To help the library continually improve, please use the form below if you wish to give feedback or suggestions about this guide.
“Developing a clear and concise question is the first and one of the most important steps in conducting a systematic review, as this will guide the review process” (Tricco et al., 2011, p. 14).
Furthermore, it will make the process of developing keywords and synonyms for a search strategy easier and you will retrieve more relevant results (Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, 2021).
To design a research question:
For further information, go to the Study Skills Designing a research question page.
You will need to consider the scope of the question and set boundaries as to what is included and excluded. This is done after an initial scoping search to estimate the size and nature of the available literature. Consider:
(Booth et al., 2022)
The stakeholders of the review will also influence the question. Consult with them to ensure it is appropriate, and if your review is likely to inform practice or policy, consult experts for their input.