Organizing the Evidence to Answer the PICO Question
The Matrix Method is an organizational system that guides you through the literature review process from start to finish. It is “intended to teach you how to read a paper, organize the review using the Matrix Method, analyze it, and create a narrative synthesis”. Now you have searched and found the literature that answers the PICO question, you can now synthesize what you have learned and how it fits into your literature review. One strategy is to create a synthesis matrix. A synthesis matrix helps you organize the main points of each book, article, or another information resource you use. It allows you to see how the sources relate to each other and help guide your writing.
Instructions:
- Look at the literature Matrix (John Hopkins University Appendix G) and use the sources found in Discussion 6. Sources: Stone, P. A., Candelmi, D. E., Kandola, K., Montero, L., Smetham, D., Suleman, S., Fernando, A., & Rojí, R. (2023). Management of Fatigue in Patients with Advanced Cancer. Current Treatment Options in Oncology, 24(2), 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-022-01045-0Links to an external site. Babatunde, O. O., Corp, N., Shivji, N., Rowlands, G., Quicke, J., Healey, E. L., … & van der Windt, D. A. (2023). Interventions for supporting self-management in people with musculoskeletal pain, including focus on varying levels of health literacy: A systematic overview of reviews. Health Open Research, 5, 2.
- Use the Literature Review Synthesis Matrix Download Literature Review Synthesis Matrixto compare and contrast findings found in appendix G.
- Title the discussion with the PICOT question.
“In Cancer Patients with Fatigue (P), What is the Effect of Yoga (I), Compared with Usual Pharmacological Care (C), on Better Management of Fatigue and Quality of Life (O) within 6 Months (T)?”
- Initial post: Your post should be within a range of 200-240 words.
- By looking at the Matrix, carefully look at similarities and differences between the studies.
- Do any themes arise from comparing and contrasting are there any similarities or differences.
- Write a paragraph synthesizing the information. Remember, this is in preparation for writing the literature review.