This paper aims to explore the benefits of using faculty focus groups as an early component of a scholarly communications program with suggestions for planning and conducting sessions, recruiting participants and analyzing outcomes.
The paper is based on the authors' use of focus groups in the initial stages of organizing a scholarly communications program at Kansas State University.
The paper finds that focus groups are an effective method to begin identifying scholarly communication issues that resonate with faculty on a particular campus. Focus groups can be helpful in targeting efforts to begin a scholarly communications program.
Focus groups are effective in generating insights, opinions and attitudes and are low cost in terms of time and resource commitments.
There is very little in the literature about using faculty focus groups to start a campus scholarly communication program. This paper provides practical and useful information that other libraries can use to incorporate this method into their planning.
