Forming a Research Question
To get the best answers you must ask the right questions! In healthcare, this often means using the PICO(t) acronym to form your research question.
PICO(t)
When forming a research question, PICO(t) stands for:
Population
- Characteristics like age, gender, ethnicity
- Health issues like diabetes or access to healthcare
Intervention
- Prescription, surgery, manual therapy, policy
- Setting or geography
Comparison
- Second intervention or no intervention
Outcomes
- Lower blood glucose levels or BMI
- Timing
Type of Studies
- Type of questions
- Type of studies
- Optional
PICO(t) can be used to answer a variety of different types of questions.
- Question Type: Intervention or therapy. Used to determine which treatment leads to the best outcome.
- Question Type: Etiology. Used to determine the greatest risk factors or causes of a condition.
- Question Type: Diagnosis or diagnostic test. Used to determine which test is more accurate and precise in diagnosing a condition.
- Question Type: Prognosis or prediction. Used to determine the clinical course over time and likely complications of a condition.
- Question Type: Meaning. Used to determine the meaning of an experience for a particular individual group or community.
Other Ways to Structure a Research Question
PICO(t) is often used when comparing interventions for a population, but there are many other ways to structure a research question. The following links explain such structures as SPIDER, PEO, and PCC.
