Action Research

The Fourth Edition of Ernest T. Stringer’s best-selling Action Research offers easy-to-follow, clear guidelines that enable novice practitioner researchers to move comfortably through a process of inquiry and applied research. Featuring real-life examples and providing effective solutions that foster understanding of research procedures in real-life contexts, the book offers a simple but highly effective model for approaching action research: Look: building a picture and gathering information, Think: interpreting and explaining, and Act: resolving issues and problems. Using his own experience as a guide, Stringer encourages readers to grapple with the broader political and ethical challenges that frame each inquiry. The author’s engaging style makes the book especially relevant to those working with children, young adults, or people in community contexts, and is particularly relevant to those dealing with issues of diversity or with marginalized and disenfranchised groups. Clear, concise, and practical, Stringer’s accessible and engaging book is a must for students and professionals in educational, business, health, counseling, and social work settings.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Egon G. Guba Preface About the Author 1. Research in Professional and Public Life 2. The Theory Behind the Practice 3. Setting the Stage: Planning a Research Process 4. Look: Gathering Data 5. Think: Reflection and Analysis 6. Act: Action Plans -- Implementing Sustainable Solutions 7. Strategic Planning 8. Reports: Informing Stakeholders 9. Action Research and the Internet References Index

About the Author :
Ernest T. Stringer After an early career as a primary teacher and school principal, Ernie was a lecturer in education at Curtin University of Technology, in Western Australia. From the mid-1980s, based at Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies, he worked collaboratively with Aboriginal staff and community people to develop a wide variety of innovative and highly successful education and community development programs and services. His work with government departments, community-based agencies, business corporations, and local governments assisted them to work more effectively with Aboriginal people. In recent years, as visiting professor at the University of New Mexico and Texas A&M University and as visiting scholar at Cornell University, he taught research methods courses and/or engaged in projects with African American and Hispanic community and neighborhood groups. As a UNICEF consultant, he recently engaged in a major project to increase parent participation in schools in East Timor. He is author of Action Research (Sage, 2007), Action Research in Education (Pearson, 2008), Action Research in Health (with Bill Genat; Pearson, 2004), and Action Research in Human Services (with Rosalie Dwyer; Pearson, 2005). Until recently, he was a member of the editorial board of the Action Research Journal and past president of the Action Learning, Action Research Association (ALARA).

Review :
“It is an excellent resource for teaching Action Research to both graduate and undergraduate students.” “…I very much like the book and its approach/philosophy/guiding principles…” “…[W]ell done and certainly the most readable and authoritative [book] on the topic of action research I have seen…As an educator, I found much useful insight in the text and I would certainly recommend it to doctoral students doing research that would benefit from the broader view…”