1. A Focus on History -- 2. Lazarsfeld, Politics, Mathematics and Social Research -- 3. Lazarsfeld in America: The Institutionalisation of Knowledge -- 4. The Rise of Focus Groups: The Missing Years -- 5. Focusing on the Focus Group -- 6. Problems and Procedures in the Conduct of Focus Groups -- 7. Good and Bad Practice in Focus Group Research -- 8. The Ethics of Research -- Afterword: Market Research and University Social Science Research
Summary
Morrison argues that focus groups are overused and cannot deliver what is often claimed. The study compares the organisation of knowledge within a university setting and in market research
This book provides not only a detailed methodological critique but also a focused look at the beginnings of modern modes of mass communication research. It details the historical context of the research setting created by Paul Lazarsfeld and shows how focus groups grew out of a tradition of quantitative as opposed to qualitative research. This study draws on unique sources, notably interviews with Lazarsfeld and his key early associates, together with Lazarsfeld's private papers and correspondence
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 275-290) and index
