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PICOS

Participants     Intervention     Comparison     Outcome     Setting

My experience with the research process at this point has been vested in the Social Sciences for the last decade. Research questions emerged from the work within the realm of Psychology and from the work I was doing at the time. The first time I struggled with a research topic in my 12 years of doing research was 2 months ago…as part of the Masters in Clinical Epidemiology I have to complete a dissertation...and the project should be focused on disease or an epidemiological issue.

 

I was lost. So many ideas, so many things I am interested in...

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I spent the next few weeks scanning journal articles and thinking of diseases that has impacted my life either personally or through someone that I knew. I considered my background in social media research methods but came up blank. I then started reading my epidemiology textbooks to find topics of interest. I found 3 topics that caught my eye, these included Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia and Dementia.

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We attended a lecture in the first semester and I was introduced to the PICO format of constructing a research question. With some practice and online learning I learnt how to construct different types of research questions, such as, intervention questions, diagnostic questions, prognostic questions and exploratory questions.

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In the next week or so I started working on a qualitative systematic review with some colleagues and came across the SPIDER and SPICE format for qualitative evidence synthesis. Pretty cool! I then scanned the internet for most commonly used formats for constructing a research question and I hope you find one that suits your needs as I found mine.

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PICO and SPICE changed my life. The entire research process hinges off an answerable research question.

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The other consideration when thinking about my research question was that each time I thought of a new question and thought ‘this is it!’, I searched the literature and realised someone had just released an article on my EXACT topic. This happened more times than I care to count. I then read those articles and looked at their suggestions for future research. I found that very helpful. I also read at least one systematic review every couple of days that was related to my topic of interest and this helped me to stay abreast of new information and much needed gaps in available evidence. What I learnt through the lectures and readings regarding research questions I have included as strategies for you to use as you try to refine your research questions. 

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Try these strategies to help you refine your research questions​

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You are probably wondering what my research topic ended up being…

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Stellenbosch University Collaborative Capacity Enhancement through Engagement with Districts (SUCCEED): Evaluating the impact of the SUCCEED programme on the knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to using research evidence, and on the operational research capacity of healthcare professionals and health district staff working in PEPFAR HIV and TB priority areas and facilities where SUCCEED has been implemented

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P: Healthcare professionals and health district staff working in PEPFAR HIV and TB priority areas and facilities where SUCCEED                  has been implemented

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I: SUCCEED programme

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C: All other healthcare professionals and health district staff who have not participated in the SUCCEED programme.

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O: Knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to using research evidence, and on the operational research capacity

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S: PEPFAR HIV and TB priority areas and facilities where SUCCEED has been implemented

 

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If you have any questions or comments about research questions please feel free to write a comment.

 

Yours in refining research questions,

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Lynn

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