The authors have taken keen effort to bring forth this important information which will be useful to them when pursuing higher education. I am sure some basic level of nursing students will be benefited to gain knowledge in understanding Nursing Research and Statistics and enhance their cognitive domain to conduct Nursing Research at Postgraduate and PhD levels.

The contents cover the current Indian Nursing Council syllabus and help the diploma students, undergraduates and post-diploma students of various arena to prepare them for their examination.

I am delighted that this book is published at the right moment when the students need the most in an applicable manner.

Quite frequently, these days people talk of research, both in academic institutions and outside. Current era of nursing practice is based on evidence-based nursing practice (Reflective Nursing). Several research studies are undertaken and accomplished year after year. It may be noted in the context of planning and development that the significance of research lies in its quality and not in quantity. The need, therefore, is for those concerned with research for nursing students to understand and to pay due attention to designing and adhering to the appropriate methodology during their project and throughout for improving the quality of research.

Keeping all these in view, the present book has been written to enable the young researchers: (i) in developing the most appropriate methodology for their research studies; and (ii) to make them familiar with the art of using different research methods and techniques.

Regarding the organization, the book consists of eight chapters, well arranged in a coherent manner. Chapter one is presenting an overview of the research and research process with its characteristics. Chapter two explains the techniques of defining a research problem and questions. Chapter three dwells on different methods followed in review of literature with its purpose. Chapter four deals with various research designs, highlighting their main characteristics. Chapter five presents the details of several sampling design and data collection methods with its instruments. Interpretation of analyzed data has been described in chapter six. Chapter seven deals with introduction to statistics including different measurement and scaling techniques with statistical package application. 6Chapter eight has been devoted to the task of communication and utilization of research findings. The book is primarily intended to serve as a textbook of undergraduate nursing students of various universities. It is hoped that the book shall provide guidelines to all interested in research studies of one sort or the other. The book is, in fact, an out of our experience of teaching the subject to BSc Nursing (Basic), BSc Nursing (Post Basic), and MSc Nursing students for the last several years.

We are grateful to all those persons whose writings and works have helped us in the preparation of this book. We are equally grateful to the reviewers of the manuscript of this book who made extremely valuable suggestions and have thus contributed in enhancing the standards of the book.

We shall feel amply rewarded if the book proves helpful in the development of genuine research studies. We look forward to suggestions from all readers, especially from experienced researchers and scholars for further improving the subject content as well as the presentation of this book.