MRA2: FOCUS GROUP

EXTRA CREDIT

This is a focus group, group assignment where you are required to have a discussion with 6-12 people in the targeted
segment. This assignment requires you to decide on a topic for study, create a discussion guide on that topic, carry out the
focus group discussion, and report your findings. Turn in both your discussion guide and the report as requested below.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

A discussion guide is an outline of the topics to be covered during the session. It should serve as a checklist of salient
questions and topics in the order and detail to be covered. It is important that discussion guide questions are organized
into a logical sequence going from general to specific. For example if one is interested in the décor of a fast food chain’s
outlets, the moderator may start with general attitudes toward eating out, then move to fast foods, and conclude with the
detail discussion of the décor of that particular chain. (Two different sample discussion guides are listed at the end of this
document.)

When conducting the focus group you should frame the questions for the group and make sure each participant gets to
discuss his/her ideas on each topic. You can summarize responses and then ask for more clarification or probe for more
information behind what they are saying. Do not give your authoritative point of view on any topic, just make sure you are
allowing them to freely represent themselves, and they would perceive, by your leadership, that you are interested and
value their input. You may have to keep the discussion on track in order to cover your topics but be on the lookout for
helpful hints or gems they may offer you that were not there when you made your discussion guide.

There is no page length requirement for the guide. Write what is necessary to plan the FG and assist the moderator.

FOCUS GROUP REPORT

Your report must have all of the following components below, separated by section. This should be about 1-2 pages of
concise, relevant content. (I will deduct 1 point if over 2 pages.) Label each section.

1. Background & Purpose: Give a brief explanation of your company, its issue/problem, and the purpose of your
study.
2. Methods
a. Group procedures: Who performed which role in your research group, how long did the focus group last,
and where was it held, etc. Was food served? What time was it held?
b. Participants: Give a brief demographic breakdown of participants (e.g., # of participants, gender, S.E.S.,
education level, level of experience with your company, etc.) Do not take down participant names - Their
participation is anonymous; however, you may choose to give them pseudonyms. Briefly discuss group
dynamics – Were there dominant speakers, did conversation stay on topic, etc.?
3. Results: What words and phrases were used by participants to describe your topic? What needs, motives,
perceptions, and attitudes toward your topic were evident? Give an overall summarization of your findings.
4. Implications: Indicate what ideas were generated by your evaluation of the results. What are the implications of
your findings based on your results? Reference how this ties in to your original purpose for conducting the focus
group.
5. Recommendations: Based on your results, what do you recommend as a course of action for future (quantitative)
research? Also, list three possible hypotheses you might test on a wider sample. A hypothesis is an assertion (not a
question) that you make based on your exploratory results that you can test using conclusive research. E.g.,

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

 H1: SJSU students prefer pizza over hamburgers.
H2: The student union will increase sales by 15% if the incoming restaurant sells pizza.
H3: SJSU graduate students are less satisfied with the student union services than are SJSU
undergraduate students.

GRADING RUBRIC
Discussion Guide 1 pt
Focus Group Report 8 pts
FOR 1PT. ADDITIONAL EXTRA
Background/Purpose 1 pt
Methods 1 pt CREDIT, SUBMIT A
Results 1 pt PHOTO/SCREENSHOT OF YOUR
Implications 2 pts FOCUS GROUP IN ACTION!
Recommendations 2 pts
(With participant permission, of course)
Photo/screenshot 1 pt
Total 10 pts extra credit
I will grade for completion of each section and depth of content.

MISC. INSTRUCTIONS

 Have snacks and/or beverages available to ease participants’ comfort if you choose to do this assignment in
person.
 If you choose to work in a group, have 1 person moderate and at least 2 people record data; have 1 or 2 people
designated to listening for things you may not have thought about and thinking of ideas for a quantitative study.
 Try to keep the focus group homogenous in terms of income, education, social status, etc.
 Make sure the people you choose for the group make sense. (E.g., if you are studying a financial planning
company, don’t include college students.)
 The moderator should be the person in your group who best fits the qualities required of a moderator (as given in
your notes and text.)
 You do not need to videotape or voice record the session.
 6 is the minimum number of participants. If you only have 4-5 participants, you will be docked 2 points. Do not
conduct a focus group with 1-3 participants.
 I don’t care what font/margins/spacing you use for the report as long as it’s legible and professional.
Note: You may not use other students in this class as participants for your focus group.

