This article discusses the potential uses of focus groups as a formal data collection technique in federal policy and program evaluation studies. By policy studies, we mean studies that examine how existing and/or prospective policies might affect program activities. These studies will frequently be descriptive in nature and of relatively short duration. The results are intended to be used by the policymaker (agency head, congressperson, and so forth) to inform decisions about program policies. In these studies, qualitative methods often are used as the principal means of collecting data.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Krueger, R. A. (1994). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
2.
Morgan, D. L. (Ed.). (1993). Successful focus groups: Advancing the state of the art. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
3.
National Performance Review . (1993). From red tape to results: Creating a government that works better and costs less. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
4.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Case study research Design and methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
