Action Reserach Guidelines
This chapter provides an overview of educational research, contrasting traditional and action research methodologies. It emphasizes the active role of educators as researchers within their own classrooms and explores the historical and theoretical foundations of action research.
This chapter begins by examining the process of identifying a research topic and conducting a literature review. Strategies for refining the research purpose and formulating clear research questions, objectives, or hypotheses are then presented.
The chapter explores the philosophical assumptions that form the foundations for the three research paradigms: qualitative methods, quantitative methods, and mixed methods.
Key decisions needed for designing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods practitioner research studies are highlighted. The chapter provides a guide for developing the various parts of a research plan. Ethical considerations involved in conducting practitioner research are also discussed.
This chapter describes the most common types of data collection strategies, both qualitative and quantitative. Practical guidelines and examples are provided for constructing a variety of data collection tools.
The chapter focuses on common classroom assessment tools employed in action research. Traditional and nontraditional assessment strategies are described and compared.
The chapter provides a detailed guide to the process and techniques for analyzing and interpreting qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods data. It outlines the most common and practical approaches for organizing, analyzing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions from different types of data.
This chapter explores diverse approaches to reporting research studies. It emphasizes how the knowledge and insights gleaned from school practitioners' inquiries can be utilized to enhance their practice and disseminated among other educators.
This chapter delves into the intricacies of proper referencing and citation, utilizing the latest guidelines outlined in the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).