So you want to do research? 1: an overview of the research process

Relative to some other health care professionals, nursing has an immature research tradition as well as a limited body of research-based knowledge to draw on. Nevertheless, research is important to the nursing profession which over the past 15 years has increasingly had pressure placed on it to be more accountable for its actions. Research is also important so as to answer specific and broader clinical questions. This article, the first in series of seven, is aimed to provide novice researchers with an overview of the research process, with a specific focus on developing the research question, undertaking a review of the literature, describing the different research methodologies, sample size, data collection methods and analysis. Different approaches for ensuring more effective dissemination of research findings to different audiences are also briefly discussed.