Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

1 - Using PICO to formulate a search question. 2 - Turning search terms into a search strategy. 3 - Turning your search strategy into results (searching pubmed).

Finding the evidence is the second step in the five steps of evidence-based practice.

It is important when searching for evidence that search terms are referred back to your original PICO question. The process of finding evidence therefore follow three key steps:

  1. Identify terms to fit your PICO question
  2. Look for secondary sources
  3. Search for primary sources

See our Searching Exercise page for a guide on how to complete this process.

This tutorial is developed by Neal Thurley and Owen Coxall, who regularly tutor on CEBM courses.

1 - Using PICO to formulate a search question

PatientInterventionComparisonOutcome

View ‘Asking Clinical Questions’ – guide to constructing PICO questions

We recommend printing this copy of the search strategy to accompany Video 3 available from the Bodleian Library.

2 - Turning search terms into a search strategy