•Initial planning for action research
includes:
•Identifying and limiting a topic
•Gathering information related to
the topic
•Reviewing related literature
•Early stages are crucial in any research
project
•Lays the “groundwork” for all that follows
•Nothing shapes the remainder of a study
as much as specifying the topic or problem
•Problems with being too broad or vague,
or being too narrow
•Possible topic areas:
•A teaching method or
instructional materials
•Classroom management
•Identifying a problem
•Examining an area of interest
•Once a topic has been identified, it
should be evaluated against several practical considerations:
•Personal interest in the topic•Importance of the topic•Time requirements for conducting the study•Anticipated difficulty of the study•Potential monetary costs•Issues related to ethics in conducting research
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/mertler4e/study/default.htm