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

YOUR CHOICE: DOING THE ASSIGNMENT SOLO V. DOING THE ASSIGNMENT WITH OTHERS

SOLO: Doing the assignment alone is a lot of work. You need to: Come up with a topic, contact people and ask them for an
hour of their time, organize and host the focus group, moderate the group, write up your results, and turn in the
assignment…all by yourself. However, it is possible! (If you want, you may ask a friend outside of class to help you out, but
you must be the moderator.) The advantage of doing the assignment alone is that you work on your terms and on your
time.

GROUP: Doing the assignment in a group is a bit of a hassle. You will need to post on the discussion board that you are
looking for partners, you will need to organize a live chat or an in-person meeting to hammer out the details, you will need
to all come up with a time you can meet to conduct the focus group, and you will have to decide roles. However, there are
advantages of doing it in a group: Each one of you can get one or two people to be in your focus group (so one person alone
isn’t responsible for the recruitment); having one person moderate and a couple of others taking notes makes the task
much easier; each of you can write up one or two small parts of the assignment; and it isn’t so scary when you have
company. If you do the assignment as a group, you will all get the same group grade. Groups are restricted to a maximum
of FIVE marketing research students.

FOCUS GROUP TOPICS

You may choose any topic that interests you. Make this assignment worth your while. I highly suggest you choose a topic
for a company owned by you, a friend, or a family member, or a company that you work for. If none of these apply to you,
then choose a topic that is fun and interesting. Next, come up with a research question.

Examples: What is the common perception by female college students of Company X? What do housewives think of this
new cleaning product? What features would improve Product Y? Why are fewer people shopping at Company X and more
people shopping at Company Z? What would make more businessmen frequent Restaurant V? What is the common
political perception of North Korea? What could be done to improve online classes for SJSU students?

GRADING RUBRIC

MRA2: FG Rubric Ratings Points

Criteria Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
Discussion Guide 1 pts N/A 0 pts 1 pt
A discussion guide organized Full Marks No Marks
into a logical sequence going Meets Missing or
from general to specific. criteria doesn't meet
criteria
Background & Purpose 1 pts 0.5 pts 0 pts 1 pt
Brief explanation of your Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
company, its issue/problem, and Meets Missing 1 criteria Missing 2+
the purpose of your study. criteria criteria
Methods 1 pts 0.5 pts 0 pts 1 pt
Group procedures Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
Participants: Demographics Meets Missing 1-2 criteria Missing 3+
(e.g., # of participants, gender, criteria criteria
S.E.S., education level, level of
experience with co., etc.)
Group dynamics: Were there
dominant speakers, did
conversation stay on topic, etc.?
BUS2 138 – Marketing Research
Results 1 pts 0.5 pts 0 pts 1 pt
Words/phrases used? What Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
needs, motives, Meets Missing 1-2 criteria Missing 3+
perceptions, and attitudes criteria criteria
toward your topic were evident?
Summarize findings.
Implications 2 pts 1 pts 0 pts 2pts
Ideas generated by evaluation of Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
the results. Implications of Meets Ideas or implications unrelated to Implications
findings based on results? criteria results found or section doesn't + ideas
Reference how this ties in to reference how this ties into purpose unrelated to
original purpose of FG. of FG results
Recommendations 2 pts 1.5 pts 1 pts 0.5 pts 0 pts 2 pts
Based on your results, what do Full Credit Partial Partial Partial Credit No Credit
you recommend as a course of Meets Credit Credit Rec. and/or Missing
action for future (quantitative) criteria 1+ of Missing hypoth. not
research? the rec. or based on
List three possible hypotheses hypoth. hypoth. results found
you might test on a wider not
sample (written as testable written
statements). properly

