Developing qualitative interview guides: A methodological framework for novice researchers

Qualitative interviews are widely used in nursing and nursing education research, yet guidance on constructing interview guides that are epistemologically coherent, methodologically aligned, and ethically responsive remains sparse. Novice researchers often default to generic question templates or quantitative phrasing, undermining data richness and analytic coherence. Moreover, interview guide development is often treated as a technical task rather than one shaped by underlying philosophical and epistemological assumptions.

To synthesize established methodological guidance into a coherent, staged framework to support novice nursing researchers in developing qualitative interview guides.

Drawing on a purposive, concept-led review of seminal texts, methodological reviews, and practitioner-focused articles, we synthesized best practices into an adaptable framework. Key sources were selected for conceptual depth, practical applicability, and guidance on ethical reflexivity.

A three-stage framework was developed: (1) Establishing Foundations, clarifying the ontological position, epistemological orientation, researcher positionality, and ethics preceding question design; (2) Drafting and Structuring, translating those philosophical commitments into methodologically aligned question bundles using a Context-Depth-Elaboration approach; and (3) Piloting and Refinement, emphasizing iterative testing, interactional functioning, and ethical responsiveness before data collection.

The framework consolidates dispersed methodological guidance into an accessible developmental logic for interview guide design. It offers a practical, conceptually grounded resource for nursing and nurse education research, particularly in doctoral training and qualitative methods teaching, supporting transparent, reflexive, and analytically aligned guide development.