Developing qualitative interview guides: A methodological framework for novice researchers.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Qualitative Methodology
• Educational Research

Background:

• Qualitative interviews are crucial in nursing research, but guidance on creating effective interview guides is limited.
• Novice researchers often struggle with generic templates, impacting data quality and analysis.
• Interview guide development is frequently viewed as technical, neglecting philosophical underpinnings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing methodological guidance into a structured framework.
• To support novice nursing researchers in developing epistemologically coherent and methodologically aligned qualitative interview guides.
• To enhance the quality and analytic coherence of qualitative interview data in nursing research.

Main Methods:

• A purposive, concept-led review of key texts and articles was conducted.
• Best practices were synthesized into an adaptable, staged framework.
• Sources were selected based on conceptual depth, practical application, and ethical considerations.

Main Results:

• A three-stage framework for developing qualitative interview guides was created: Establishing Foundations, Drafting and Structuring, and Piloting and Refinement.
• The framework integrates ontological and epistemological considerations, researcher positionality, and ethical reflexivity.
• A Context-Depth-Elaboration approach guides question development, ensuring methodological alignment.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework consolidates dispersed guidance into a clear, accessible process for interview guide design.
• It serves as a practical, conceptually grounded resource for nursing and nurse education research.
• The framework promotes transparent, reflexive, and analytically sound interview guide development, particularly beneficial for doctoral students and qualitative methods teaching.