This distance learning course is designed to provide participants with knowledge and understanding of the theoretical foundations, processes and practices of academic research and to enable them to apply this to design and conduct research of their own. In fact, it is both a basic and support course for the other courses in the curriculum designed for 1styear students of English in the department of English, university of Batna. However, anyone who wishes to conduct academic research can find the course also very useful and of great help.