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Research Roundup: Tuckered Out on Focus Groups?

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Here are the most popular of the 625 links shared on the Twitter #MRX hashtag community this week.

Qual

• In Praise of Focus Groups and Moderators, by @frankie_johnson – Frankie provides a passionate rebuttal to the myth that online qual killed the focus-group star. “Focus groups are messy, just as life is messy. It’s from this mess that I’ve seen rich insights spring into existence. Sorting it all out, tidying it up, can wait until the analysis. In the meantime, wallow in the mess. And be thankful if you have a smart and subjective human being on the other side of the glass rather than a robot.”
• Malcolm Tucker’s Guide on How to Use a Focus Group, by @curiouslyp – Simon Kendrick recaps a fictional British politician’s take on the value, or lack thereof, of focus groups.
• 20 Community tips from the Twitterversity  (H/T @philtysoe) - OK, so Malcolm Tucker has convinced you that you don’t want to do a focus group. Check out Tom De Ruyck’s guest lecture to the #MRXU event on how to run a research community.
• GOMC Qualitative Directory by @Itracks – What? Tom made you realize you need an expert qualitative researcher? Check out the Global Online Moderator Community’s new directory of qualitative research consultants.

Quant

• A Cool Research Methodology That I Predict You Will Use by @rstrohmenger – Traditional research methods aren’t the only way to evaluate new product concepts. Roxana evangelizes the use of prediction markets as a cheaper, faster, more accurate alternative.
• In Honor of Infographics by @lovestats – Annie Pettit writes, “Every self-respecting journalist, artist, and blogger is desperate to discover and display a unique and stunning infographic on their own website.” Annie does them one better, producing the most popular link of the week.

Looking to build your own hashtag community? The folks at @zoomerang shared this link: Twitter Explains the Secret to Hashtag Success.