Open AccessFocused Group Interviews as an Innovative Quanti- Qualitative Methodology (QQM ): Integrating Quantitative Elements into a Qualitative Methodology
Author(s) -
Brian J. Grim,
Alison H. Harmon,
Judy Gromis
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.335
H-Index - 35
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2006.1665
Subject(s) - qualitative research , qualitative property , bridge (graph theory) , qualitative analysis , group (periodic table) , data collection , psychology , context (archaeology) , computer science , sociology , social science , machine learning , biology , medicine , paleontology , chemistry , organic chemistry
There is a sharp divide between quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the social sciences. We investigate an innovative way to bridge this gap that incorporates quantitative techniques into a qualitative method, the “quanti-qualitative method” (QQM). Specifically, our research utilized small survey questionnaires and experiment-like activities as part of the question rout e in a series of five focused group interviews on nutrition education. We show how these quantitative-type activities fit naturally with our question route and contributed to testing the hypotheses within the context of the five important characteristics of focused group interviews. The innovative use of QQM in focused group interviews makes data analysis easier and more transparent and permits collection of richer, more multifaceted data in a cost-effective fashion.