A guide to carrying out and writing an action research report

by Vron Leslie, WMCETT ITT Co-ordinator

This short guide is written to help you approach the writing of a research report and our best advice is to start thinking about this as soon as you can and planning it into your work/life schedule.

The guidelines provide a general introduction to planning and writing a report but it is suggested that you read about writing research reports/dissertations before starting – see bibliography and our resources guide.

We hope that you enjoy the experience of carrying out research and remember that your mentor/tutor is there to support you through the process.  It might also help you to join a research action set of others writing their reports.

The guide can be read here.

 Below, we have listed some other useful booklets and guides to action research, and right there are links to other types of resources.

Guide ‘Action Research: A Guide for Associate Lecturers’ published by the Open University

This is a good simple guide to Action Research for educators in further education and, whilst written for their own staff, most of it is transferable.

http://www.open.ac.uk/cobe/docs/AR-Guide-final.pdf

Booklet  ‘Action Research’ by Eileen Ferrance of Education Alliance at Brown University, Providence,  America

This booklet on schools-based educational action research discusses several types of action research, its history and a process which includes an action research cycle.

http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf

Guide ‘Action Research in Education’ by Dr Stephen Waters-Adams, Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth, 2006
This is a comprehensive student guide that gives an introduction to what action research is and the theory behind it with links to key texts, some very useful questions to lead one through the process of doing action research, the limitations and criticisms of action research and key texts.

Website: http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/RESINED/actionresearch/arhome.htm

Booklet ‘Action Research for Professional Development’ by Jean McNiff
Jean McNiff is recognised as a key exponent of action research.  This booklet goes through how to focus your action research, questions to ask and explores the process in detail.  Quite theoretical.

http://www.jeanmcniff.com/booklet1.html

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

This glossary of terms with reference sources provides a useful reference source

http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/o/m01/glossary.htm

Planning and methods

Articles

Online journals

Online resources