A Beginner's Guide to Action Research 1
A beginner 's guide to action research 1
This is a resource file which supports the regular public program "areol" (action research and evaluation on line) offered twice a year beginning in mid-February and mid-July. For details email Bob Dick bdick@scu.edu.au or bd@uq.net.au
... in which action research is briefly described, and the simultaneous achievement of action (that is, change) and research (that is, understanding) is discussed Contents * Introduction * Action research in more detail * Cyclic, participative, qualitative * "Good" action research * Summary * Notes * References Action research consists of a family of research methodologies which pursue action and research outcomes at the same time. It therefore has some components which resemble consultancy or change agency, and some which resemble field research.
Conventional experimental research, for good reason, has developed certain principles to guide its conduct. These principles are appropriate for certain types of research; but they can actually inhibit effective change. Action research has had to develop a different set of principles. It also has some characteristic differences from most other qualitative methods.
Action research tends to be... * cyclic -- similar steps tend to recur, in a similar sequence; * participative -- the clients and informants are involved as partners, or at least active participants, in the research process; * qualitative -- it deals more often with language than with numbers; and * reflective -- critical reflection upon the process and outcomes are important parts of each cycle.
In fact, some writers insist on those characteristics.
To achieve action, action research is responsive. It has to be able to respond to the emerging needs of the situation. It must be flexible in a way that some research methods cannot be.
Action research is emergent. The process takes place gradually. Its
This is a resource file which supports the regular public program "areol" (action research and evaluation on line) offered twice a year beginning in mid-February and mid-July. For details email Bob Dick bdick@scu.edu.au or bd@uq.net.au
... in which action research is briefly described, and the simultaneous achievement of action (that is, change) and research (that is, understanding) is discussed Contents * Introduction * Action research in more detail * Cyclic, participative, qualitative * "Good" action research * Summary * Notes * References Action research consists of a family of research methodologies which pursue action and research outcomes at the same time. It therefore has some components which resemble consultancy or change agency, and some which resemble field research.
Conventional experimental research, for good reason, has developed certain principles to guide its conduct. These principles are appropriate for certain types of research; but they can actually inhibit effective change. Action research has had to develop a different set of principles. It also has some characteristic differences from most other qualitative methods.
Action research tends to be... * cyclic -- similar steps tend to recur, in a similar sequence; * participative -- the clients and informants are involved as partners, or at least active participants, in the research process; * qualitative -- it deals more often with language than with numbers; and * reflective -- critical reflection upon the process and outcomes are important parts of each cycle.
In fact, some writers insist on those characteristics.
To achieve action, action research is responsive. It has to be able to respond to the emerging needs of the situation. It must be flexible in a way that some research methods cannot be.
Action research is emergent. The process takes place gradually. Its
References: Carr, W. and Kemmis, S. (1986) Becoming critical: education knowledge and action research. London: Falmer Press. Checkland, P. (1981) Systems thinking, systems practice. Chichester: Wiley. Guba, E.G. and Lincoln, Y.S. (1989) Fourth generation evaluation. Newbury Park, Ca.: Sage. Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R., eds. (1988) The action research planner, third edition. Victoria: Deakin University. This document can be cited as follows: Dick, B. (2000) A beginner 's guide to action research [On line]. Available at