Purposes: The purpose of this study was to identify recent trends of experimental research by analyzing doctoral dissertations in all colleges of nursing in Korea. Methods: The areas of research, the content, methodological and intervention characteristics used in this study were explored in experimental research on doctoral dissertations (n=132) published from 2006 to 2010. Results: In the issues of research, practice/clinical issues were most frequently used. As to outcome measurement, physiological variables increased more than psychological/emotional variables. Most theory applied in the research was taken from other disciplines, and nursing theory was only Roy`s adaptation theory. A large majority of the research was quasi-experimental designs and the number of true-experimental designs was very low. In more than half of the dissertations, internal validity was not described, and the described external validity rate was very low. There were more single intervention programs than bundle ones and education/exercise programs were most frequently used as the source of intervention. Conclusion: Doctoral dissertations need to increase and encourage more high quality experimental research to expand nursing knowledge and to develop evidence based nursing practice.