Essentials of Nursing Research

Give your students everything they need to actively learn how to apply research to nursing practice.
Updated to reflect the latest innovations in research methods, this worldwide bestseller helps students learn how to read and critique research reports, speak the language of nursing research, and develop an appreciation of research to enhance nursing practice. AJN award-winning authors Denise Polit and Cheryl Beck present research essentials, dig into the research steps, and explore quantitative and qualitative research, igniting student curiosity and encouraging them to pursue a professional pathway that incorporates thoughtful appraisals of evidence.

Highlights of the Ninth Edition


Enhanced accessibility. The presentation of complex topics is simplified and streamlined, incorporating more straightforward language.
New content. The book’s coverage of state-of-the-art research concepts and approaches includes new discussions of quality improvement projects as well as clinical significance, a seldom-mentioned but important topic that has recently gained prominence among nurse researchers.
Reorganized coverage. The book’s new structure is organized by methodologic content to offer greater continuity and facilitate better understanding of key methodologic differences between quantitative and qualitative research.
Critiquing guidelines and support. Each chapter provides questions that walk students through a study, drawing attention to aspects of the study that can be critiqued by research consumers. In addition, full-length research articles and sample critiques at the end of the book provide opportunities for further critiquing practice.
Research examples. One or two actual research examples at the end of each chapter sharpen readers’ critical thinking skills, and research examples throughout the text illustrate key points and stimulate students’ thinking about areas of research inquiry.
Practical guidance . Translation of the abstract notions of research methods into more concrete applications includes tips that explain confusing issues in actual research articles.
New test generator . Hundreds of multiple-choice questions, which are completely new and written by the book’s authors, help instructors assess their students’ understanding of the chapter content.