Joking, being aggressive and shutting people up: the use of focus groups in LIS research

Issue title: Libraries without Number

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Goulding, Anne

Affiliations: Department of Information and Library Studies, Loughborough University, UK

Abstract: While focus groups are a frequently-used research method in other disciplines, they are still something of a novelty in library and information studies, particularly in the UK Scanning the LISA11Library and Information Science Abstracts database (in December 1996) there are only 43 references to focus group and most relate to US studies. Often, focus groups are seen as a way of obtaining views on the research subject prior to the investigation proper. This paper will argue, however, that focus groups have great potential as the principle data-gathering method. This paper will discuss: • what focus groups are; • why focus groups should be considered an appropriate research tool in library and information services; • the advantages of using focus groups; • the practicalities of running a focus group session; and • the type of data generated in focus groups and methods of analysis. It is concluded that focus groups are a valuable research method which simultaneously gives participants a social space in which they can voice their concerns, while allowing the researcher/moderator to control (to whatever extent) the discussion.

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-1997-15406

Journal: Education for Information, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 331-341, 1997