Action Research Paper

Action Research Paper

An action research paper is a very interesting form of research. The action research paper presents information that is done in a cyclic form. The action occurs, the action is reviewed or reflected on, a new plan is developed and another action occurs. This cycle can be never ending. Presenting information in the form of an action research paper fits the research particularly well because much of action research is qualitative. The results of actions use words and the paper uses words to describe the results. A very nice fit whereas scientific research is very qualitative; you are describing actual measurements whereas words cannot be measured in the same way as numbers can.

The researcher can obtain quite a lot of very rigorous understanding despite the qualitative manner of the action research paper. If all parties are very involved in the research more information about the event or action can be determined, many errors can be corrected by critical reflection, particularly when there are cycles within cycles, and the assumptions within each cycle must be tested. Therefore the results obtained and presented in an action research paper can be quite informative. Besides using a small group of individuals, participators used for research presented in an action research paper can be from a large organization or institute. Many times the larger the group the more guidance that will be needed.

There are also quite a few theories in action research and any of these theories would be an excellent topic for an action research paper if you are not actually carrying out research. The following theories for an action research paper are listed below.

Chris Argyris’s Action Science – how human beings react in difficult situations.
John Heron and Peter Reason’s Cooperative Inquiry – research is done “with” individuals rather than “on “individuals
Paulo Freire's Participatory Action Research – this investigates intervention, change and development within groups or communities.
William Torbert’s Developmental Action Inquiry – action inquiry challenges the experience as an individual, in groups, or organizational scale in the midst of actions.

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