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Evidence Synthesis

This research guide provides an overview of the evidence synthesis process, guidance documents for conducting evidence synthesis projects, and links to resources to help you conduct a comprehensive and systematic search of the scholarly literature.

Draft your research question

Why is the research question so important?

  • Developing your research question is one of the most important steps in the evidence synthesis process
  • Formulating a clear, well-defined research question of appropriate scope is key to a successful evidence synthesis
  • The research question will be the foundation of the synthesis
  • A knowledge gap is identified, and a need to answer a specific question

 

Refining the question to inform search criteria

  • Can’t have an answer without question
  • Some questions are self-evident, many are not
  • Helps clarify the problem
  • Helps determine the course of action
 
Very Important: we want to phrase a more focused question (not a scenario of what you want to do)
What exactly is the question that you are asking???
 
The research question must be “unpacked” to develop the search strategy, and to identify the core terms/subject terms from the search question to formulate search strategy.

Develop the review question

Characteristics of a focused review question

  • Specific enough
  • Broad enough
  • Serves the purpose of the study
  • Answerable
  • Searchable
  • According to PICO/PCC or combinations thereof

Question formulation according to PICO

  • Patient Population
  • Intervention or Interest Area
  • Comparison Intervention
  • Outcome
  • Timeframe (optional)
 
Example:
PICO example
 

More examples:

In school-age children (P), what is the effect of a school-based physical activity program (I) on the reduction in the incidence of childhood obesity (O) compared with no intervention (C) within a 1 year period (T)?

In obese females (P), how does weight loss (I) compared to daily administration of ACE inhibitors (C) affect blood pressure (O)? 

Are adopted children (P) who have parents with elevated BMI (I) compared with those parents with normal BMI (C) at increased risk for obesity (O)?

In patients at high risk for gallbladder dysfunction (P) is a HIDA scan (I) compared with an ultrasound (C) more accurate in diagnosis (O)?

 

 

Question formulation according to PCC

  • Population
  • Concept
  • Context

 

Example:

How is interprofessional health research (C) conducted by academics (P) in higher education settings (C) according to existing evidence?

 

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