This clearly written, easy-to-understand book demystifies the research process and provides a rational foundation from which to critique and understand research designs and applications in health care and human service settings. Divided into five parts - Introduction, Thinking Processes, Design Approaches, Action Processes, and Improving Practice Through Inquiry - it explores multiple research strategies, proposing that naturalistic and experimental-type research strategies have equal value and contribute in complementary and distinct ways to the science of practice. Content in this edition has been significantly expanded and updated to reflect changes in the field, specifically in areas of ethics, informed consent, practice efficacy, and proposal-writing.