action research review of literature

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Action research: literature review .

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• Literature Review Resources
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Literature Review & Model:  6 Steps

Adapted from The Literature Review , Machi & McEvoy (2009, p. 13).

Step 2: Search

Boolean search strategies, search limiters, ★ ebsco & google drive.

1. Select a Topic

"All research begins with curiosity" (Machi & McEvoy, 2009, p. 14)

Selection of a topic, and fully defined research interest and question, is supervised (and approved) by your professor. Tips for crafting your topic include:

• Be specific. Take time to define your interest.
• Topic Focus. Fully describe and sufficiently narrow the focus for research.
• Academic Discipline. Learn more about your area of research & refine the scope.
• Avoid Bias. Be aware of bias that you (as a researcher) may have.
• Document your research. Use Google Docs to track your research process.
• Research apps. Consider using Evernote or Zotero to track your research.

Consider Purpose

What will your topic and research address?

In The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students , Ridley presents that literature reviews serve several purposes (2008, p. 16-17).  Included are the following points:

• Historical background for the research;
• Overview of current field provided by "contemporary debates, issues, and questions;"
• Theories and concepts related to your research;
• Introduce "relevant terminology" - or academic language - being used it the field;
• Connect to existing research - does your work "extend or challenge [this] or address a gap;" 
• Provide "supporting evidence for a practical problem or issue" that your research addresses.

★ Schedule a research appointment

At this point in your literature review, take time to meet with a librarian. Why? Understanding the subject terminology used in databases can be challenging. Archer Librarians can help you structure a search, preparing you for step two. How? Contact a librarian directly or use the online form to schedule an appointment. 

• Schedule a Research Appointment • Library Help Form

2. Search the Literature

Collect & Select Data: Preview, select, and organize

AU Library is your go-to resource for this step in your literature review process. The literature search will include books and ebooks, scholarly and practitioner journals, theses and dissertations, and indexes. You may also choose to include web sites, blogs, open access resources, and newspapers. This library guide provides access to resources needed to complete a literature review.

Books & eBooks: Archer Library & OhioLINK

Databases: Scholarly & Practitioner Journals

Review the Library Databases tab on this library guide, it provides links to recommended databases for Education & Psychology, Business, and General & Social Sciences.

Expand your journal search; a complete listing of available AU Library and OhioLINK databases is available on Archer Library's A-Z Database List. Search the list by subject, type, name, or use the search box for a general title search. The A to Z Database list also includes open access resources.

• Archer Library Databases A - Z

Databases: Theses & Dissertations

Review the Library Databases tab on this guide, it includes Theses & Dissertation resources. Archer Library also has AU student authored theses and dissertations available in print, search the library catalog for these titles.

Did you know? If you are looking for particular chapters within a dissertation that is not fully available online, it is possible to submit an ILL article request . Do this instead of requesting the entire dissertation.

Newspapers:  Databases & Internet

Consider current literature in your academic field. AU Library's database collection includes The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Wall Street Journal .  The Internet Resources tab in this guide provides links to newspapers and online journals such as Inside Higher Ed , COABE Journal , and Education Week .

The Chronicle of Higher Education has the nation’s largest newsroom dedicated to covering colleges and universities.  Source of news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty members and administrators

The Chronicle features complete contents of the latest print issue; daily news and advice columns; current job listings; archive of previously published content; discussion forums; and career-building tools such as online CV management and salary databases. Dates covered: 1970-present.

Offers in-depth coverage of national and international business and finance as well as first-rate coverage of hard news--all from America's premier financial newspaper. Covers complete bibliographic information and also subjects, companies, people, products, and geographic areas. 

Comprehensive coverage back to 1984 is available from the world's leading financial newspaper through the ProQuest database. 

Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for hundreds of national (U.S.), international and regional newspapers. In addition, it offers television and radio news transcripts from major networks.

Provides complete television and radio news transcripts from CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, and more.

Search Strategies & Boolean Operators

There are three basic boolean operators:  AND, OR, and NOT.

Used with your search terms, boolean operators will either expand or limit results. What purpose do they serve? They help to define the relationship between your search terms. For example, using the operator AND will combine the terms expanding the search. When searching some databases, and Google, the operator AND may be implied.

Overview of boolean terms

About the example: Boolean searches were conducted on November 4, 2019; result numbers may vary at a later date. No additional database limiters were set to further narrow search returns.

Database Search Limiters

Database strategies for targeted search results.

