Mastering Focus Groups and Depth Interviews by Roger Straus

“Dr. Straus is one of the intellectual veterans of qualitative research. His book does a great job of providing a conceptual framework and guidance on the details and nuances of designing, managing and interpreting results of this often misunderstood and underutilized research method. A must-read for moderators and users of focus groups and depth interviews!” 

—David F. Harris, author The Complete Guide to Writing Questionnaires: How to Get Better Information for Better Decisions

Tips that will Make You a Better Moderator and Interviewer

In this practical handbook, author Roger Straus shares insights, tips, and wisdom acquired from his decades-spanning career as a moderator and depth interviewer. You'll find practical tips for responding to an RFP (including budget considerations that are not always obvious), planning a depth-research project, working with research facilities, conducting the research, and conveying your findings to your clients.

Focusing on six applications for depth methods, Straus explains that focus groups and depth interviews can be used for much more than preliminary research and ideation exercises. He takes you through the Five-Question process for planning a group, addressing Who?, How Many?, Where?, When?, and How?. In addition to discussing each of these critical questions, he offers scores of useful best-practice tips that you can put to use immediately.

You’ll also find valuable advice for integrating qualitative and quantitative research and for choosing the best approach to your research project, with extensive discussion points weighing the benefits of in-person groups and interviews vs. on-line, synchronous and asynchronous methods.

Recommended for professionals in market research, product development, government, sociological practice and public policy research, especially for those who might be new to the discipline.

(238 pages, paperback, ISBN 978-1-941688-66-3; 2019)

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