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Court Reporters: A Viable Solution for the Challenges of Focus Group Data Collection?

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Heather Sharpe

University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Kathy O'Leary

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Ulrike Dehaeck

University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Kathryn Hindmarsh

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

John Garry Moore

J. G. Moore & Associates Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Martin H. Osmond

CHEO Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Focus group interviews are a common approach to data collection in qualitative research projects. They are, however, a method with the potential for methodological and pragmatic difficulties, many of which stem from transcribing focus group data from an audiotape. An alternative to postinterview transcription is the use of a court reporter. Advantages found using court reporters were increased accuracy, timely receipt of transcripts, less distraction for focus group facilitators, guaranteed confidentiality, time saved reviewing transcripts, and convenience. Because court reporters do not traditionally work in health research, there might be issues with medical terminology that require diligence on the part of the researcher to ensure that jargon is appropriately identified and transcribed. Using court reporters in rural areas might be cost-prohibitive because of travel expenses. Court reporters offer a viable and worthwhile approach to data transcription, and in our experience, have provided our research team with rich and accurate data.

Key Words: data collection and management • focus groups • qualitative methods • general

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 19, No. 1, 140-146 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732308327883


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