Qualitative research

Topic: The term methodology refers to both the methods/techniques of research and the theoretical assumptions that drive research. Can focus group research claim to be methodological? Critically discuss this issue. Introduction The topic of focus group research has fuelled a lot of debate among scholars and researchers. As part of this debate, Vicseck (2010) published a paper on focus group research. Nonetheless, whether focus group research qualifies as a methodology is not yet clear. It is imperative to clarify what the term methodology means, because this will provide a solid foundation for the upcoming discussion. As stated in the question above, a methodology is the methods or techniques of research and the theoretical assumptions that drive research. Vicseck’s (2010) definition of focus group research as an “informal debate in a group of selected participants on a selected topic” lays the foundation for this paper. Effective research should and must have a well-defined methodology because it makes the study valid. This work will discuss the subject of focus group research and prove that it is methodological. Methodology Since the scope of this work is to identify whether focus group research is methodological, it is crucial to understand the facets of methodology. Several authors have examined the term ‘methodology’. For instance, Arksey and O’Malley (2005) assert that a methodology is used to “collect, organise, and analyse data”. It follows that the methodology used will depend on the scope of the research question. Hutchinson and Lovell (2004) describe a methodology as a lucid collection of methods that complement each other and have the capacity to deliver data and results that reflect the objective of the research question. A methodology is also the outline of principles and theories that build the foundation for procedures and methods of the study. Therefore, the best available definition of the term ‘methodology’ is that it...