Developing a Clinical Research Question and Searching the Literature

Assignment Rationale

In this assignment, you will use the PICO framework to formulate a clinical question and navigate the literature research process. You will learn how to search for, evaluate, and identify relevant studies to address specific client needs. These skills will empower you to make informed, client-centered decisions grounded in the best available evidence.

Directions: Select Clinical Scenario

My Clinical Scenario

You work in a school setting as an SLP and collaborate closely with special education teachers. A new, school-aged child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been added to your caseload. The child is non-verbal and demonstrates limited use of gestures or alternative communication methods, relying mostly on behaviors to express needs. Teachers have noted that these behaviors often lead to frustration for both the child and peers in the classroom. You believe the child may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), but you are unsure if introducing AAC alongside verbal-communication therapy would lead to better outcomes than pursuing verbal communication therapy alone.

• Complete the Assignment Templateprovided below forbothseparate scenerios: Please do not include the wording of the question. Delete this wording.
• Then just write out your response to the question.

Write a PICO question.

• Break down your question into its PICO components using the table provided.
• Generate 5-10 search terms and demonstrate their use with Boolean operators. (e.g., AND, OR, NOT)
• Identify 5 appropriate databases for conducting your literature search.
• Select one article that addresses your PICO question and meets the assignment requirements.
• Article Selected. At least 2 components of the PICO question are addressed within the article. Provide clear justification of the alignment between the PICO question and the article. The article must address he PICO question. "The article that answers the PICO question is by .... [enter the narrative in-text citation here]." Use the correct APA 7th edition format. Provide clear justification of the alignment between the PICO question and the article.Remember to diligently and correctly follow the APA style.The article must be aprimary sourcepublished in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Cite the article in APA 7th edition format.
• Attach the Article:Upload a PDF copy of the article you selected for your PICO question.
• Reflection. Write your reflection about the chosen article. This section should be about 4 to 7 sentences in length. Make sure that you address all the questions in this section. Speak as a clinician and add your opinion. "If you were a clinician, would the information from that article help you determine the clinical direction to go with your client?"
• Submit Your Work:Ensure the completed template and article PDF are uploaded to Blackboard by the assignment due date.

TEMPLATE:

Assignment Title Start by pasting the clinical scenario you are interested in exploring in this assignment. A list of possible clinical scenarios to choose from is provided in a separate document titled Clinical Scenarios.

PICO Question Enter your PICO question here in question format. Add the question elements corresponding to each PICO component in Table 1.

Table 1 Breakdown of the question by PICO components. Components Question Elements P I

C O

Search Terms and Boolean Operators Make a list of 5 - 10 key search terms. These are specific words and phrases that may yield relevant articles. Be sure to incorporate Boolean operators (e.g., AND, OR, NOT) to refine and structure your searches effectively. For example, ? Keyword OR Keyword OR Keyword AND ? Keyword OR Keyword OR keyword AND ? Keyword

Databases Make a list of 5 databases that you may use to conduct your search of the literature. Review the course resources about common rehabilitation databases and visit the USAHS library. The databases used for this assignment were: ? Database ? Database ? Database ? Database ? Database

Article Selected Find an article that addresses the PICO question using the key search terms and appropriate databases. Upload the article on Blackboard, along with this document. The article that answers the PICO question is by ...... [enter narrative in-text citation here]. Please ensure the article addresses at least two components of your PICO question.

Reflection Does the article you selected address the PICO question? If you were a clinician, would the information from that article help you determine the clinical direction to go with your patient? Discuss how the article you selected supports your PICO question in a few sentences.

Reference IN APA 7th edition Authors' last names and initials are in the same order in which they appear in the journal (Year). Title in sentence case. Journal Title in Title Case and Italicized, Volume(Issue), Page. Doi link

Population or Problem ann words/Search terms. Who is being affected? Elderly People with shoulder injury + Person, Patients, population or community * Defining characteristics may include: Condition, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Age, gender etc. What is the treatment? Stretching exercises * This is the independent variable. + What you are doing/manipulating/changing to see if it makes a difference or if it works What is the comparison treatment or Control Group? Resistance exercises + What is the main alternative being considered? + ls there is no comparison treatment or a control group? + ls there placebo treatment? What is being accomplished, measured, or improved? Movement and mobility This is the dependent variable What are the results being measured? In elderly patients with a shoulder injury (P), are stretching exercises (|) or resistance exercises (C) more effective for increasing mobility and movement (0)? Elderly shoulder injury stretching exercises resistance mobility movement