Reading Research
A User-Friendly Guide for Health Professionals
- 8th Edition - October 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Author: Patricia Hansen-Ketchum
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 4 0 7 3 6 - 9
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 4 0 7 3 7 - 6
Learn how to evaluate and apply health sciences research with this easy-to-read and understand beginner’s guide! Reading Research: A User-Friendly Guide for Health Profe… Read more
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Learn how to evaluate and apply health sciences research with this easy-to-read and understand beginner’s guide! Reading Research: A User-Friendly Guide for Health Professionals, 8th Edition provides a clear introduction to reading and understanding research articles, with practical guidelines for implementing research into clinical practice. It describes how to interpret common research methods including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method approaches, and explains how to find relevant, reliable research on the internet. Written by noted educators and research experts, Barbara Davies and Jo Logan, this engaging and easy-to-use pocket guide is ideal for both students and health professionals.
- Concise overview of health sciences-related research maximizes your study time and makes it easier to understand qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research
- Clearly written succinct introduction to reading and understanding health sciences research articles is accompanied by practice worksheets and other learning resources on an Evolve website
- Helpful guidelines suggest how to find interesting research results, identify how to use research results towards planning and delivering best practices and improving patient outcomes, and recommend actions to address barriers to using research in practice
- UNIQUE! Tips boxes provide practical, easy-to-follow advice for those who are new to the subject
- UNIQUE! Alert! boxes warn of common assumptions made when reading research
- Recommendations for best practices in research include brief definitions of popular research terms as well as links to World Health Organization information, the latest RNAO (Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario) Best Practice Guidelines, and guidelines from Australia, the USA, the UK, and other countries
- Enhanced worksheet exercises on the Evolve website demonstrate how to apply knowledge gained from the text, based on research articles drawn from Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA, on a variety of health issues encountered in hospital and community settings
University RN Students / PN Students in Canada
1. INTRODUCTION Why Read Research Articles? Some Friendly Advice About Reading Research Articles Check Out the Reader’s Companion Worksheets
2. EASY STEPS FOR READING RESEARCH Title Abstract Introduction Theory Issues Methods Design
Part 1: Qualitative Design Methods Rigour in Qualitative Studies Sample and Setting Data Collection Data Analysis and Results
Part 2: Quantitative Design Methods Experimental Designs Non-Experimental Designs Rigour in Quantitative Studies Sample Data Collection How to Judge the Rigour of a Data Collection Tool Sensitivity and Specificity Data Analysis and Results Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics
Part 3: Mixed Methods Research Mixed Methods Study Characteristics Mixed Methods Data Collection and Analysis Results and Discussion A Final Suggestion: The Acknowledgements
Part 4: Indigenous Research Methodologies - eOnly chapter
3. FINDING INTERESTING RESEARCH RESULTS Where and How to Start Define Your Clinical Question Steps in Constructing a PICO Chart Search a Database for Relevant Research Search Terms How Far Back Should You Search? Review Articles How to Read the Fictional Forest Plot Depicting a Meta-Analysis Appraising Reviews Searching the Internet for Research Articles Peer Review A Cautionary Note About Predatory or Fake Journals on the Internet How Will I Know If a Journal Is Fake? Why Should I Be Concerned If the Paper Is Published in a Predatory Journal Web Portals Other Types of Databases Keeping Up to Date Social Media: Facebook
4. USING RESEARCH RESULTS Research Utilization The Questions to Ask Clinical Practice Guidelines Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Practice Guideline Websites The Decision to Use Research Results Gathering Support and Resources Want to Learn More? Bibliography (Moving to Evolve with QR code) Glossary Journals That Publish Peer-Reviewed Research (Moving to Evolve with QR code) Worksheets (interactive)
1. Qualitative Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
2. Quantitative Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
3. Mixed Methods Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
4. Indigenous Research Methodologies: The Reader's Companion Worksheet - eOnly
5. Systematic Reviews: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet 6. Using Research Results: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
2. EASY STEPS FOR READING RESEARCH Title Abstract Introduction Theory Issues Methods Design
Part 1: Qualitative Design Methods Rigour in Qualitative Studies Sample and Setting Data Collection Data Analysis and Results
Part 2: Quantitative Design Methods Experimental Designs Non-Experimental Designs Rigour in Quantitative Studies Sample Data Collection How to Judge the Rigour of a Data Collection Tool Sensitivity and Specificity Data Analysis and Results Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics
Part 3: Mixed Methods Research Mixed Methods Study Characteristics Mixed Methods Data Collection and Analysis Results and Discussion A Final Suggestion: The Acknowledgements
Part 4: Indigenous Research Methodologies - eOnly chapter
3. FINDING INTERESTING RESEARCH RESULTS Where and How to Start Define Your Clinical Question Steps in Constructing a PICO Chart Search a Database for Relevant Research Search Terms How Far Back Should You Search? Review Articles How to Read the Fictional Forest Plot Depicting a Meta-Analysis Appraising Reviews Searching the Internet for Research Articles Peer Review A Cautionary Note About Predatory or Fake Journals on the Internet How Will I Know If a Journal Is Fake? Why Should I Be Concerned If the Paper Is Published in a Predatory Journal Web Portals Other Types of Databases Keeping Up to Date Social Media: Facebook
4. USING RESEARCH RESULTS Research Utilization The Questions to Ask Clinical Practice Guidelines Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Practice Guideline Websites The Decision to Use Research Results Gathering Support and Resources Want to Learn More? Bibliography (Moving to Evolve with QR code) Glossary Journals That Publish Peer-Reviewed Research (Moving to Evolve with QR code) Worksheets (interactive)
1. Qualitative Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
2. Quantitative Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
3. Mixed Methods Research: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
4. Indigenous Research Methodologies: The Reader's Companion Worksheet - eOnly
5. Systematic Reviews: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet 6. Using Research Results: The Reader’s Companion Worksheet
- Edition: 8
- Latest edition
- Published: October 1, 2026
- Language: English
PH
Patricia Hansen-Ketchum
Dr. Patti Hansen-Ketchum is associate professor and the former director of the St. Francis Xavier University Rankin School of Nursing. She completed her PhD from the University of Alberta where she was awarded the Genevieve Gray PhD Medal for my dissertation and high academic standing. Dr. Hansen-Ketchum's doctoral work provides an integrated approach to environmental health and health promotion. In her current research program, she continues to try to generate knowledge with communities and interdisciplinary colleagues about our vital connections with each other and our environment, including ecologically-sound, nature-based strategies for fostering health. The aim is to understand, explore and examine interventions that integrate ecological thinking into health and community systems for the equitable promotion of health across age groups and populations in diverse contexts. Examples include access to healthy outdoor places, green exercise, climate change and public health, youth/community mobilization in health promotion, and community development and sustainability. This work drives her personal and professional life - Dr. Hansen-Ketchum is passionate about life-long teaching-learning, community, health, and healthy environments.
Affiliations and expertise
St. Francis Xavier University, Canada