Table 4.2.

Research question development

Acronym	Meaning
FINER a	F feasible, I interesting, N novel, E ethical, and R relevant
SMART b	S specific, M measurable, A attainable, R relevant, T timely
TOPICS + M c	T time, O outcomes, P population, I intervention, C context, S study design, plus M (effect) moderators

^a Cummings SR, Browner WS, Hulley SB. Conceiving the research question and developing the study plan. In: Hulley SB, Cummings SR, Browner WS, editors. Designing Clinical Research: An Epidemiological Approach. 4th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007. p. 14–22.

^b Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives. Management Review. 70 (11): 35–36.

^c Johnson BT, Hennessy EA. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the health sciences: best practice methods for research syntheses. Soc Sci Med 2019;233:237–51.