Writing 1 pts 0.5 pts 0 pts 1 pt

Free from grammatical error. Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit
Meets 2 page maximum. Meets Contains grammatical errors or Exceeds 2
criteria typos from not proofreading. pages
Photo 1 pts N/A 0 pts 1 pt
Photo/screenshot taken of focus Full Credit No Credit
group in action Included Missing
Participants 0 pts N/A -2pts 0 pts
6-12 participants. Criteria met Too few
6-12 participants
participants 4-5
participants
Total: 10 pts

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

SAMPLE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE #1
I. Warm Up
Purpose: Establish group dynamics and put participants at ease, very generally frame discussion. (This section comes after
introductions; no right or wrong answers; use of tape recording, etc.)
Ask a question that is very easy to answer. The question should be vaguely relevant to the subject of the group.
• Spring (Summer, Fall, Winter) is always a busy time of year. What kinds of things are keeping you busy these days?
(Sets up anything that has time demand or may require scheduling.)
• Have you seen any good movies or TV shows this year? (Build out to portrayal of social situations, dating, families,
family values). Games or sports if age-, gender-, interest- appropriate.
• Unusual weather and tips for keeping cool, warm. Seasonal foods (veggies, fruits).
• So, how long have you been living in/working at ______________ (community, work site).

II. Top of Mind Associations with Broad Domain of subject

Purpose: To get participants to speak broadly about a topic without strong directional lead from the moderator. Provides
avenues for more focused discussion in next segment of group.
• As you know, we’re going to be sharing our opinions on (children’s health; adult health; family planning; medical
check-ups, home safety, insects…) When I say –
o child health
o adult health
o family planning
o medical check-ups
o mosquitoes
--what’s the first thing that comes into your mind?
By going around the group, you’ll learn if they perceive the health problem at all, and if so, in the same way the marketer
defines it (e.g. mosquitoes and West Nile Virus; lack of physical activity and obesity). Conversely, do group participants see
the social marketing offering as part of a solution (e.g. physical activity as part of health; mammograms or colon cancer
screening as part of adult health care or medical check-ups).

Make short notes of who said what (e.g. (Child health group:Jack-kids play a lot outside, Mary-kids who don’t always have a
runny nose, Keisha-kids who have energy, eat right and get enough rest) (Adult health group: Eloise-adults well enough to
work and enjoy their lives, Vicki-keeping up with breast cancer and other screening every year, Jana-yuck, gynecologists….)
Lead from their points to a discussion of the problem or risk, and then potential solutions. Always try to link back to
suggestions made in this early phase of the group.

III. In-depth look at problem or risk—audience segmentation.

Purpose: To define range of opinion in group concerning problem or risk and to determine a stage of readiness.
• Some of you mentioned that you can’t bear going outside in the summer because of the mosquitoes…let’s talk a
little about those mosquitoes…(probe: why are they annoying? Are they more than annoying? Have you heard
about a disease that they might carry? (WNV is identified).
o How serious is that disease in this community?
o How much do you feel at risk of getting WNV?
o How serious is WNV as a disease?
• Some of you mentioned that it’s really hard to find time to exercise regularly. Why is that a problem? (Probe why
exercise is needed. Is there a difference between actual exercise and just being active? How active do you think a
healthy person needs to be? (A minimum amount of physical activity is identified as being necessary to have a
healthy heart).

