The Action Research Dissertation: A Guide for Students and Faculty

"This book fills an important gap in the action research literature by specifically addressing the growing practice of action research master′s studies and doctoral dissertations in colleges and universities throughout the world. Like the authors′ previous work, this book provides a broad and clear overview of the varieties of action research. The discussion of the underlying choices that action researchers operating in a university degree program need to make and how such choices affect the quality of an action research project from different perspectives is an extremely valuable resource for students and faculty. I plan to use this book with my own graduate students on a regular basis."
―Ken Zeichner, University of Wisconsin, Madison

"Finally, a thoughtful, accessible, and immensely helpful volume designed to promote dialogue among doctoral students and faculty about dissertation studies grounded in the everyday worlds of practice. By creating spaces for deep discussion about the decisions dissertators make (rather than proposing and arguing for particular solutions), the book sets doctoral researchers on their own quest for meaning, clarity and coherence. The rhetoric and contents of the book thus mirror its authors′ commitment to agency for doctoral students seeking to make their inquiries of value both within and beyond the academy."
―Susan Lytle, University of Pennsylvania

"The authors have deftly produced a thoughtful, comprehensive, and much needed overview of the process of creating an action research dissertation that is sure to benefit generations of students and their faculty mentors."
―Davydd Greenwood, Cornell University

"The Action Research Dissertation should be required reading for any student contemplating using an action research approach in a thesis or dissertation project.  Kathryn Herr and Gary Anderson serve as able and amiable navigators through the challenging but equally rewarding process of planning, carrying out, and completing an action research dissertation. Clear explanations, compelling exemplars, and an honest discussion of the challenges of conducting an action research project combined with a sense of the passion and commitment of those who choose this path, make the volume a balanced and engaging guide to all would-be action researchers."
―Mary Brydon-Miller, University of Cincinnati

Many students struggle with turning action research projects into a Master′s thesis or doctoral dissertation and receive little guidance from their advisors. To address this need, authors Kathryn Herr and Gary L. Anderson have distilled decades of action research experience into a first-of-its-kind reference for graduate students.

The Action Research Dissertation: A Guide for Students and Faculty provides an accessible roadmap that honors the complexity of action research. It will show that action research is appropriate not only for a dissertation, but also a deeply rewarding experience for both the researcher and participants. This book helps students understand the ways action research dissertations are different from more traditional dissertations and prepares students and their committees for the unique dilemmas they may face, such as validity, positionality, design, write-up, ethics, and defense of the dissertation.

The Action Research Dissertation is a must-have resource for any student contemplating an action research project, thesis, or dissertation, and equally valuable to researchers undertaking and writing up their action research.

Kathryn G. Herr is a faculty member in the College of Education and Human Services at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.  She is co-author of the book Studying Your Own School: An Educator’s Guide to Qualitative Practitioner Research (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1994). She is also Editor of the interdisciplinary journal Youth and Society. Her professional background is in Social Work and Education.

Gary L. Anderson is a professor in the Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University. He is a former teacher and high school principal. He has written numerous articles on action research with co-author Kathryn Herr as well as articles and books on educational policy and leadership. He is the author of Advocacy Leadership: Toward a Post-reform Agenda (Routledge).