as a means of quick data collection but rather as an instrument that can create knowledge for social transformation. In essence, focus group discussions bear consonance with the subtle aims of social science to generate collective consciousness and deepen the understanding of structural contexts of oppression and social change' -- Keerty Nakray
