The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods
Abstract
Communication over the Internet has become a social norm for much of the developed world population, opening the door for researchers to more seamlessly conduct qualitative research. Additionally, advances in video conferencing platforms along with increased adoption of webcams and high speed Internet offer opportunities to simulate face-to-face data collection and glean richer qualitative data. Of course, text-based synchronous and asynchronous data collection still offer ample research opportunities. This chapter discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by online focus groups. It will address considerations researchers should make given the online setting and approaches to consider (live vs. asynchronous and communication mediums). Recommendations regarding recruitment, informed consent, and moderating are also provided. In online research, the various technologies available for the task become a factor for consideration. This chapter will note the issues regarding the selection of a technology such as ease of use, cost, supplemental communication tools (e.g., emojis, polls), bandwidth required, reliability, and ability to create data log files. Finally, it offers insight into future potentials for conducting focus groups online.