To request a focus group from SARA, staff must submit a proposal for review. The proposal needs to include information regarding the purpose of the focus group, research questions, and the population under study. Furthermore, as a part of this process, you will also complete the webinar: Are focus groups right for you? To submit a proposal, please complete our project request form. When you select focus groups, you will be prompted with specific questions. Once these steps are complete, SARA will review the proposal to determine if your proposal falls under one of the following categories: Basic, Enhanced, or Comprehensive. Information about the categories and how they dictate involvement from the SARA team is below.
Focus Group Review Levels
Category | Definition | Example | SARA Involvement Level | 49ers In Focus |
| Basic | This category of focus groups involves very minimal or no risk to participants. The activities in these focus groups are straightforward and do not involve sensitive topics or vulnerable populations. | Gathering feedback on the general satisfaction with campus dining facilities. The questions would be straightforward and about personal satisfaction, not involving any sensitive information. | LOW Staff will independently complete their focus group study. SARA will schedule one meeting with the department to review materials and address any questions. | Not Required |
| Enhanced | Research in this category involves slightly more risk than Basic focus group studies, but the risks are still minimal. | Gathering insights on the experiences and outcomes of academic advising services, potentially including some personal feedback that could be moderately sensitive. |
MEDIUM SARA will provide support by helping departments craft a protocol, prepare for facilitating focus groups, and demonstrate how to analyze and summarize data. While SARA will be involved, departments are expected to lead all steps of the focus group project. | Required |
| Comprehensive | This category is for focus group studies that poses more than minimal risk to participants or involves vulnerable student groups, or sensitive topics. | A focus group discussing personal experiences with discrimination or harassment on campus. This topic involves sensitive personal experiences and could impact participants' emotional well-being. | HIGH SARA will lead all components of the focus group study, while departments will assist with facilitation, logistics, analysis, and drafting the summary. | Required |
For proposals that fall under Enhanced or Comprehensive, staff responsible for that focus group project must complete our program, 49ers In Focus. As part of this program, staff will receive comprehensive training in several key areas: crafting focus group research questions and protocols, effectively facilitating focus groups, analyzing and summarizing focus group data, and understanding focus group ethics. At the end of the training, staff will participate in a one-on-one consultation with a member of the SARA team to develop a project proposal. During this consultation, we will cover all steps of the planning process. This is a collaborative project and we expect that departments actively contribute to the development, facilitation, analysis, and summary drafting stages. 49ers In Focus is a one-day training offered every January and as needed. Please make sure you plan accordingly.
Projects categorized as Basic are not required to participate in 49ers In Focus, although they are welcome to do so if interested. Staff involved in these projects will be provided with a Focus 101 Toolkit and will have a single preparatory meeting with the SARA team.
Departments that request a focus group from the SARA team are also responsible for providing the incentive. Additionally, due to capacity and resources, SARA can only accept and approve up to three focus group projects a term (spring, summer, and fall).
49ers In Focus is scheduled to be held on Friday, January 24, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Cone 112B. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Paul Holliday-Millard at paul.holliday-millard@charlotte.edu.