Joint Stories and Layered Tales: Support, Contradiction and Me aning Construction in Focus Group Research

Authors

Agnieszka Kosny, University of TorontoFollow

Abstract

This paper uses focus group data about women’s work experiences gathered in five Canadian east coast communities to examine some of the strengths and weakness associated with focus group research. I explore the case made against the use of focus group methods and the basis for some of the critiques aimed at focus group research. By examining the evolving discussions between focus group members, it is possible to understand some of the benefits of group-talk, including the creation of a unique opportunity for interaction, joint meaning creation and contradiction.

Keywords

Focus Groups, Theory, Meaning Construction, Interaction, and Conflict

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the Board of the Women’s Health Network, Newfoundland, and Labrador along with the project advisory committee for their guidance and support. Dr. Joan Eakin reviewed an earlier version of this manuscript, and I am grateful for her thoughtful comments. This research was funded by the National Network on the Environments and Women’s Health and the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health.

Publication Date

12-1-2003

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2003.1866

Recommended APA Citation

Kosny, A. (2003). Joint Stories and Layered Tales: Support, Contradiction and Me aning Construction in Focus Group Research. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), 539-548. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2003.1866