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Scoping Reviews

This guide provides a step by step breakdown of how to conduct a scoping review and how librarians can assist in the process.

Research Question Development

Scoping reviews typically seek to answer broad research questions or explore broad topics. As such, question frameworks such as PICO rarely apply. The JBI Manual recommends the use of the Population, Concept, and Context framework to guide question development. Your research question should identify the population, concept, and contexts of interest to your scoping review.

Your research question may be one primary question, or can be a primary question with sub-questions that clarify aspects of your PCC. As scoping reviews seek to review the state of the existing literature, your question may reference existing knowledge in some manner. 

Population
  • Important characteristics of participants, including age and other qualifying criteria. In some circumstances, participants per se are not a relevant inclusion criterion.
Concept
  • The core concept examined by the scoping review. This may include elements that would be detailed in a standard systematic review, such as interventions or outcomes.
Context
  • May include cultural factors such as geographic location and/or specific racial or gender-based interests. In some cases, context may also encompass details about the specific setting.

For assistance with question development, please contact your liaison librarian.

Example PCC Question

What is known in the existing literature about burnout among health sciences students undergoing clinical education?

  • Population = health sciences students
  • Concept = burnout
  • Context = clinical education

The purpose of a review is to answer a specific research question. Research question frameworks, such as PICO, can help you to focus and develop the research question as well as identify the primary search terms. 

PICO Elements Considerations
P Patients/Populations/Problems Demographics, Problem Type, Diagnosis
I Intervention/Exposure Therapeutic, Preventative, Diagnostic, Time, Exposure
C Control/Comparison Placebo, Standard of Care, Preventative Measures, Not Applicable
O Outcome Measure Mortality Rate, Measure of Test, Rate of Disease Progression, Resolution

When formatting your question using the PICO format, consider: 

  • Demographic variables can include: age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status in addition to health status. 
  • Comparison is not always an element within the PICO format.
  • Outcomes measure a positive impact on the patient/population/problem and should be measurable
  • Using the PICO format to develop a searchable & answerable question will provide the elements needed to obtain the best evidence from rigorous studies with statistically relevant findings. 

Additional clinical question frameworks: 

PEO = Population, Exposure, Outcome

PIE = Population, Intervention, Effect

FINER = Feasibility, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant

SPICE = Setting, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation

SPIDER = Sample, Phenomena of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research Type

Link to Tutorial. Click image to start tutorial

Exemplar Articles

What are exemplar articles?

Exemplar articles provide a foundational example of the type of studies to be included within the scoping review. These articles meet the eligibility criteria and answer the research question. 

Why are exemplar articles required? 

These types of articles provide the guidance for the search strategy development and the screening process. 

How do I acquire exemplar articles? 

Exemplar articles can be acquired through literature review. Check out some of the tools listed in the next tab.

*Note: Alternate terms for "exemplar" articles are preliminary or example articles.

When you are first refining your research topic and looking at the literature, you will most likely come across articles of interest that you know should be included in your review. These are referred to as exemplar articles. Exemplar articles can be used to test your search strategy and ensure that your search strategy is retrieving the kinds of literature you want to include in the review. In addition, citation chasing from exemplar articles is a great way to identify additional relevant literature. See below for some tools that can take advantage of your exemplar articles.