Research & Evidence · Field note 01
From question to trustworthy evidence
Direct answer
A grounded place to begin
Trustworthy evidence begins with a question precise enough to guide a search and consequential enough to justify the work. Define the population, phenomenon, setting, decision, and uncertainty before gathering sources. Then match each claim to evidence with the appropriate design, recency, relevance, and limitations.
Five-part practice
Carry the idea into daily work.
- 01
Name the decision
Write the decision the evidence must inform. A visible decision prevents the search from becoming an accumulation of interesting material.
- 02
Shape the question
Define who or what is being studied, the relevant exposure or intervention, the comparison when applicable, the outcome, and the time horizon.
- 03
Set inclusion boundaries
Specify eligible designs, dates, settings, populations, languages, and source types before screening begins.
- 04
Map claims to sources
Connect every material claim to the source that supports it and record the strength, fit, and limits of that support.
- 05
Preserve uncertainty
State what remains unknown, which interpretations compete, and which next evidence would materially change the conclusion.
Questions and answers
Questions that deepen the work
What makes a research question usable?
A usable question identifies the subject, decision, boundaries, and form of evidence needed while leaving genuine room for discovery.
How many sources are enough?
Sufficiency depends upon the claim, the maturity of the field, consistency across designs, and the consequences of being wrong. Coverage and fit matter more than a universal number.
How should conflicting evidence be handled?
Describe the conflict, compare designs and populations, examine bias and precision, and explain which evidence carries greater weight for the defined question.
Related pathways