The first step in conducting a systematic review is to develop an answerable research question. One way to do this is to use the PICO model. PICO is a helpful way of taking your topic and turning it into a question. You can then use this question to search databases.
How?
- Break down topic to identify all possible individual components
- Put them back together in a question format. This becomes your research question.
Why?
Using a well thought out question will help you to find the most relevant resources.
The topic question should have a clear focus and may require preliminary searching of the evidence available. This is known as 'Scoping your topic' and allows you to put your research in context and justify its importance.
Using the PICO model to define your research question
PICO is an acronym that outlines the four components that comprise a well-formulated research question.
- P = Problem, Patient or Population
- I = Intervention (or indicator)
- C = Comparison
- O = Outcome
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Problem, Patient or Population
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The patient and/or population or group of people your question concerns, plus the problem they have or are experiencing.
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Intervention (or indicator)
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What is being done to the patient or what you want to do them, or what they are exposed to, e.g., a therapy, treatment, diagnostic test, and by what means and how frequently.
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Comparison
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An alternative course of action, e.g., therapy, different drug, control trial or placebo to compare to the intervention (if necessary/appropriate)
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Outcome
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Outcome/s you would like to measure or achieve that relates to your question and the patient/population/group it concerns
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Question and study types (for health and medical sciences)
When forming a question using the PICO framework, it is useful to consider what type of question you want to answer and the type of evidence (or study type) you need to consult to answer the question.
To do this, it is important to understand the evidence hierarchy, which ranks different types of studies. Studies are ranked according to the rigour of their research methods. The higher up the pyramid a type of study appears, the more rigorous the methodology. There is less likelihood of bias in the study types higher up the pyramid. Watch this video from the University of Sydney for more information:
Other models
Other models exist to assist you to define your research topic and develop your research question. You may like to consider one of the many frameworks outlined in the guide below:
