Types of Questions
Clinical (Foreground) questions:
- need focused information that addresses specific diagnostic approach or treatment regimen for clinical decision making
Exploratory quesitons:
- to discover what is known about a topic
- what are gaps in research related to the topic
- where does the research need to go
PICO
PICO Framework
Patient, Population, Problem
- Who is the patient or population of interest? What is the problem/issue/condition?
- What clinical terms describe the patient or population?
- What clinical terms describe the problem the patient is experiencing?
Intervention
- What strategy/steps are you considering? (diagnosis, treatment, prevention, etc.)
- What options do you have?
- How specific can you be about your plan?
Comparison
- Are there alternatives to what you are considering?
- Is there comparative research on treatment options?
- What would you do if you did not take the steps you plan to?
Outcome
- What result or outcome is most important to your patient?
- What result or outcome do you think is realistic?
- What outcomes are reported in the literature for different treatment options?
PICOs
PICOS
P Patient Population
I Intervention OR Exposure
C Comparator Group
O Outcome OR Endpoint
S Study Design
PICOT
P Patient Population
I Intervention OR Exposure
C Comparison
O Outcome OR Endpoint
T Time
Interdisciplinary
WWH
- W Who
- W What
- H How
Policy and Services
ECLIPSE
- E Expectation - what needs to be changed or improved?
- C Client Group - Audience
- L Location
- I Impact
- P Professionals - stakeholders
- S Service
Public Health
PEO
- P Population
- E Exposure
- O Outcome
Social Sciences
SPICE
- S Setting
- P Perspective
- I Intervention or exposure
- C Comparison
- E Evaluation
SPIDER
- S Sample
- PI Phenomenon of Interest
- D Design
- E Evaluation
- R Study Type
PICo
- P Population or Problem
- I Phenomenon of Interest
- Co Context
Mixed Methods Research
SPIDER
- S Sample
- PI Phenomenon of Interest
- D Design
- E Evaluation
- R Study Type