Search, evaluate, write and cite

This guide will no longer be updated. It has been replaced by our new guide:

• Search, evaluate, cite - Guide to searching, evaluating and citing. Medical Faculty Library, Lund University.

It's important to formulate a focused research question for your academic work. There are different frameworks you can use to help structure your research question. The different frameworks are applicable for different kind of studies.  

• The PICO framework is suitable for research questions looking at clinical treatments and interventions
• The PEO framework suitable for qualitative research questions and relates to person, environment and work, for ex. within nursing and occupational therapy

Use the PICO framework when you are using a clinical research question.

Video How to use PICO to refine your research question (1:43 min) Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries

If you have a qualitative research question you can use the PEO framework. This film shows examples of both PICO and PEO questions. 

Video PEO and PICO question (2:53 min).

Video Evidence based practice (EBP) Module 1: Clinical questions  (4:48 min), Dalhousie University Libraries