Most databases include limiters, or additional parameters, you may use to strategically focus search results.  EBSCO databases, such as Education Research Complete & Academic Search Complete provide options to:

• Limit results to full text;
• Limit results to scholarly journals, and reference available;
• Select results source type to journals, magazines, conference papers, reviews, and newspapers
• Publication date

Keep in mind that these tools are defined as limiters for a reason; adding them to a search will limit the number of results returned.  This can be a double-edged sword.  How? 

• If limiting results to full-text only, you may miss an important piece of research that could change the direction of your research. Interlibrary loan is available to students, free of charge. Request articles that are not available in full-text; they will be sent to you via email.
• If narrowing publication date, you may eliminate significant historical - or recent - research conducted on your topic.
• Limiting resource type to a specific type of material may cause bias in the research results.

Use limiters with care. When starting a search, consider opting out of limiters until the initial literature screening is complete. The second or third time through your research may be the ideal time to focus on specific time periods or material (scholarly vs newspaper).

★ Truncating Search Terms

Expanding your search term at the root.

Truncating is often referred to as 'wildcard' searching. Databases may have their own specific wildcard elements however, the most commonly used are the asterisk (*) or question mark (?).  When used within your search. they will expand returned results.

Asterisk (*) Wildcard

Using the asterisk wildcard will return varied spellings of the truncated word. In the following example, the search term education was truncated after the letter "t."

Explore these database help pages for additional information on crafting search terms.

• EBSCO Connect: Searching with Wildcards and Truncation Symbols
• EBSCO Connect: Searching with Boolean Operators
• EBSCO Connect: EBSCOhost Search Tips
• EBSCO Connect: Basic Searching with EBSCO
• ProQuest Help: Search Tips
• ERIC FAQs: Searching ERIC

★ EBSCO Databases & Google Drive

Tips for saving research directly to Google drive.

Researching in an EBSCO database?

It is possible to save articles (PDF and HTML) and abstracts in EBSCOhost databases directly to Google drive. Select the Google Drive icon, authenticate using a Google account, and an EBSCO folder will be created in your account. This is a great option for managing your research. If documenting your research in a Google Doc, consider linking the information to actual articles saved in drive.

EBSCO Databases & Google Drive

EBSCOHost Databases & Google Drive: Managing your Research

This video features an overview of how to use Google Drive with EBSCO databases to help manage your research. It presents information for connecting an active Google account to EBSCO and steps needed to provide permission for EBSCO to manage a folder in Drive.

About the Video:  Closed captioning is available, select CC from the video menu.  If you need to review a specific area on the video, view on YouTube and expand the video description for access to topic time stamps.  A video transcript is provided below.

• EBSCOhost Databases & Google Scholar

Defining Literature Review

What is a literature review.

Definitions from the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Sciences .

A literature review is "a comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works" (Reitz, 2014). 

A systemic review is "a literature review focused on a specific research question, which uses explicit methods to minimize bias in the identification, appraisal, selection, and synthesis of all the high-quality evidence pertinent to the question" (Reitz, 2014).

Literature Review Titles

About this page

EBSCO Connect [Discovery and Search]. (2022). Searching with Boolean operators. Retrieved May, 3, 2022 from https://connect.ebsco.com/s/article/Searching-with-Boolean-Operators

EBSCO Connect [Discovery and Search]. (2022). Searching with wildcards in EDS and EBSCO. Retrieved August 1, 2024 from https://connect.ebsco.com/s/article/Searching-with-Wildcards-in-EDS-and-EBSCOhost

Machi, L.A. & McEvoy, B.T. (2009). The literature review . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press: 

Reitz, J.M. (2014). Online dictionary for library and information science. ABC-CLIO, Libraries Unlimited . Retrieved from https://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_A.aspx

Ridley, D. (2008). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

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Step 3b: Conducting a Literature Review

Module 2: Action Research Question & Literature Review

Tips for Conducting a Review of the Literature

Luke Duesbery and Todd Twyman (2020) offer some advice for doing an efficient literature review.

Reading a Research Article

• Keyword search
• Skim articles
• Read abstracts
• Read articles
• Check reference lists
• Obtain references (as needed)

After conducting a keyword search and finding literature,

• Start by skimming the articles to identify those most relevant to your research topic or question. Skimming involves quickly reading to assess the potential usefulness of each article.
• Pay special attention to the abstracts, as they summarize the study’s main questions and findings.
• If an abstract suggests the article is highly relevant to your research, read the article in detail to decide if it should be included in your research sources.
• Also, check the reference lists of these articles for additional relevant titles.
• If you find promising sources in these lists, obtain and read them to evaluate their relevance and usefulness for your research.

