MAKING SENSE OF ACTION RESEARCH THROUGH THE USE OF A TYPOLOGY

Commenting on earlier work in the Journal of Advanced Nursing on actio n research, this paper takes up the theme of definition and approach a nd presents an original action research typology. Three key criteria o f action research - 're-education', 'problem focus', and 'improvement and involvement' - are related to four broad types of action research: 'experimental', 'organizational', 'professionalizing' and 'empowering '. The typology is of general relevance not only to action researchers but to any project concerned to resolve problems and bring about impr ovements in practice, including evaluation research. Following discuss ion of the typology, it is used to analyse three different action rese arch projects, including one conducted by the authors in collaboration with a project team. It is shown that each of these projects, which a re all concerned in some way to improve standards of nursing care in h ospitals, contains elements of different types which may at times be i n conflict, The ability to recognize this and to be explicit about the different types may assist action researchers in selecting an appropr iate approach and in anticipating problems which may arise during the course of a project's life.