Forming Research Questions

The PS framework may be easier to use when trying to create a focused and searchable qualitative question. Qualitative questions investigate experiences and meaning of phenomena or ask about an individual's or population's experience of situations.

• P - Population: Population or phenomenon of interest
• S - Situation: What situation (experiences, conditions, attitudes, etc.) do you want to know more about?

PS Question Template: How do/does ___[P]____ experience _____[S]_____?

Example

• P - caregiver children of patients with Alzheimers 
• S - placing patients in nursing home

PS Question: How do caregiver-children (P) experience placing patients with Alzheimers (P) in a nursing home (S)?