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

 o On a scale of low to high, where would you rate yourself in terms of your activity level? (this group was
recruited because it is low).
o Do you think this level of activity is linked to any specific health risks? What are they?
o Again, on a scale of not concerned to very concerned, how much do you think this is a problem that you
need to be concerned about now?
This discussion will suggest a set of audience segments in terms of the degree to which individuals are personally concerned
about the problem (involvement level), or perceive themselves to be at risk. If you are using a “stages of change” model,
you will likely have a group that is predominantly “unaware or not concerned,” “concerned,” or “ready to adopt/in trial.”
You might have recruited a group specifically because the participants are already actively performing the behavior and you
want to learn about what motivated them to begin, and what keeps them going. The next phase of the focus group probes
these distinctions:
• Those of you who are not too concerned about this right now, how would you characterize folks who do worry
about this problem? (Probe: how much do you identify with them? Is there anything you feel you have in common
with them? What would it take for you to become more concerned about this? (If this group is very negative, other
than getting a sense of the hardest to reach, they might not be of much value to developing a positioning strategy.)
• Those who are concerned about this problem and thinking you want to do something about it, what have you
considered? (Gather range of possible solutions. Probe on social cognitive elements: What makes you think this
works? How hard is (this behavior) to do? Is there something you would have to see or get in order to continue
this? How about your friends or family, what would they think about you doing this? Can you imagine what the
obstacles might be to your doing this? How would you get past these?)
• Those who have actually tried doing something about this, tell us about what you are doing. (gather range of
solutions being tried. Probe on social cognitive elements: Are you seeing any results from this? How easy is it for
you to keep this up? What is actually required for you to do this? Do you have anyone else that you share (this
behavior) with? What do your (loved ones, friends) think about this—do they know? Do you discuss it? Tell us
about the days it is hard to do—what gets in the way?
Whatever stage your group is in—if there is a range, go with the predominant stage and work from there—you can now
move onto using role play, product trial, or projection techniques to find positioning strategies for the intervention. It is
important that those who are less ready to adopt do not feel guilty about their current stage. You might need to divide your
group into more or less ready sub-groups for the next phase in order to protect their sensitivities and to get the best
cooperation.

IV. Role Play, Picture Projection or Product Trial

The moderator tells the group, “Now we’re going to change what we’re doing in here and have a little fun. I’d like you to
pair up (pair up the participants so that they can easily speak to one-and-other) and make believe that you are “best
friends” (mother and daughter; father and son, and so on). I’d like you to convince your “friend,” (daughter, son) to try (the
behavior). And I want the friend (daughter, son) to give some reasonable objections. Let’s see how convincing you can be.
Go ahead and practice among yourselves for a while. (The moderator allows the group to have about 5 minutes to speak to
each other). Have the dyads present in front of each other.
After each presentation (applaud). Ask the remaining participants in the group:
• What benefit was presented?
• What was the key promise?
• What do you think was the most effective argument?
• How about the friend/daughter/son—do you think he/she will try the new behavior? Why/why not?
An alternative method is giving out pictures of dyads similar to above and giving the group the same challenge—but they
get to select the characters and the relationship. Again probe for saliency of argument, benefit of intervention, key promise
and supporting arguments.
If you are testing an actual product, you can give a sample to the group to experience and discuss. Ask them to “sell” it to
each other using the same methods as above.

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

V. Conclusion
Purpose: To find out about spokespersons, media channels and other communication modalities and to bring the group to
closure.
Moderator brings group back together.
If using picture technique, ask:
• Would this make a convincing advertisement?
• What magazine would you be likely to see it in? How often do you see that magazine, or magazines like it?
• How about on television—where would you expect to see this ad, what shows or time slots? How often do you
tend to see programs like this?
• Is there something else that would make this person more convincing to you? (Point to the person identified as
promoting the idea in the picture.) Is there something about their appearance you would change? (Probe: age,
physical characteristics—more/less like participants, professional identity? Celebrity status? )
If using the role play technique, ask:
• If you saw this as a television ad, would it be convincing?
• Where would you expect to see this ad—what shows or time slots? How often do you tend to see programs like
this?
• How about if this were a print ad in a magazine—where would you be likely to see it? How often do you see that
magazine, or magazines like it?
• Now you all did a great job portraying a friend or (mother/father), but can you tell me what characteristics you
think the person needs to have to be really convincing about this issue? (Probe: Professional identity, physical
characteristics, experience, way of talking, celebrity status, etc.)
Is there anything else you want to share about __________? Thanks and wrap up.

Source: http://www.orau.gov/cdcynergy/demo/Content/phase02/phase02_step02_deeper_focus_group.htm

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research

SAMPLE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE #2

Source: http://researchjapan.jp/demo/topic.pdf

BUS2 138 – Marketing Research