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)
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.
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.
