A Short Guide to Action Research

Dr. Andrew Johnson is Professor of Holistic Education and the Director of the Accelerated Teacher Licensure Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Here he specializes in educational psychology, holistic education, literacy instruction, and teacher professional development.

Before moving into higher education he worked for 9 years in the public schools as a second grade teacher, wrestling coach, and as a gifted education coordinator. His most recent books include Making Connections in Elementary and Middle School Social Studies (SAGE) and Teaching Reading and Writing: A Guidebook for Tutoring and Remediating Students (Rowman and Littlefield).

Dr. Johnson can be reached for comment at: andrew.johnson@mnsu.edu. For information related to workshops and professional development opportunities go to: www.OPDT-Johonson.com.

Chapter 1. SCIENCE, RESEARCH, AND TEACHING

I. Science, Research, and Teaching

II. Science

 1. Science and Pseudoscience

II. Research

 1. Quantitative Research

 2. Qualitative Research

 3. Quantitative or Qualitative?

III. TEACHING

 1. What Scientists and Teachers Do

IV. Using Research in Education: Theories, Hypotheses, and Paradigms, Oh My!

 1. Theories and Hypotheses

 2. Paradigms

 3. Better Decision Makers

Chapter 2. INTRODUCTION TO ACTION RESEARCH

I. Research in Action

 1. A Quick Overview of Action Research

 2. Descriptors of Action Research

II. The Importance of Action Research

 1. The Gap between Theory and Practice

 2. Teacher Empowerment

 3. Teacher Inservice and Professional Growth

Chapter 3. USING ACTION RESEARCH FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS

