{"product_id":"action-research-essentials-isbn-9780470189290","title":"Action Research Essentials","description":"Action Research Essentials is a practical guide born of the author's own experience working with students in the social sciences and education, providing a step-by-step outline of how to \"do\" action research--backed by the most extensive theory and research coverage on the market today. The author guides future researcher\/practitioners through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations and a wealth of on-line resources; positioning it as a fundamental component of practice,\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e A key and unique strength of the book is its outreach to a much larger breadth of students than usually found in action research books. This book will illustrate all the steps in action research using examples from education, social work, psychology, sociology, nursing, medicine, and counseling.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The structure of the book is intended as the sole textbook for a course devoted to naturalistic inquiry, practitioner research, or beginning qualitative methods, or can complement a general research course. \u003cp\u003eFigures, Tables, \u0026amp; Exhibits xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreface xv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Author xxi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO ACTION RESEARCH 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction 2\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Is Action Research? 2\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAction Research: Some Definitions 4\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhy Engage in Action Research? 6\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSteps in the Process 10\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhases of an Action Research Study 14\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Are Data? 18\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen Is Action Research the Appropriate Choice? 21\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Can the Process Effect Change? 24\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Ethical Researcher 25\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 26\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 28\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER TWO: THE PROCESS BEGINS 29\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Action Research Environment 30\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentifying Problems Suitable for Action Research 31\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSources for Problems or Research Topics 33\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsidering the Value of a Problem or Topic 35\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrowing the Focus 37\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Reflective Journal Revisited 39\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConcept Mapping and Focus 40\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReflecting on Relevancy 41\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInquiring, Questioning, Interviewing, and Gathering Information 43\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe IRB—Friend or Foe? 45\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInformed Consent Forms and Assent Forms 50\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Few More Words on the IRB 52\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 52\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 52\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 53\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 53\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 53\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER THREE: THE LITERATURE REVIEW 55\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Literature Review and Action Research 56\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Is a Literature Review? 56\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRationale for Reviewing Literature 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLiterature Review for Action Research 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConducting a General Literature Review: Processes and Steps 59\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentifying and Selecting Appropriate Sources 61\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRelevancy, Accuracy, and Value of Online Sources 64\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Literature Review 65\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Experts Have to Say 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizing Sources and Themes in the Literature Review 71\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWriting the Review 73\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 79\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 80\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 80\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 80\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 81\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER FOUR: DESIGNING RESEARCH QUESTIONS 83\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Drives a Study? 84\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStarting Point for Generating Questions 84\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Considerations 88\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Design and Research Questions 89\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Questions as a Blueprint or Framework 89\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Research Statement 93\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacteristics of Good Research Questions 93\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestions, Questions, Questions: Examples and Practice 96\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Umbrella as a Source for Research Questions 96\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBroad Themes, Subthemes, and Research Questions 99\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReturning to the Literature Review 101\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlending Ideas to Achieve Refined Overarching Questions 101\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Questions, Chronology, and Writing 103\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 105\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 105\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER FIVE: IDENTIFYING DATA SETS TO INFORM INQUIRY 107\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRevisiting Questions 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eData Versus Data Sets 114\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eData Sets That Inform 116\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAligning Multiple Forms of Data with Overarching Questions 117\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTriangulation and the Triangulation Matrix 121\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQualitative Data Instruments and Schedules 123\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch and Data Collection Schedules 130\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 132\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 136\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER SIX: THE ACTION RESEARCHER’S TOOLS 137\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTools for Conducting Research 138\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReflective Practice 145\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentifying and Collecting Artifacts 154\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaking Use of Electronic Sources and Technology 154\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 157\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 158\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 158\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 159\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 159\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQUALITATIVE DATA 163\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGetting Started 164\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollecting and Analyzing Data 165\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizing Data 169\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRevisiting the Triangulation Matrix 171\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExamining the Pieces 171\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExamining Individual Data Sets and Subsets 173\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoding and Analyzing 189\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentifying Categories and Defining Attributes 191\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Big Picture 196\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 197\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 197\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 197\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 198\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 198\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER EIGHT: THE ACTION RESEARCH REPORT 201\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWriting the Action Research Report 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRationale for Writing the Report 203\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eComponents 203\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTips for Writing 204\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReporting and Presenting Findings 206\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Action Research Report Assignment 213\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 216\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Term 216\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 216\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 217\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 217\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER NINE: DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING THE ACTION \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ePLAN 219\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Action Plan 220\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRationale 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePurpose 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen Is an Action Plan Appropriate? 222\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInformed Decision Making 223\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesigning the Plan 224\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eComponents 225\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUsing Findings to Inform Design 230\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eContinuous Improvement 230\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary 231\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKey Terms 231\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscussion Questions 231\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuggested Topics 232\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Activities 232\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnline Resources for Human Subjects Training and Institutional Review Board Information 235\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlossary 237\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReferences 243\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 245\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDorothy Valcarcel Craig\u003c\/b\u003e is a professor of education, certified online instructor, and program coordinator in the Department of Educational Leadership at the College of Education and Behavioral Science, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She previously held the position of associate dean for Teacher Education.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAction Research Essentials offers students, faculty, and practitioners an accessible and practical guide on how and when to do action research most effectively. Dorothy Valcarcel Craig, a leading expert on the topic of action research, provides step-by-step approaches and shows how to gather the right data, conduct a comprehensive and useful literature review, analyze the data, design and implement a resulting action plan, and present the findings. Designed to be broadly applied, the book is filled with illustrations from the field of education, as well as from social work, psychology, sociology, nursing, medicine, and counseling.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAction Research Essentials contains a variety of online resources as well as rubrics and checklists to help students design questions, evaluate online sources, write the literature review, and create the action research report.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePraise for Action Research Essentials\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Action Research Essentials provides educators with an informative, detailed, and well-organized resource that guides them through the process of reflective inquiry.\"\u003cbr\u003e —Teresa Dalle, English Department, University of Memphis\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Among the dozens of research texts available, this new text by Dorothy Varcarcel Craig serves a valuable purpose: communicating clearly the essentials of action research, for enterprising college and university students.\"\u003cbr\u003e —Porter King, Trevecca Nazarene University; editor, Tennessee Educational Leadership\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Action Research Essentials thoroughly describes the steps involved in action research, scenarios where action research is appropriate, and guidelines for writing the action research report.\"\u003cbr\u003e —Donna J. 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