方法对比

	焦点小组研究	半结构化访谈	主题分析
领域	质性	质性	质性研究
方法族	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline
起源年份	1940s (sociological origin); modern applied form from the 1980s–1990s	1946 (Merton & Kendall); codified as a standard method through the 1980s–1990s	2006
提出者	Robert K. Merton (sociological precursor, 1940s); popularised in applied research by Richard A. Krueger	Robert K. Merton and Patricia Kendall (focused interview, 1946); further systematised by Steinar Kvale	Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke
类型	Qualitative data collection method	Qualitative research method	Method
开创性文献	Krueger, R.A. & Casey, M.A. (2014). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research (5th ed.). Sage. ISBN: 978-1483365244	Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). InterViews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing (2nd ed.). Sage. ISBN: 978-0761925422	Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
别名	focus group discussion, FGD, group interview, Odak Grup Araştırması	guided interview, semi-standardized interview, focused interview, SSI	TA, Reflexive Thematic Analysis
相关	6	6	3
摘要	Focus group research is a qualitative data-collection method in which a trained moderator guides structured discussions with homogeneous groups of six to ten participants to explore ideas, attitudes, and perceptions on a defined topic. Developed from sociological roots in the 1940s and systematised for applied research by Krueger and Casey, the method leverages group interaction as a data source — revealing not just what people think, but how they negotiate and articulate views in a social setting.	The semi-structured interview is a qualitative data-collection method in which the researcher prepares a set of key questions or topic areas in advance but remains free to probe, follow up, and reorder as the conversation evolves. Unlike structured interviews — which fix every question and sequence — or unstructured interviews — which are entirely open — the semi-structured format balances comparability across participants with the flexibility needed to capture the depth and nuance of individual perspectives. It is the most widely used interview format in social science, health, and education research.	Thematic Analysis (TA) is a qualitative research methodology for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) in qualitative data. Developed systematically by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke (2006), TA is flexible and accessible, applicable across diverse theoretical frameworks and data types, making it one of the most widely used qualitative methods in psychology, health research, and social sciences.