The Nuts & Bolts of this Toolkit

The information found in the Turn Up the Volume Toolkit will make it possible for you to carry out high-quality student-based focus group research from start to finish. Here's a glimpse of some of the most important elements you will encounter as you work your way through this Toolkit:

• Our primary recommendations for the best way to carry out a particular step, along with some possible alternative approaches

• The "essential tools" of student focus group research – these tools are the key to a successful research effort. Give them careful consideration during the designing and planning stage, as well as in the action and analysis stages.

• Lots and lots of samples, templates, and models that you can use or modify

• Real-life examples, lessons, and advice from school communities that have conducted their own student focus groups

For the most part, the instructions in the Toolkit are the same for all school levels and all kinds of efforts, whether you are conducting focus groups in an individual school, in a cluster of schools, or throughout your entire district. Separate instructions or suggestions for groups conducting efforts in a cluster of schools or in an entire district will appear from time to time, however.

In addition to the elements described above, the Toolkit has several appendices that contain a lot of great supplementary information about particular steps in the focus group process. Be sure to check out Appendix A which contains two optional methods you may want to use for talking with students.

Next: Identify your research topic