Abstract
The importance of ensuring a high level of scientific and ethical standards in health and social care research underpins the Department of Health's framework for research governance (DOH, 2001). This paper presents our current thinking regarding some areas of ambiguity. The explanations offered are open to challenge and we see the paper as a contribution to the debates surrounding these different activities rather than providing a template for making decisions about what constitutes research, audit, practice development and service evaluation. However, we also hope that the paper will provide some practical guidance in undertaking these activities. Copyright © 2005 Whurr Publishers Ltd.