I. FINDING THE PROBLEM

II. FINDING SOLUTIONS

 1. Creative Problem Solving

 2. Means—End Analysis

 3. Problem-Solving Strategies in the Classroom

 4. Testing the Solution

III. AN EXAMPLE OF ACTION RESEARCH AND PROBLEM SOLVING

 1. Finding the Problem

 2. Finding a Solution

 3. Testing the Solution

IV. PROBLEM SOLVING AND INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT

Chapter 4. THE BEGINNING

I. AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACTION RESEARCH PROCESS

 1. Action Research Steps

II. FINDING YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC

 1. A Teaching Strategy

 2. Identify a Problem

 3. Examine an Area of Interest

III. STILL HAVING TROUBLE STARTING?

Chapter 5. REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

I. REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

II. SOURCES FOR THE LITERATURE REVIEW

 1. Academic Journals

 2. Books

 3. The Internet

 4. How Many Sources?

III. STEPS FOR A LITERATURE REVIEW

IV. CITATIONS

V. THE REFERENCE PAGE

 1. Journals

 2. Books

VI. A SAMPLE LITERATURE REVIEW

 1. Literature Review at the Beginning

 2. A Literature Review at the End

Chapter 6. METHODS OF COLLECTING DATA

I. DATA COLLECTION

 1. Systematic

 2. Data Collection and Soil Samples

 3. A Television Sports Analyst

II. TYPES OF DATA COLLECTION IN ACTION RESEARCH

 1. Log or Research Journal

 2. Field Notes–Your Observations

 3. Checklists

 4. Rating Checklist

 5. Rubrics

 6. Conferences and Interviews

 7. Data Retrieval Charts

 8. Maps

 9. Artifacts: Students’ Products or Performances

 10. The Arts

 11. Archival Data

 12. Surveys

 13. Attitude and Rating Scales

 14. Online Surveys and Rating Scales

 15. Online Platforms and Class Journals

Chapter 7. METHODS OF ANALYZING DATA

I. ACCURACY AND CREDIBILITY: THIS IS WHAT IS

II. VALIDITY, RELIABILITY, AND TRIANGULATION

 1. Validity

 2. Triangulation

 3. Reliability

III. INDUCTIVE ANALYSIS

 1. Larry, Moe, and Curly Help with Inductive Analysis

 2. Case Studies or Representative Samples

 3. Vision Quest

 4. Defining and Describing Categories

 5. The Next Month

Chapter 8. QUANTITATIVE DESIGN IN ACTION RESEARCH

I. CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

 1. Correlation Coefficient

 2. Misusing Correlational Research

 3. Negative Correlation

 4. Making Predictions

II. CAUSAL—COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

 1. Whole Language in California

II. QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

 1. Quasi-Action Research

 2. Pretest—Posttest Design

 3. Pretest—Posttest Control Group Design

 4. Time Series Design

 5. Time Series Control Group Design

 6. Equivalent Time-Sample Design

III. THE FUNCTION OF STATISTICS

 1. Descriptive Statistics

IV. INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

Chapter 9. EVALUATING, DESCRIBING, AND PROPOSING RESEARCH

I. EVALUATING RESEARCH

 1. Buyer Beware

 2. Scientifically Based Research

II. EVALUATING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

 1. Independent and Dependent Variables

 2. Confounding Variables

 3. Common Confounding Variables

III. EVALUATING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

IV. DESCRIBING RESEARCH

 1. Examples of Research Descriptions

V. AN ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL

 1. Annie Oftedahl, Northfield, Minnesota

 2. Ann Schmitz, Garden City Minnesota, Mankato District 77 Early Childhood Special Education

Chapter 10. REPORTING FINDINGS IN ACTION RESEARCH

I. REPORTING QUALITATIVE DATA

 1. Tips for Presenting Qualitative Data

II. THE IMPORTANCE OF STRUCTURE

 1. Structure and Inductive Analysis

 2. Using Headings to Create Structure

 3. Using Subheadings to Create More Structure

III. CASE STUDIES OR REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES

 1. It’s Alive!

IV. APPENDICES

V. REPORTING QUANTITATIVE DATA

 1. Using Numbers

 2. Using Words

 3. Reporting Arithmetic Data

VI. TABLES

VII. FIGURES

 1. Graphs

 2. Other Visuals

Chapter 11. DISCUSSION: YOUR PLAN OF ACTION

I. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 1. Christina Stolfa, Nacogdoches, Texas

 2. Jo Henriksen, St. Louis Park, Minnesota

 3. Cathy Stamps, Fifth Grade, Hopkins Elementary School

 4. Delinda Whitley, Mt. Enterprise, Texas

 5. Darlene Cempa, Whitney Point, NY 

II. IMPLICATIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

 1. Morgan Chylinski, Jamesville, NY

 2. Karen Randle, Trumansburg, New York

 III.  EVALUATION OF THE STUDY

  1. Jim Vavreck, St. Peter, Minnesota

  2. Staci Wilson, Irving, Texas

IV. DESIGNING A NEW PLAN OR PROGRAM

 1. Creating a New Plan or Program

 2. A Less Formal Plan of Action

Chapter 12. WRITING AN ACTION RESEARCH REPORT

I. TONE AND STYLE         

 1. Avoid Value Statements

 2. Extremely Objective

II. PRECISION AND CLARITY

 1. Writing and Speech

 2. Avoid Speech-isms

 3. Avoid Non-Words

 4. Use Adverbs with Caution

IV. REDUCING BIAS

 1. Person-First Language

 2. Exceptionalities

 3. Gender

 4. Sexual Orientation

 5. LGBT and Transgender

 6. Race and Ethnicity

V. LENGTH

VI. CLARITY

VII. HEADINGS

VIII. THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF STYLE

 1. The Basics of Grammar

 2. The Basics of Punctuation: Commas, Semi-Colons, and Colons.

Chapter 13. PRESENTING YOUR ACTION RESEARCH

I. THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

 1. Your Colleagues

 2. Your Students

 3. School Boards, Principals, and Administrators: Making a Case

 4. Your Classroom: Evaluating New Programs

 5. Parent Conferences

 6. As Part of a Master’s Thesis

II. THE PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT

 1. Professional Conferences and Conventions

 2. Academic Journals

 3. ERIC

III. LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

IV. MAKING EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS

 1. Planning the Presentation

 2. General Platform Skills

 3. PowerPoint Specifics

 4. Effective Handouts

 5. Online Video Presentations

Chapter 14. ACTION RESEARCH AS MASTER’S THESIS

I. BEFORE YOU START

 1. Nine Tips for Writing Your Master’s Thesis

    Tina Williams   

    Christine Reed, Educational Specialist Degree, Nerstrand Elementary School,  6. Nerstrand, Minnesota

    Jackie Royer, Master’s Thesis, Trimont Schools, Trimont, Minnesota

    Darlene Cempa, Whitney Point, NY 

    Karen Randle, Trumansburg, New York

    Morgan Chylinski, Jamesville, NY

Chapter 15. STRATEGIES FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

I. ACTION RESEARCH AND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

 1. More Knowledge Please

 2. Process and Empowerment

 3. Online Professional Development

 4. Other Professional Development Opportunities

II. OBSERVING YOUR OWN PRACTICE

 1. Best Practice

 2. Audiotaping Lessons

 3. Descriptive, Not Prescriptive

APPENDIX - SAMPLE ACTION RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Alison Reynolds, Minneapolis, Minnesota

2. Kay Dicke, Eden Prairie

3. LouAnn Strachota

4. Georgina L. Pete

5. Teresa Van Batavia, Eisenhower Elementary, Hopkins, Minnesota

6. Linda Roth, St. Peter School District, St. Peter, Minnesota

7. Angela Hassett Brunelle Getty, Martinez, California

8. Michelle Bahr, Shakopee, Minnesota

9. Kim Schafer, Minnetonka, Minnesota

10. Barbara King, Prairie Elementary School, Worthington MN.

11. Annette Tousignant

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