Structure of a Research Article

Most research articles have a similar structure. Being familiar with the structure of research articles will help you know where to look for what in the article.

• Abstract: Summary of the aims/method/results
• Introduction: General introduction into the topic
• Literature Review: Summary of previous relevant research and identification of research gaps
• Method: Description of how the research was conducted (participants/procedure/data analysis)
• Results: Summary of the significant findings (often includes tables/figures/statistics etc.)
• Discussion: Interpretation of main findings concerning data and the literature
• Conclusion: Summary of main findings/implications/limitations References: Research cited

For each study you review, encapsulate it into a brief summary that reflects any aspect of the study that has relevance to your topic.

This may include

• the variable studied,
• the methodology employed,
• the participants studied, and
• the conclusions obtained.

Note: Remember, however, to emphasize the research findings – that is what will influence your study most.

Identify Themes and Gaps in Literature The following video will help you as you review the literature relevant to your research topic.

Source: Scribbr . YouTube, 23 Apr 2020.

Evaluating the Literature

Once sources are chosen they must be further evaluated to determine how the reviewed information can be used to guide your action research project (Hendricks, 2013).

Questions to ask in evaluating the literature include the following:

Does the source provide information that can help inform my action research study?

Does the source seem credible? If the source is not a research study, are the claims and/or suggestions made by the author based on his or her extensive experience?

Is the information in the source based on the study of a setting that is similar to mine?

Synthesizing the Relevant Literature

Once sources have been chosen based on their relevance, credibility, and similarity to the action research study the next step is to synthesize information. Synthesizing involves connecting information into a coherent, integrated whole. This is done when all the relevant sources have been thoroughly read.

Reflective Activity

Using the documentation tool below, write both your proposed action research topic and the keywords in your action research question.

Proposed Action Research Question: “ How can online polling increase student engagement during lectures ? ” Keywords in Action Research Question: Online Polling , Engagement , Lectures

Action Research Handbook Copyright © by Dr. Zabedia Nazim and Dr. Sowmya Venkat-Kishore is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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See an example

Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved September 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/

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Structure of a research article, how to write a literature review, why and how.

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17 - what is a literature review from Joshua Vossler on Vimeo .

"The purpose of a literature review is to help you explain how the question to be investigated fits into the larger picture and why you have approached the topic the way you have. This section of a scholarly report allows the reader to be brought up to date regarding the state of research in the field and familiarizes him or her to any contrasting perspectives and viewpoints on the topic."

"Summarize and explain what research has been done on the topic, citing the sources as you mention them. Point out the different ways researchers have treated the topic. Point out any connections between the sources especially where one source built upon prior study. Explain how this past work fits together to make your research question significant. Your literature review should present your synthesis of previous research and lay the foundation for understanding your research and appreciating its value."

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Participatory Action Research: A Literature Review

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Writing and Presenting Guide

Writing literature reviews, what is a literature review.

"A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant." Source: The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. (2013). Literature Reviews. Retrieved from https://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/ This link opens in a new window

Need help writing a literature review?

Check out these resources:

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Helpful Web Resources

• Literature Reviews (UNC Writing Center) This link opens in a new window
• Learn How to Write a Review of Literature (The Writing Center at the Univ. of Wisconsin) This link opens in
• The Literature Review (Univ. of Toronto) This link opens in a new window
• Write a Literature Review (University Library at Univ. Of California Santa Cruz) This link opens in a new wi
• Literature Reviews (Ithaca) This link opens in a new window
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Literature review on the use of action research in higher education

• Cite this article
• https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2015.1124046

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This literature review considers the use of action research in higher education. The review specifically looks at two areas of higher education activity. The first concerns academic teaching practice and includes a discussion of research and pedagogy practice, and staff development. The second considers student engagement. In both of these core features of higher education, action research has proven to be a central approach to the investigation, reflection and improvement of practice. Each of these main foci includes a discussion of the limitations of the literature. The review illustrates the extent and range of uses to have benefited from an action research approach.

• Higher education
• action research
• literature review
• reflective practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Implementing Action Research in EFL/ESL Classrooms: a Systematic Review of Literature 2010–2019

• Published: 09 March 2020
• Volume 33 , pages 341–362, ( 2020 )

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• Amira Desouky Ali   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4175-4194 1  

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Action research studies in education often address learners’ needs and empower practitioners to effectively change instructional practices and school communities. A systematic review of action research (AR) studies undertaken in EFL/ESL setting was conducted in this paper to systematically analyze empirical studies on action research published within a ten-year period (between 2010 and 2019). The review also aimed at investigating the focal themes in teaching the language skills at school level and evaluating the overall quality of AR studies concerning purpose, participants, and methodology. Inclusion criteria were established and 40 studies that fit were finally selected for the systematic review. Garrard’s ( 2007 ) Matrix Method was used to structure and synthesize the literature. Results showed a significant diversity in teaching the language skills and implementation of the AR model. Moreover, findings revealed that (50%) of the studies used a mixed-method approach followed by a qualitative method (37.5%); whereas only (12.5%) employed quantitative methodology. Research gaps for future action research in developing language skills were highlighted and recommendations were offered.

