H. Waterman et al., PARALLELS AND CONTRADICTIONS IN THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ACTION RESEARCH AND NURSING, Journal of advanced nursing, 22(4), 1995, pp. 779-784
This paper draws on the authors' experiences of nursing in general and
of action research projects. Parallels will be drawn between, on the
one hand, the relationship between the practice and theory of nursing
and, on the other hand, the relationship between the practice and theo
ry of action research. Difficulties common to nursing and action resea
rch will be identified (e.g. between the implementation of the theory
of nursing and of action research). Over-simplification, non-specifici
ty of issues and gaps in theory are frequent but inevitable problems t
hat hinder theoretical applications. Similarly, comparisons will be ma
de between the problems associated with the translation of nursing pra
ctice into theory and the difficulties in transposing the experience o
f research into theory. The complexities of practice, whether nursing
or research, and the evolutionary nature of experience inescapably giv
e rise to dilemmas when analysing theory and practice. The concepts of
theory and practice when conceived as a dichotomy present a useful ov
erview of issues. We argue that, through a discussion of the core them
es of action research, including 'knowledge in action' and 'self and g
roup reflection', consideration should also be given to a symbiotic an
d complementary analysis of theory and practice. We observe that many
contradictions exist within the theory and practice of action research
and of nursing, and that these need to be addressed to promote theore
tical and practical advances. Action research offers theoretical and p
ractical insights that contribute to the current debate on the recipro
cal relationship between theory and practice.