A great and increasing challenge facing all practitioners, regardless of their discipline or background, is how to keep abreast of new research findings. This is particularly relevant in the AOD field as there have been substantial expansions in our scientific knowledge base over the past 10 to 20 years. There is growing pressure on the AOD workforce to function from an evidence-based perspective. This paper examines the basic concepts of evidence-based practice and some of the basic tools and techniques involved.