When is action research a good fit, and when should action research not be used?

What will be an ideal response?


Action research should not be used it the goal of the research is to draw comparisons between groups or organizations. The data gathered is not typically generalizable. Action research should not be used to simply describe or explore a situation, setting, set of events, or phenomenon. This type of research can be achieved more appropriately with an observational technique, sociometric survey, or in-depth interviews. Research questions in these areas seek to answer the questions, "What exactly are people in these settings doing?" and "How many people do things a certain way?" Action research is more suited to determine the concerns and problems as perceived by the population studied. The goal of the action researcher is to find a way to assist stakeholders in learning how to solve these problems. This is a more reflective type of study. However, the piece of action research in which the researcher reports back to the participants in the study can help fulfill ethical mandates and respect the work provided by the subjects in all types of research.

Social Work & Human Services

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