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Framing Your Question

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When developing a research question, utilising a framework will help to ensure a robust search strategy. 

There are a wide variety of frameworks that are suited for different types of questions and disciplines. You can find suitable frameworks based on either the question focus or discipline area. 

The two most common frameworks used are PICO and PECO.

PICO is the framework most used by health researchers when formulating their clinical questions and stands for:

  • Patient/Problem
  • Intervention
  • Comparison
  • Outcome

Variant frameworks:

  • PICOC = Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Context
  • PICOS = Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study type
  • PICOT = Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time
  • PICOTS = Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Timing, Setting
  • PICOTT = Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Type of question, Type of study
  • PIO = Population, Intervention, Outcome

The PICo variation is useful for qualitative studies.

  • Population or Problem
  • Interest
  • Context

 

 

PECO is a variant of PICO which looks at Exposure instead of Intervention. It is also used in formulating clinical questions and stands for:

  • Population
  • Exposure
  • Comparison
  • Outcome

Variant frameworks:

  • PECODR = Population, Exposure, Comparison, Outcome, Duration, Results
  • PECOT = Population, Exposure, Comparison, Outcome, Timeframe
  • PEO = Population, Exposure, Outcome

There are a number of other frameworks available and are used when undertaking reviews such as scoping, integrative, and systematic reviews.

These frameworks include:

  • SPICE -  Settling, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation
  • SPIDER - Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research type
  • ECLIPSE - Expectation, Client group, Location, Impact, Professionals, SErvice

For further information on these frameworks and others please refer to the Library's Working with systematic, scoping and integrative reviews unit in Moodle. The first time you access this unit, you will need to self-enrol using your CQUniversity staff or student details.