Action Research

by Ernest T. Stringer

• ISBN13: 9781412952231
• ISBN10: 1412952239
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780761917137
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-22
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Thoroughly revised and updated, the Third Edition of Action Research is a succinct and readable text that provides clear direction to those involved in professional, organizational, and community research. A best seller in previous editions, this text provides a simple but highly effective model for conducting action research-Look, Think, and Act. Author Ernest T. Stringer presents detailed step-by-step procedures for engaging in effective and productive processes of inquiry.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xv
Research in Professional and Public Life	p. 1
The Purposes and Applications of Action Research: Who Does Action Research, and Why Do They Do It?	p. 1
Research: Methodical Processes of Inquiry	p. 4
A Basic Routine	p. 7
Community-Based Action Research: Participatory Approaches to Inquiry	p. 10
Inquiry in Use	p. 12
The Literature on Action Research	p. 15
Theory and Principles of Action Research	p. 19
Introducing the Theoretical Foundations of Action Research	p. 19
The Cultural Style of Action Research: Capacity-Building Processes	p. 20
The Role of the Researcher	p. 24
Working Principles	p. 27
Relationships	p. 28
Communication	p. 30
Participation	p. 32
Inclusion	p. 34
Setting the Stage: Planning a Research Process	p. 39
Designing Effective Research	p. 39
Seeking Consensus: Constructing Meaningful Research	p. 41
Looking at the Lay of the Land: Preliminary Activity	p. 42
Establishing Contact	p. 42
Sampling: Identifying Stakeholding Groups	p. 43
Sampling: Identifying Key People	p. 45
Establishing a Role	p. 47
Agenda	p. 48
Stance	p. 48
Position	p. 48
Constructing a Preliminary Picture	p. 51
The Ethics of Action Research	p. 54
Rigor (Not Mortis): The Research Is Alive and Well	p. 57
Credibility	p. 57
Transferability	p. 59
Dependability	p. 59
Confirmability	p. 59
Sociable Research Processes	p. 60
Conclusion	p. 61
Look: Building the Picture	p. 65
Gaining Insight: Gathering Data	p. 65
Sources of Information	p. 67
Interviews: Guided Reflection	p. 69
Questions	p. 70
Field Notes	p. 72
Tape Recorders	p. 73
Focus Groups	p. 73
Participant Observation	p. 75
Documents, Records, and Reports	p. 77
Surveys	p. 78
Reviewing the Literature: Evidence From Research Studies	p. 80
Gathering Statistical Information-How Many?	p. 82
Extended Understanding: Descriptive Analysis	p. 83
Working Ethnographically-Collaborative Descriptive Accounts	p. 84
Six Questions-Why, What, How, Who, Where, When	p. 84
Community Profile	p. 85
Meetings: Group Processes for Collaborative Inquiry	p. 87
Preliminary Meetings	p. 87
Organizing Meetings	p. 88
Think: Interpreting and Analyzing	p. 95
Interpretation: Interpreting Key Concepts	p. 95
Analysis and Interpretation I: Distilling the Data	p. 98
Categorizing and Coding (1)	p. 98
Analyzing Key Experiences (2)	p. 103
Case Example: Facilitating Workshops	p. 104
Analysis and Interpretation II: Enriching the Analysis	p. 106
Extending Understanding: Frameworks for Interpretation	p. 107
Interpretive Questions-Why, What, How, Who, Where, When	p. 108
Organizational Review	p. 110
Concept Mapping	p. 112
Problem Analysis-Antecedents and Consequences	p. 114
Writing Reports Collaboratively	p. 115
Organizing Meetings	p. 116
Procedures for Analysis	p. 117
Presentations and Performances	p. 120
Conclusion	p. 122
Act: Resolving Problems-Planning and Implementing Sustainable Solutions	p. 125
From Problems to Solutions	p. 125
Planning	p. 127
Identifying Priorities for Action	p. 127
Action Plans	p. 128
Quality Check	p. 132
Implementing	p. 133
Supporting	p. 134
Modeling	p. 137
Linking	p. 138
Reviewing	p. 140
Evaluating	p. 140
Conclusion	p. 142
Strategic Planning for Sustainable Change and Development	p. 145
Managing Processes of Change and Development	p. 147
Strategic Planning	p. 149
A Unifying Vision	p. 149
Operational Statements: Enacting the Vision	p. 151
Action Plans	p. 153
Reviewing the Plans	p. 153
Political Dimensions	p. 154
Financial Planning	p. 155
Guiding the Research Process	p. 158
Principles in Operation	p. 158
Appropriate Language	p. 158
Making Decisions	p. 159
Support and Monitoring	p. 160
Evaluating	p. 161
Steps to Evaluation	p. 161
Celebrating	p. 164
Formal Reports	p. 169
The Research Orientation: Assumptions of Interpretive Research	p. 170
Reports, Theses, and Dissertations	p. 171
Structure of a Report	p. 174
Introduction-Focus and Framing	p. 175
Review of the Literature	p. 175
Methodology	p. 176
Introduction	p. 176
Methodological Assumptions: Philosophical Rationale	p. 176
Research Methods	p. 177
Rigor	p. 179
Limitations	p. 179
Ethical Issues	p. 179
Research Outcomes/Findings	p. 179
Setting the Scene: Describing the Context	p. 180
Constructing Accounts: Telling People's Stories	p. 181
Constructing a General Account	p. 182
Conclusion-Discussion of Findings	p. 182
Giving Voice: Alternative Report Structures	p. 183
Understanding Action Research	p. 187
The Place of Theory in Action Research	p. 187
The Theory Behind the Practice	p. 189
"But It's Not Scientific": The Question of Legitimacy	p. 191
Power, Control, and Subordination	p. 194
Understanding Power and Control: Postmodern Perspectives	p. 197
The Next Generation: Community-Based Action Research	p. 203
Giving Voice: Representing People's Experience	p. 206
Changing Our Work and Social Practices: "Scripts" for Policies, Plans, Procedures, and Behavior	p. 208
In the Company of Friends	p. 213
Appendixes
Case Examples of Formal Reports	p. 217
Action Research Web Sites	p. 249
References	p. 259
Index	p. 265
About the Author	p. 279
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