Before you start searching for sources, take some time to prepare to search. Spending time preparing to search will save you time and it helps to reduce some of the frustrations.
Begin with developing your topic. As you think about possible topics, ask yourself:
Once you have a general topic in mind, as yourself
You can search for background information on your topic to understand it better. You will also want to do some preliminary searching regarding your topic to see if other people have published on this issue.
Watch these videos to learn more about developing your topic.
Make sure your topic is a nursing topic. Many topics within health care and medicine may interest you but you'll want to make sure that your topic has a nursing component.
After selecting a topic, you will collect background information to learn more about the topic. If you are not finding information about your topic that is written by a nurse (look at author credentials) or in nursing sources (nursing textbooks, Nursing Reference Center, nursing journals) you may need to refine your topic so that it is more nursing-focused or select a new topic.
Learn more about your topic as you work to figure out your focus.
Read about your topic in a reference resource (like a textbook, encyclopedia, or a reference database/website). These sources will contain the background information you need to help you further understand issues within your topic, identify key terms, and narrow your topic.
Search for a book or ebook on your topic in the library's catalog.
PICO(T) |
Ask yourself... |
Examples |
Patient population/disease |
How would you describe your group of patients? |
age, gender, ethnicity, persons with a certain disorder, etc |
Intervention or issue of interest |
What main intervention are you considering? |
specific therapy, exposure to disease, prognostic factor A, risk behavior |
Comparison intervention or issue of interest |
What is the main alternative to compare with the intervention? |
alternative therapy, placebo, no intervention/therapy, no disease, prognostic factor B, absence of risk factor |
Outcome |
What can you hope to accomplish, measure, improve or affect? |
outcome expected from therapy, risk of disease, accuracy of diagnosis, rate of occurrence of adverse outcome |
Time |
What time frame? |
the time it takes for the intervention to achieve the outcome, the time over which populations are observed for the outcome to occur, given the certain condition |
INTERVENTION
In____________________(P),how does____________________(I)compared to____________________(C)affect _____________________(O) within ___________(T)?
THERAPY
In__________________(P),what is the effect of__________________(I)compared to_____________(C)on________________(O) within_____________(T)?
PROGNOSIS/PREDICTION
In______________(P), how does___________________(I) compared to_____________(C) influence __________________(O) over_______________(T)?
DIAGNOSIS OR DIAGNOSTIC TEST
In___________________(P) are/is____________________(I) compared with_______________________(C) more accurate in diagnosing_________________(O)?
ETIOLOGY
Are____________________(P), who have____________________(I) compared with those without ____________________(C) at____________ risk for/of ____________________(O) over________________(T)?
MEANING
How do_______________________(P ) with_______________________(I) perceive_______________________(O) during ________________(T)?