Preparing students to become informed, critical consumers of research, this accessible text builds essential skills for understanding research reports, evaluating the implications for evidence-based practice, and communicating findings to different audiences. It demystifies qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs and provides step-by-step procedures for judging the strengths and limitations of any study. Excerpts from real research reports are used as opportunities to develop methodological knowledge and practice analytic skills. Based on sound pedagogic principles, the text is structured for diverse learning styles: visual learners (concept maps, icons), active learners (building-block exercises and templates for writing), and story learners (examples, reading guides, and reflections).

Pedagogical Features

*Rubrics, checklists of steps to take, and reading guides that walk students through analyzing different types of research articles.

*Journal abstracts with questions that home in on key aspects of a study.

*Exemplars of each type of study, with descriptions of methodological and design choices.

*End-of-chapter skills-building exercises that lead up to writing a research review essay.

*Chapter appendices featuring sample responses to the exercises.