Skip to Main Content

Effectively Using Library Databases: I - Develop a Research Question

Answer research questions by: - Locating library databases - Using Boolean operators, truncation, and filters to retrieve relevant search results - Evaluate search results - Gather and save search results for academic use

Before You Research

Before you begin to research, it's important to do 2 things:

  1. Develop a research topic or question
  2. Develop a list of keywords related to this question

Develop a Research Topic/Question

  • For what class and subject are you researching?
  • Who is your audience?
  • Use this formula to set up a research query: PICOT

PICOT

PICOT

  • (P) Patient/Population/Problem - who or what is being researched?
  • (I) Intervention - what is the specific idea, item, variable, etc. that you are exploring in relation to the (P)?
  • (C) Comparison (optional) - is there a control to compare the effect of the variable on the research question?
  • (O) Outcome - what do you wish to achieve, prove, or communicate?
  • (T) Timeframe (optional) - how does time impact your query? Are you exploring something past, present, or developing a model to predict a future outcome? Does your question measure something over a period of time?

Example

​​​​What this looks like in question form:

  • "What is the relationship (O) between (I) and (C) in (P) during (T)?"
  • My example: "How can one utilize AI ethically in healthcare in the future?
    • (P) - healthcare
    • (I) - AI
    • (C) - ethically
    • (O) - utilize
    • (T) - future

Develop Keyword List

Next, develop a list of keywords or search terms that help answer the various parts of your question.

Based on my example, I will start by using the following keywords:

  • AI (or Artificial Intelligence)
  • Healthcare
  • Ethics

As you research, the question and keywords may change.

Remember, this is good! The more you learn and encounter through this journey, the better your research will be for it.