Action Research

Reviewed by Cathy Stierman, Assistant Professor, Clarke University on 10/26/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text is very thorough in its overview of the action research process. The book is laid out according to the steps of the action research process and outlines each step thoroughly. It was very nice to see the authors address some of the misconceptions of action research. The chapter on the types of literature that can be utilized in doing research is especially strong. I especially appreciate that the authors included an entire chapter on thoughtfully preparing for action research and suggestions for maintaining focus and patience with the research process. Helpful extras include the use of colored blocks to highlight important concepts and links to actual action research samples.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I compared the content to two other books I am currently using and found the information in this book to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book is written such that in-service teachers, undergraduate students, and graduate students can all utilize this book. Users will find it helpful that the book is laid out in the order of the steps of action research. The sample papers are a little old as most are from 2016-2019, but the topics are still timely.

Clarity rating: 5

The language used in this text is concise and easy to read. The authors speak directly to the reader. All vocabulary is explained thoroughly and multiple examples are provided. Key pieces of information are set within colored blocks to draw attention to them. Each chapter begins with a set of essential questions so the reader knows exactly what will be discussed in that section.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is laid out according to the steps of action research, modeling the action research process. Each chapter begins with a set of essential questions. Each section within a chapter is clearly identified and each step is outlined thoroughly. The font is easy to read and the text materials is regularly broken by color blocks or illustrations that highlight important concepts.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter is around 20 pages in length but the margins are large and there are illustrations and highlighted blocks of text throughout. The subsections are bolded and could be utilized when assigning readings. This book is meant to be read from beginning to end as it mirrors the action research process, but the descriptions are thorough enough that reading single sections in isolation is possible.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is laid out according to the steps of the action research, mirroring the process itself. It lends itself easily as a reference to use both before and during the research activity.

Interface rating: 5

I tried out the online version and downloaded a pdf of the text. The online version has each chapter as a single page, which was very helpful as I could scan a single page quickly for the section I needed. The previous and upcoming chapters are identified in the links at the bottom of the page, which was also very helpful. I'm going to encourage my students to use this version. The pdf is a quick download but isn't quite as easy to navigate as the online version. When trying to locate a single section one has to either know the page number or scroll through the entire document.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

While the steps of action research are rather generic, the authors did take time to explain what the research process might look in practice in a classroom. An entire chapter is dedicated to the practical aspects of doing respectful research with students and provides guidance on a variety of situations and needs that one might need to keep in mind both in the development and action phases.

Comments

I loved this book and am excited to adopt it for my introductory graduate course on action research!