- Library Hours
- (314) 362-7080
- askbecker@wustl.edu
The PCC Question outline can help frame your scoping review question and highlights important concepts for the literature search.
| P (Population)
|
Important characteristics of participants, including age and other qualifying criteria. You may not need to include this element unless your question focuses on a specific condition or cohort. For example, for a scoping review that is focused upon mapping the types and details of research designs that have been used in a particular field, it may not be useful or within scope to detail the types of participants involved in that research. |
| C (Concept) | The core concept examined by the scoping review should be clearly articulated to guide the scope and breadth of the inquiry. This may include details that pertain to elements that would be detailed in a standard systematic review, such as the “interventions”, and/ or “phenomena of interest”, and/or “outcomes” (as relevant for the particular scoping review). |
| C (Context) | The “Context” element of a scoping review will vary depending on the objective/s and question/s of the review. The context should be clearly defined and may include, but is not limited to, consideration of cultural factors, such as geographic location and/or specific social, cultural, or gender-based interests. In some cases, context may also encompass details about the specific setting (such as acute care, primary health care or the community). Reviewers may choose to limit the context of their review to a particular country or health system or healthcare setting, depending on the topic and objectives. |
| Example: |
What research is available about non-pharmaceutical treatments to treat ADHD? P = ADHD C = Non-pharmaceutical treatments C = N/A |