This course presents the essential concepts of the research process to enable nursing students to critique research reports and apply research findings from nursing and other disciplines in clinical practice. It introduces the students to the scientific method as a way of knowing and the research process as a tool of science. It acquaints the students with the stages of the research process, the use of basic statistical techniques in answering nursing research questions, the principles of applying the research process to nursing practice, and the ethics for conducting research. Students have "hands-on" experience in the use of the computer and statistical programs for data analysis.