ooops posted too early

About the mic... try get it hung from the ceiling - I then recored onto digital video tape - this allowed easy forming of MP3 tracks of amazin sound quality - my participants were all paralysed with poor vocal projection.

Hope this helps - its worth the money (mine was about €130 - the mic, the AV dept at college helped me.

Hi All

Great to hear of others doing focus groups... I have mine done transcribed and NOW what the hell do I do next????? I know I just need to sit down and get started with the analysis - using a phenomological approach - I cant even pronounce that!

The best advice I got for focus groups was - USE A HIGH QUALITY OMNIDIRCTIONAL MIC

Not dyslexic myself but am OT so... excuse my interest/support. I hope you are using Dragon Naturally speaking 9 with the read that back option... makes life really easy even for lazy people like me.

Thanks for replies. I was thrilled to find this forum.. I don't feel so lonely anymore!

I have down loaded both on trial - and NVivo looks slicker but has a bit of a 'quantitative' feel to it (less intuitive). AtlasTi looks like it may be the way to go. But I'd love more feed back from anyone.

Transcribing went well... eventually, slow but interesting. I used video to record the groups with an excellent microphone so I could make MP3 tracks - certainly the way to go for amature transcribing for me... easy to fast forward, rewind and skip tracks.
Now I need to work out how to format the trascriptions so that they work for the software that I choose.
A new line for every comment or just ever speaker? Use of headings?

So I am sort of stuck. Lots of work to do but first need to make a descission on the software.

Help Please! I am doing a phenomenological study. In stage one I have used Focus groups.
I have just completed transcribing my focus groups and want to use software to organise these rather than the scissors and paper approach.
I have down loaded a trial copy of AtlasTi - it seems pretty good, but was worried N-Vivo seems more widely used - any advice?
Thanks
Michele

Hi. I am about 8 months into my PhD. The best advice I can give is a good filing system and data base/ spead sheet. I was so confused abouut what I had read or if I had copies of articles. I use a spread sheet with headings: that include if I have a copy electronic/ print/ both; what type of study; when I got it; when I read it; did I reference it.
Take time designing this, then when you wnat to check up on something you have a table, and you dont have to read it all - but be able to find it all.
Also ENDNOTE ENDNOTE ENDNOTE....... don't evenr try work without referencing software - it may do what i descriv=bed above.. I just like my own table too.