Action Research
Supplementary Materials for LSI 580 Evaluation and Research
Department of Library Science and Instructional Technology
Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven CT

LSI 580-70
Fall 1999

CONTENTS:
1. Context for action research
2. Major concepts and principles of action research
3. Techniques of action research
4. The research notebook
5. Analyzing action research data
6. Ethical criteria for action researchers
7. The written action research report

THE RESEARCH REPORT

Sharing the Outcomes of Action Research

• Public reporting prevents teacher knowledge from being forgotten
• The process of reporting teacher's knowledge increases the quality of reflection on practice
• Through reporting research, teachers clarify their own position and bring influence to bear on educational policy by means of rational argument
• By reporting their research knowledge, teachers meet the requirements of professional accountability
• By making their research knowledge public, teachers can play a more active role in teacher professional development and initial teacher education
• By reporting their research knowledge, teachers reinforce their professional self-confidence
• By reporting their research knowledge, teachers improve the reputation of the profession

  Possible audiences for action research

  • The practitioner-researcher
  • Teacher/school-media colleagues in the teacher-researcher's school
  • Teacher/school-media specialists in other schools in the district/state
  • Participants of in-service education programs
  • The teacher-researcher's students
  • Parents of the teacher-researcher's students
  • The principal, the superintendent, management
  • Other researchers
  • The media
  • The local community

  Methods of reporting action research

  • Involve others in the research: participants, critical friend, collaborative teams
  • Share ideas and research experiences with visitors
  • Give oral reports and lead seminar-style discussions
  • Present information in graphic form
  • Use audiovisual presentation
  • Exhibit findings
  • Act on the results
  • Disseminate findings through computer networks
  • Publish written reports

  THE WRITTEN REPORT

  Formats for writing

  1. Case studies--the most usual format for writing about action research
  2. Cross-case analyses

  Case studies:

  written reports in which teachers present information about one case taken from their practice

  The case study includes:

  the context and starting point

  research methods

  the stages of the research

  findings

  proposed action strategies

  emerging issues that may be the subject of

  further work

  Ways of structuring the case study

  Follow the chronological sequence of the research

  the simplest and safest way to write a case study

  reports experiences and findings in a step-by-step sequence

  use of a diagram or a list to illustrate the sequence aids the reader

  Develop the case study from an issue

  select one or more issues that appear to be of special interest

  discuss each in detail

  Present the case study as a portrayal

  select an event, such as part of a lesson

  describe the event vividly and in great detail

  limit the analysis and interpretation so that the reader can gain an understanding of the situation and come to his or her own judgement

  Cross-case analyses

  Cross-case analyses can be used when a team of teachers want to report similarities and differences of outcomes from several cases.One way of approaching the cross-case analysis is:
  1. Teachers brainstorm a list of the most important issues that arose during their research
  2. Teachers (or coordinator) reads all case studies and develop a list of issues, which is merged with first list.
  3. During a 3 day retreat, teachers [and coordinator] discuss the list of issues, eliminate some, combine some.
  4. Teachers divide into groups, each group focuses on one issue and reads all case studies relevant to that issue.
  5. Each group takes notes from readings and produces brief analytical notes including:
     • hypotheses, summarizing in one sentence the main points of agreement and any differences arising from the case studies
     • comments, explaining each hypothesis, and refer ences to illustrative material in the case studies.
  6. Following the retreat, a few of the teachers use the notes to write analytical summaries on each issues and combine these into a single publication.

  Criteria to use in writing reports

  1. Self-developed criteria:
     • What kind of texts do I enjoy reading?
     • Thinking back to the last two texts I have read, what did I like and what didn't I like about them?
  2. Other useful criteria:
     • Is the writing supported by data so that a reader can easily visualize what happened?
     • Are conflicting evidence and alternative interpretations considered?
     • Is the context of the research made clear?
     • Is the text written in a way that is understandable, vivid and interesting?
     • Is the report ethically defensible?
     • Does the presentation include analysis or is it primarily descriptive?

  The written research report has three main sections:

  Title

  The title should disclose something of the report's focus or thrust. Ideally, the title will be terse (approximately 15-17 word) summary of the report. Main body of the report

  Decide on the topics and heading that will be used in the report. Develop each topic one at a time. Write up each topic in a first draft.

  Introduction and Conclusion

  Write the introduction after you have completed the main body of the report. Next write the conclusion.

  Finally, write the abstract. An indicative abstract tells what topics are covered. An informative abstracts can substitute for the full report.

  Arrangement of reports and articles

  1. Statement of the problem or the nature of the inquiry.
  2. Subjects of the study, setting, and background.
  3. Research methods employed in the study.
  4. Results.
  5. Discussion and conclusions.
  6. List of references or bibliography.
  7. Acknowledgements.
  8. Addresses and affiliations of author and co-authors.

  Writing Tips

  • Get the right conditions for working
    • relaxed atmosphere
    • place where you cannot easily be disturbed
    • writing weekend
  • Assemble resources and materials near writing area
    • data (diary, notes, strategies, diagrams, quotations)
    • writing materials
    • reference books (dictionary, etc.)
  • Before writing, think about the shape of your argument and how this shape can be expressed; get a mental vision of the thread of the argument and how your reader will be able to follow it
  • Take it step by step
  • Use the introduction to tune readers into the text and prepare them for what is to follow
  • Use collected experiences and data to provide evidence for your main arguments
  • Where possible, use diagrams to illustrate the relationship between different concepts
  • Identify the central concepts and describe them clearly and in detail for your reader
  • Use the conclusion to summarize the main arguments and to emphasize the points you believe are important
  • Don't aim for immediate perfection
  • Try to get feedback

  Additional Writing Tips

  In the introduction answer these questions:

  • What question will be investigated in the report?
  • What was the context of the study?
  • What background information is needed to understand it?
  • What research methods did you use?
  • Why is this question important to you?
  • What importance might it have for other teachers?

  In the conclusion answer these questions:

  • What were the main findings of the study?
  • What ideas for practical action emerged?
  • Which of them were tried out and with what success?
  • Which questions remained unanswered or arose as a result of the study?
  • In what larger context could the issue(s) discussed be subsumed?

  Procedures for quotations and references

  • Use one method (such as APA, Chicago, MLA) consistently throughout the report
  • Use a method that will permit the reader to quickly identify the source

  Using unrecorded data

  • Tell it to the reader in a story, for example: "This assumption is not borne out by my experience in a role play with class 1c, when the following happened..."

  Give your report structure

  • Using linguistic patterns that imply structure, such as

    on the one hand...on the other hand...

    both...and...

    at first...then...finally...

    first...second...third...