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Ali, A.D. Implementing Action Research in EFL/ESL Classrooms: a Systematic Review of Literature 2010–2019. Syst Pract Action Res 33 , 341–362 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-020-09523-y

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• DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2015.1124046
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Literature review on the use of action research in higher education

• P. Gibbs , Patricia Cartney , +10 authors A. Pitt
• Published 1 January 2017
• Educational Action Research

111 Citations

Participatory action research in higher education training.

• Highly Influenced

How Does Action Research

Research practice in higher education: views of postgraduate students and university professors in english language teaching, facilitating literature searches for work based learning students using an action research approach, excellence is not an island: team-based professional development in higher education, technology-based peer review learning activities among graduate students: an examination of two tools., a holistic bibliometric overview of the student engagement research field, a learning architecture approach to designing and evaluating learning spaces: an action research study in fashion business higher education, participatory action research to promote educational quality: a literature review, research practice and professional development for university teaching of english: a qualitative study, 176 references, action research in higher education: exploring ways of creating and holding the space for reflection, action research and open learning: in search of an effective research, the praxis of educating action researchers, practitioner research in education: the critical perspectives of doctoral students, utilising collaborative forms of educational action research: some reflections, promoting the development of a supportive learning environment through action research from the ‘middle out’, a living theory approach to teaching in higher education.

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Action Research as Signature Pedagogy in an Education Doctorate Program: The Reality and Hope

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Action Research Insights: A Comprehensive Review of Related Literature for Education Professionals

Education professionals constantly seek strategies to improve teaching practices and enhance student learning experiences. As a reflective and collaborative process, action research has emerged as a practical approach to address concerns and improve educational practices. This comprehensive review will examine action research’s essential elements, methods, benefits, and applications in an academic context, helping educators become more effective in their practice.

Table of Contents

Defining Action Research

Action research  is a systematic and participatory approach undertaken by educators to study a particular problem or issue within their educational context, aiming to improve practice and promote change. It involves educators collecting data and reflecting on their practice, actively engaging with various stakeholders, and taking action to address their identified and shared concerns (Ferrance, 2000).

The Process of Action Research

Action research  is a cyclical process that involves several steps designed to encourage reflection and promote change. The process consists of the following stages (Koshy, 2005):

• Identifying a problem or concern: Educators identify an issue within their institution, practice, or community that needs attention.
• Reviewing the literature: Educators examine existing research, studies, and theories to gain insight into the problem and inform their actions.
• Developing an action plan: Based on the literature review and reflection, educators develop a plan to address the issue.
• Implementing the plan: Educators implement the plan and monitor its effectiveness.
• Evaluating the action: Educators assess the impact of the implemented plan, gather feedback, and determine its success.
• Reflecting on the process: Educators modify the plan, as needed, based on evaluation results and insights gained.
• Iterating the process: The cycle repeats, continuously refining and enhancing practice while promoting change.

Benefits of Action Research

Action research offers numerous benefits for education professionals, including (Mertler, 2017):

• Empowering teachers enables them to take charge of their professional development and improve their practice.
• Collaboration among teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders creates a learning community.
• Providing authentic and contextualized data to inform decision-making and support evidence-based practices.
• Identifying areas of focus for professional development and resource allocation, aligning efforts with the needs of practitioners.
• Encouraging ongoing reflection and growth by challenging educators to examine and rethink their practice and beliefs.

Applications of Action Research in Education

Educators can apply action research in various ways within the educational setting. Some common applications include (Sagor, 2000):

Curriculum Development

Action research can assist in curriculum evaluation or developing new curriculum units. Teachers, in collaboration with their colleagues, can assess the effectiveness of their curriculum and make necessary adjustments to improve student learning.

Teaching Strategies and Techniques

Educators can use action research to examine their teaching methods and approaches or explore the effectiveness of new strategies. Teachers can identify and refine practices that support student success by engaging in reflection and research.

