Action Research from Concept to Presentation : A Practical Handbook to Writing Your Master's Thesis

Perhaps the most daunting graduate school requirement is the development of an action research Master's thesis. This capstone task requires unprecedented amounts of time, energy, and verbiage. Designed to take stress out of the thesis-writing equation, this student-friendly comprehensive handbook glides the reader through a 28-step process from developing a focal topic to defending a scholarly thesis. Framing each chapter as a one-week action assignment, the authors have broken down the process into manageable chunks to enable students writers to achieve an immediate sense of completion at every step. By using this scaffolding approach the the authors encourage the student researcher to focus on one part of the process rather than the total, sometimes overwhelming, final product. With the exception of the "Review of the Literature" section which takes several weeks to complete, all other thesis sections can and should be timed out for seven days. The Authors primary objective was to empower the student researcher to accomplish each of the steps in the process while never loosing site on the product that will help the children in their classrooms. Whether developing an Abstract or writing in-text citations, student researchers are guided throughout he nuances of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Associations, 6th Edition.

Peter K. Lynch, BA, MS, PD, EdD Recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English as a Finalist in the Marjorie Elvolve Award for outstanding performance in the teaching of English, Dr. Lynch's most recent professional experience spans 12 years guiding graduate students at Molloy College in a year-long Action Research Experience culminating in the defense of their Master's Thesis. Originally published and copyrighted in 2008, this 6th edition of the handbook incorporates his continuing dialogues with students, colleague professors, and publishers. Using a prescriptive, template-driven approach to writing one's thesis, he has successfully guided over 200 students through a rigorous capstone writing experience which has positively impacted on their post-thesis teaching goals and strategies. Additionally, his most cherished comment from a student reflecting on her growth as a writer was "I have to (hate to) admit it, but you've really taught me how to enjoy writing my thesis! Thank you" Ryan C. Welch, BA, MS Ryan recently earned his Master's of Science degree from Molly College and currently works for Nassau BOCES. At Molloy, Ryan learned first hand the value of action research framed within the context of the special education classroom. Attesting to his superior skills as a writer, the selection of Ryan by the senior author of this handbook attests not only to his skills but also to his understanding of the comprehensive nature of the thesis writing process. Ryan brings first-hand knowledge of the effectiveness of action research and the importance of a practical handbook that utilizes a prescriptive process to assist novice researchers to construct, implement, and react to a research project. Ryan's future plans include writing about his research on the transformative nature of social studies and the use of metaphor to teach abstract concepts.