Subject Librarian
Writing Research Questions
In evidence-based practice, PICO can be used to frame a research question. The acronym represents:
P: Population, Problem, or Patient
I: Intervention
C: Comparison variable
O: Outcome
Sample Question
In adults with aphasia, does singing improve well-being or quality of life?
P:adults with aphasia
I: singing
C: Not specified
O: well-being OR quality of life
Building a Search Strategy
Use your research question to help build your search strategy. Identify the main concepts. Brainstorm alternate keywords. Build your strategy using the connectors: AND, OR and NOT.
Example
| Connector | Example | Results |
|---|---|---|
| AND | aphasia AND singing | Results will contain both terms. |
| OR | quality of life OR well-being | Results will contain either concept. |
| NOT | adults NOT children | Results will eliminate term. |
How Do I...?
- Find It @ USC LibrariesSearch for articles, books, and more or limit to USC Libraries collection.