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Summer Quarter Report Appendix 7

Focus Group Topic Guide
Student Focus Group Research Final Report

  1. Introduction (10 Minutes)

    1. Moderator Introduction
    2. Description of the Focus Group Methodology
      • A focus group is a qualitative research technique used to generate ideas
      • Example of Tina Turner and the Hanes campaign
    3. Rules of a Focus Group
      • Informality, but group discussion is an important work session in which everyone must participate
      • Reasons for audio tape (Meeting is being recorded to help us write the report )
      • Promise of anonymity (Your name will not be associated with your comments)
      • Sensitivity of recording (No side conversations, no tapping on the table etc.)
      • Everyone's opinion needs to be included
      • Honest, open opinions
      • Agree to disagree (Not striving for consensus)
      • Stay on topic (Have a lot of material to get through)
      • Role of the moderator as a traffic cop
      • Questions?
    4. Introductory Exercise
      • Name
      • Class Standing
      • Major
      • What do you like to do in your spare time?
    5. Focus of the Discussion
      • The University of Washington is interested in hearing student's opinions about various curriculum issues. These groups are actually the first phase of some research the UW will be conducting this year on these issues.

  2. Barriers to Completing a Degree in Four Years (10 Minutes)

      • Okay, let's get started. I don't want you to think too much about this first question. I want your first impressions and as much spontaneity as you can deliver. Only one other thing, please keep your answers short and simple.
      • What barriers are there, if any, to finishing your degree in four years? Just shout the first things that come to mind.
        List barriers on flip chart

  3. Perceptions of Summer Quarter (10 Minutes)

      • Now let's do the same exercise again, but this time, I want you to tell me what you think of when I say "Summer Quarter." Again, just shout out the first things that come to mind.
        List barriers on flip chart

  4. Pro's and Con's of Summer Quarter (10 Minutes)

      • Now let's get a little more studied. This time I want you to take a pad of paper and pencil and draw a line down the middle. Label the left side "good news" and the right "side bad news." List at least three things that you consider good news about summer quarter. Then, when youre done with that, list three things that are not so great about summer quarter. Now I realize that some of you may have taken summer quarter and others may not, and that's okay. What I'm after here is your perceptions. I'll give you a few minutes to write down your answers.
      • It looks like most of you are done. I'm going to start listing these items up on the flip chart. Let's start with the "good news." What are some of the benefits of summer quarter? What do you like about it?
        List good news on flip chart
      • Now what about the "bad news?"
        List good news on flip chart
      • Of all of this "good news" which item is the most important to you? Write your choice down on the bottom left-hand side of the page and put a star by it.
      • Which piece of "bad news" bothers you the most? Write your choice down on the bottom right-hand side of the page and put a star by it.
      • Thank you. Please tear off those sheets and pass them down to the front.

  5. Reasons For Taking/Not Taking Summer Quarter (15 Minutes)

      • How many of you have taken summer quarter at the UW? Please raise your hands. What prompted you to do so?
        Probe:
        • Flexibility vs. acceleration?
        • Making up for lost time? In liew of another quarter?
        • More options?
      • What about those of you who haven't taken summer quarter. Please raise your hands. Is there any particular reason why you haven't taken summer quarter?
        Probe:
        • Availability of faculty?
        • How does it compare academically?

  6. Students' Incentives for Attending Summer Quarter (20 Minutes)
      • I want to get a little bit deeper into this Summer Quarter issue. Please take your pad of paper because I want you to jot down some notes for me. Make a list of all of the incentives you can think of that would influence you to take Summer Quarter. I'll give you a few minutes to think about that.
        Allow time to think and write.
        List incentives on the flip chart.
      • Now I want to make sure that we've got everything up here on these sheets because we are going to do something else with this list. Does anyone have anything else they want to add?
      • What we're going to do next is vote on these incentives. I'm going to give each of you ten dots and you can treat each dot like one vote. You can put all of your dots next to the one incentive that is most important to you, or you can spread them out any way you want to. I'll give you a few minutes to place your dots.
        Allow time to vote.
        Review most important incentives and probe.

  7. UW Incentives for Attending Summer Quarter (10 Minutes)

      • I'm going to pass out a list of potential incentives developed by the University. I want to stress that these are just ideas that we are testing out. You might notice a couple of the same incentives that we just talked about.
        Pass out list.
      • What I want you to do with the first box is put a check by the five incentives that would influence you the most. Then put a star by the single most important incentive.
      • With the second box, there are a couple of statements to assign a number on a scale of one to five with one being the least viable and 5 being the most viable. When you're through please pass those lists up to the front.
        Collect sheets.

  8. Communication (10 Minutes)

      • Have you seen any communications about summer quarter by the University?
        Do not record on flip chart.
        Wait for responses then probe:
        • Postcards
        • Advertisements (print, radio)
        • Bulletins
      • How can the University best communicate to you information about summer quarter?
        Don not record on flip chart.
        Probe:
        • Booth at HUB

  9. Closing (10 Minutes)

      • For this last exercise, let's pretend that President McCormick has just joined us and each of you has the chance to tell him one parting comment. If you had one piece of advice for the University with regard to Summer Quarter what would it be?
      • Thank you for your help. The information you've shared has been extremely useful. As you leave, please check in with (hostess name) at the front desk. He/she will give you the remuneration we told you about over the phone and ask you to sign your name to confirm that you received the money.

Potential Summer Quarter Attendance Incentives
Check the five most important incentives. Put a star by the single most important incentive.
Reduced tuition
Freshman and transfer student option to start in summer quarter
Availability of FIG's in summer
Availability of General Education Requirement courses in summer
Availability of intensive courses in your major or specialty
Full curriculum available in your major
Opportunity to start senior seminars the summer after junior year
Internships for credit courses
Opportunity for work study students to work full-time in fall, winter and spring quarters
Availability of financial aid for the fourth quarter (i.e. 33% additional funds per year
Financial incentive to graduate in four years (e.g. rebate of last quarter tuition if students graduate in four years

Potential Summer Quarter Attendance Requirements
For each statement, circle a number between one and five, with one being the least viable and five being the most viable.
Students required to attend a summer quarter in any one of their 4 years in addition to attending the fall, winter and spring quarters of that academic year Least
Viable
1		 2 3 4 Most
Viable
5
Students required to a attend summer quarter any one of their 4 years, but need only attend two other quarters in that academic year 1 2 3 4 5
Freshmen required to attend summer quarter before their first year of classes 1 2 3 4 5

Summer Quarter Report Appendix 7