This chapter outlines steps of the scientific research process and defines related terms, including human subjects research, hypotheses, applied versus basic research, quantitative versus qualitative studies, prospective versus retrospective methods, and cross-sectional versus longitudinal designs. Research as knowledge discovery is also differentiated from both evidence-based practice and quality improvement methods, while linkages between the three are explored. Finally, three major researcher paradigms (or worldviews) that affect study design are explained: Positivism, constructivism, and advocacy/ideological.