This accessible textbook provides a user-friendly and interactive introduction to research and evidence-based practice in health and social care. It is aimed at students in Further Education on Foundation Degree courses and in the first year of a Nursing or Social Work diploma or undergraduate programme in higher education. The book assumes no prior knowledge of health and social care research on the part of the reader and uses straightforward language, supported by illustrative graphs and figures, to describe the research process and the ways in which evidence is used to change and develop care. Content is structured in a logical fashion. The text begins by defining key terms, then takes the reader along a pathway from the creation of initial research questions or objectives, through the design and undertaking of a research project, the adoption of findings in practice and the ongoing audit and evaluation of new practice to ensure its continued effectiveness. Exercises and case studies support student learning and the author's personal reflections on the research process make this a lively and engaging text. Contents: INTRODUCTION SECTION 1 Making Sense of the Research Process. 1 Identifying the research aim. 2 Reviewing the literature. 3 Designing a study the choice of methods. 4 Can it be done? Ethical approval and resources. 5 Recruitment and data collection. 6 Data analysis. 7 What do we know now? SECTION 2 Using Evidence in Practice 8 Reviewing the evidence making decisions about quality. 9 Putting the evidence into practice. 10 Audit and evaluation. 11 Closing the circle: issues for the future. REFERENCES INDEX