Market Research Focus Groups & Qualitative Research 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a primary disadvantage of focus group research?
- It cannot collect opinion data
- Results may not be statistically generalizable to the broader population (Correct answer)
- It requires very large sample sizes
- It cannot be used for concept testing
Correct answer: Results may not be statistically generalizable to the broader population
Because focus groups involve small, non-random samples, their results provide insights and hypotheses but cannot be statistically generalized to a larger population.
Question 2: What is 'respondent fatigue' in the context of qualitative research?
- A moderator becoming tired during a long session
- Participants losing engagement or giving superficial answers due to lengthy sessions (Correct answer)
- Researchers experiencing burnout from analyzing transcripts
- Survey respondents skipping questions near the end
Correct answer: Participants losing engagement or giving superficial answers due to lengthy sessions
Respondent fatigue occurs when participants lose energy or interest during a long session and begin giving less thoughtful, shallower responses.
Question 3: In qualitative research, what does 'data saturation' mean?
- The point at which the researcher has too much data to analyze
- The stage when new interviews or sessions no longer reveal new themes (Correct answer)
- When quantitative data fully validates qualitative findings
- When all focus group recordings have been transcribed
Correct answer: The stage when new interviews or sessions no longer reveal new themes
Data saturation is reached when additional data collection no longer produces new insights or themes, indicating sufficient depth of understanding.
Question 4: A 'discussion guide' used in focus groups primarily serves to:
- Prescribe exact word-for-word questions the moderator must read aloud
- Provide a flexible framework of topics and probes to guide the session (Correct answer)
- Record participant responses during the group
- Analyze themes after the session is complete
Correct answer: Provide a flexible framework of topics and probes to guide the session
A discussion guide is a flexible outline of key topics and probing questions that keeps the session on track while allowing the moderator to adapt based on participant responses.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'online focus groups'?
- Email surveys sent to focus group alumni
- Synchronous or asynchronous group discussions conducted via digital platforms (Correct answer)
- Web-based polls embedded on a company's website
- Automated chatbot interviews with multiple users simultaneously
Correct answer: Synchronous or asynchronous group discussions conducted via digital platforms
Online focus groups use digital platforms to bring participants together either in real time (synchronous) or over several days (asynchronous) for discussion, enabling geographic flexibility.
Question 6: What is the main purpose of a 'screener' in qualitative research recruitment?
- To evaluate the quality of a moderator's performance
- To ensure recruited participants meet specific eligibility criteria (Correct answer)
- To screen out biased questions from the discussion guide
- To filter transcripts for relevant themes
Correct answer: To ensure recruited participants meet specific eligibility criteria
A screener is a questionnaire used during recruitment to confirm that potential participants meet the target profile criteria (e.g., demographics, product usage) for the study.
Question 7: Which approach involves asking focus group participants to sort images or words into categories to reveal brand perceptions?
- Laddering
- Card sorting (Correct answer)
- Protocol analysis
- Narrative inquiry
Correct answer: Card sorting
Card sorting is a projective technique where participants organize items into groups, helping researchers understand mental models, associations, and brand perceptions.
Market Research Focus Groups & Qualitative Research 2
Which of the following is a primary disadvantage of focus group research?