Understanding the research process

Abstract

This brief paper is the second in a series of articles aimed at informing readers of JARNA about research methods, and aims to explain, in simple terms, the research process. The research process, also referred to as the scientific method, is presented as a series of sequential steps that researchers follow when planning and conducting research and communicating the findings; however, the steps are often revisited during the process. Most journals that publish reports of research studies require that each step of the research process is clearly described. It is, therefore, important that nurses conducting or reading about research understand this process. In this article, each step of the research process is explained.