Classroom Management

Action research can help identify effective classroom management techniques, enhancing the learning environment. By examining various strategies and their impact on student engagement and behavior, educators can make evidence-based decisions to create positive classroom environments.

Assessment Practices

Educators may use action research to explore the effectiveness of different assessment methods, identifying best practices for measuring student learning and informing future instruction. Additionally, action research can promote using formative assessment to guide teaching and learning.

Professional Development

School administrators can use action research to identify professional development needs for staff and develop relevant evidence-based training programs. Administrators can provide targeted support and resources to improve instructional practice by understanding their educators’ challenges.

Action Research as a Tool for Educational Transformation

Action research is a powerful catalyst for educational transformation by empowering educators to reflect, research, learn, and take action. By engaging educators in the cyclical process of identifying problems, implementing changes, and evaluating results, action research promotes growth and improvement within the educational system.

Moreover, action research fosters collaboration among educators, allowing them to share their experiences and knowledge while working towards common goals. This collaborative approach disseminates innovative practices and ideas and establishes a community of learners devoted to continuous improvement.

In conclusion, action research provides education professionals with the tools and framework necessary to address the challenges they face in the constantly evolving educational landscape. As a reflective and collaborative process centered on evidence-based practices, action research can drive positive change and enhance the overall quality of education.

Mark Anthony Llego

Mark Anthony Llego, a visionary from the Philippines, founded TeacherPH in October 2014 with a mission to transform the educational landscape. His platform has empowered thousands of Filipino teachers, providing them with crucial resources and a space for meaningful idea exchange, ultimately enhancing their instructional and supervisory capabilities. TeacherPH's influence extends far beyond its origins. Mark's insightful articles on education have garnered international attention, featuring on respected U.S. educational websites. Moreover, his work has become a valuable reference for researchers, contributing to the academic discourse on education.

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Literature review on the use of action research in higher education

2016, Educational Action Research

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• Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window Architecture-related research. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window Business-related research and information. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• CIAO This link opens in a new window International affairs-related research. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• Compendex (Engineering Index) This link opens in a new window Engineering & applied science-related research. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• EconLit This link opens in a new window Economics-related research. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• Environment Complete This link opens in a new window Deep coverage in environmental studies. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• GreenFILE This link opens in a new window Covers all aspects of human impact on the environment. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• JSTOR This link opens in a new window Full-text of the most important journals in the social sciences, humanities, general sciences as well as in the fields of mathematics, botany & ecology. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• MEDLINE with Full Text via EBSCO This link opens in a new window The U.S. National Library of Medicine® (NLM) premier bibliographic database that contains more than 23 million references to journal articles in life sciences with a concentration on biomedicine. More Info More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• Political Science Database This link opens in a new window Provides access to over 450 major political science and international relations journals. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• TRID Database This link opens in a new window Transportation-related research. More Info PUBLIC
• Urban History Bibliography This link opens in a new window A bibliography of publications in urban history, including both books and periodicals. More Info UB ONLY
• Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new window A leading newspaper in business and finance. More Info UB ONLY
• Web of Science This link opens in a new window One-pass searching of Web of Science citation indexes, BIOSIS Citation Index, Derwent Innovations Index, MEDLINE and more. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY

Policy Resources

• CQ Press Library This link opens in a new window Covers public policy issues & U.S. Congress news & analysis. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• Policy File Index This link opens in a new window Search and access reports from more than 300 think tanks and research organizations. More Info Partial Full-Text UB ONLY
• Access World News This link opens in a new window Provides the fulltext of many USA and international newspapers. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• AP Images This link opens in a new window Thousands of photos, graphics, sound bites & AP wire stories. More Info UB ONLY
• Buffalo News Collection This link opens in a new window Full-text searchable access to the Buffalo News from 1880 to the present day. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• Business First of Buffalo This link opens in a new window Provides coverage of business, finance, and economic topics. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new window American ethnic press. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window Full-text newspapers, newswires, TV/radio transcripts. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY
• New York Times Academic Pass for UB Users This link opens in a new window Digital access to NYTimes.com (1851-present). Account set up and activation required. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY

Statistical Resources

• Neighborhood Change Database 2010 This link opens in a new window Provides electronic access to U.S. Census data from 1970-2010, with data normalized to 2010 Census tracts. For use with statistics and GIS applications. More Info Data UB ONLY
• Social Explorer This link opens in a new window Demographic information about the United States including historical data back to 1790. More Info Data UB ONLY
• Statista This link opens in a new window A global business data platform providing insights and facts across industries and countries. More Info Full-Text UB ONLY

Case Studies

• Rudy Bruner Award Collection
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