What is the purpose of a moderator's guide in focus group research?

The purpose of a moderator's guide in focus group research is to serve as a basis for spontaneous dialogue. This guide provides structure and direction to the discussion while allowing the moderator flexibility to explore topics in greater depth based on participants' responses. This balance between guidance and spontaneity is crucial for eliciting rich, qualitative insights from the group. The moderator's guide includes key topics and questions that need to be covered but does not dictate a rigid script, which enables participants to engage in meaningful conversation and share their perspectives freely.

The other choices reflect important aspects of research but do not align with the specific role of a moderator's guide. While budgeting and participant selection are fundamental components of planning a focus group study, they fall outside the scope of what the guide encompasses. Analyzing qualitative data is a separate phase that occurs after the focus group has taken place, making it unrelated to the function of the moderator's guide. Thus, choice B accurately captures the essential purpose of this tool in facilitating effective focus group discussions.