Assessment 1 Developing a clinical question and undertaking a structured search

Assessment 1

Developing a clinical question and undertaking a structured search of the literature

This assessment task explores:

• The identification of a clinical problem

• Development of a clinical question to address that problem using a framework such as PICO or PCC or PEO

• Developing a search strategy to find relevant articles

• Structured library search described a) in text, and b) in a data extraction table.

• Reflection on the use of AI

Word Count: 1200 words in Introduction, Clinical question, PICO / PICo / PCC / PEO,  Intext description of search results, Reflection

You are expected to convert a research topic into an answerable clinical question and report on the initial structured search of the literature.

Use the template document to complete this assignment according to the following rubrics

Introduction and overview

Initial literature searching and wide reading around identified topic is comprehensively evident. Provides a well-considered and comprehensive background to set the context for the research topic. Provides a critically sound strong rationale for the research topic.

• Collate the evidence you have found to describe the problem and set the scene for the reader as to why this is important.

• You should use multiple credible sources to strengthen the validity of your topic.

Research topic is converted into an answerable clinical question. Use of PICO Clinical question is realistic, manageable, well defined, clear, unambiguous and focused PICO used well as a guide to develop clinical question and enable selection of key search terms.

Search strategy

Comprehensive and systematic search of primary and secondary sources. Knowledge of types and quality of literature is evident (hierarchies of evidence) The most useful and relevant sources are searched. Clear justification of search terms and limits set. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria with justification. Boolean operators used. Comprehensive additional search strategies described. Explain the search outcome.

• Only describe the final successful search strategy.

• Conduct the same search on all your selected databases. Keywords should not change based on the database.

• Databases – add which ones you searched, and why.  What are the strengths of the databases – eg CINAHL is good for nursing. PubMed is good for biomedical and life science literature.

• The inclusion and exclusion criteria should be clear before running your search.

• Depending on your PICO question, consider the date, language, study type, and population (neonate, paediatric, adult) for inclusion and exclusion criteria.

• That is, make sure your search strategy is correct.  The marker might try to replicate the search. If it does not work you will lose marks.

• In your assessment, write about the inclusion and exclusion criteria before you describe your search strategy.

In-text search report

• This narrative report should explain where you found your records and how you narrowed this down from the total number of records to the final studies included.

• Add lots of detail about how and where you searched, including searching reference lists by hand.

• Consider using referencing software. This can help you collate all of your records from all of the databases, remove duplicates, and screen by title and abstract.

• Make sure the included studies match your inclusion and exclusion criteria.  Make sure you actually apply your inclusion and exclusion criteria. 

Use covidence software and develop the PRISMA flow diagram.

PRISMA

• The PRISMA needs to reflect the in-text search report

• Please use the up-to-date PRISMA (2020).

• If in doubt, look at recently published examples that include a PRISMA diagram.

• Add the PRISMA diagram after the intext report

• Under ‘duplicates removed’ add ‘using XX software’

• Under ‘records screened’ add how you screened them.  By hand?

• Under ‘removed’ add the reasons why.

Search in these databases

Web of science

Pubmed

CINAHL

Cochrane

Summary table of evidence

5 papers summarised in a table. Included papers are selected from the inclusion criteria. Level of evidence, strengths and limitations of each paper clearly indicated.

Types of studies for appraisal

• Include the full reference. This helps the reader understand what type of study you have included.

• Link the study type to the exact appraisal tool. Defining the platform alone is not enough. Each platform has multiple tools.

Summary of search results - table

• Consider separating out strengths and weaknesses.

• Ask yourself if you have extracted all the data. This table should allow you to use this for the next paper without returning to the original source.

• Add ‘intervention’ as a column

Critical appraisal tool

• Don’t just name the platform  (eg JBI).  Be specific about which ones you are going to use – JBI qualitative, JBI RCT etc.

Reflection (250 words)

Insightful reflection demonstrating strong critical appraisal of AI as a tool in evidence-informed clinical practice. Explicitly articulates how clinical reasoning, methodological knowledge, and professional judgement shaped final decisions beyond AI outputs. References are not needed for this section. Use the following reflection questions.

1. Framing the topic and introduction

• How did the prompts you gave AI to generate the introduction shape the focus and scope of the topic? 

• What assumptions or perspectives did the AI appear to take, and how did you identify and address these?

• Were any of the suggestions misleading, vague or overstated?

• Which parts of the AI-generated introduction did you keep, modify or discard – and why?

• How did you verify that the background information aligned with current, peer-reviewed nursing evidence? 

2. Refining the PICO clinical question and developing search terms

• How did AI support the refinement of your PICO elements (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome etc)?

• What clinical reasoning did you use to adjust the PICO?

• How did you decide which search terms to retain, combine or exclude?

• Were there any gaps in terminology that you identified but AI did not suggest? 

3. Critical appraisal of AI as a tool

• In what ways did AI enhance efficiency, clarity or structure in your work?

• What limitations or risks did you identify in relying on AI for academic and clinical reasoning?

• How will this experience influence your future use of AI in evidence informed clinical practice?

Data extraction table guidelines

In assessment 1 you are required to create a table that contains information extracted from each of your 5 articles.   I have provided an example below.  However, you may choose to add more columns, depending on your topic, and the type of articles you have selected.  For example you may include 'data collection and analysis'.  You will need to decide how to set up your table to best show the information you need.