Action Research Manuscript Template

 Abstract – max of 500 words

 Introduction – 1-2 pages
 What I’ve Learned from Distant Colleagues (also referred to as the Literature Review
or the Theoretical Framework) - 1-2 pages
 Clarifying My Action Research Project - 1 pages
 The Road Map of My Action Research Project – 1-2 pages
 The Story of My Action Research Project - 1-2 pages
 Further Reflection and Continuing Questions about My Action Research Journey
– 1-2
 References
 Appendices

Abstract
The abstract consists of a single, concise paragraph describing the purpose, procedure
and results of your study. Use no more than 200 words. Don’t write the abstract until you
are nearly finished writing, and then draft and redraft until it reads as is a clearly as
possible.

Introduction
The goal of this section is to combine information about the setting of the action research
project and the story behind the project into a smooth narrative that gets the reader
engaged in your work’s context; the critical question is also introduced here. This section is
usually about three to five pages long. The reader should have a good idea what the paper
is about before finishing the first page. In the introduction, be cognizant of the following:
 Context. It is important to communicate to the reader a clear picture of the overall
context of your AR project. The way you write the beginning of your paper lays the
foundation (weak or strong) for the credibility and trustworthiness of your results
and conclusions.
 Use storytelling. Instead of telling about your setting, illustrate it for the reader using
stories and anecdotes taken from your notes, reflections, and data. Introduce major
players in your analysis and results.
  Include active and layered description. Use multiple data sources to illustrate the
setting and story behind the research. It must be clear to the reader that you are
thoroughly immersed and engaged in your setting, and are therefore qualified to
make credible analyses and interpretations. By referring to some data here you
signal to the reader prior to the rest of the paper what type of research this is and
how data were generally collected.
 Your story. It is also important to communicate to the reader a clear picture of
yourself as the student teacher-researcher and how your own biases and
experiences, and assumptions not only influence the study but also provided the
fodder for your critical question. This may be woven into your illustration of context
by including your own thoughts and memories. If there are key quotes that tell your
story in another’s words, consider including the quote in this section. Make it clear
how you arrived at your critical question.
 Your critical question. Bring your narrative to a climax in which you lay out your
critical question in detail. Explain briefly what your action(s) consisted of. Tell briefly
what your conclusions look like (don’t try to keep the reader in suspense).

Theoretical Framework
The goal of this section is to introduce the reader to the major issues and/or themes
learned from distant colleagues in the literature surrounding your critical question. By
broadening your readers' understanding of the major issues surrounding your research,
you further solidify the credibility and trustworthiness of your work. This section is generally
about three to five pages long.

We find it is best to organize this section in one of two ways: either group the literature you
are reviewing by themes or review the literature to provide an overview of the history
leading up to the framework for your AR project. For example, one of our students
organized her literature review according to these themes: 91) literature on the
effectiveness of reading aloud; (2) strategies for increasing reading fluency and
comprehension; and (3) meaningful reading fluency and comprehension assessment
strategies. Another student organized her literature review as a historical overview of
assessment in mathematics. Her review looked at the evolution of mathematical
assessments to its present emphasis on problem-solving.
Choose a format that will allow your readers to make the connection between your
literature review and the AR study by establishing the theoretical foundation of the action,
curriculum review, self-study, or ethnography you later describe in your AR paper.

Note: This section will contain the majority of your citations, although we suggest bringing
in the voices of distant colleagues throughout your paper.

Clarifying My Action Research Project

This is a brief, concise one-page section focusing your reader on the essential elements of
your AR project. Assume a more professional style and tone to answer precisely:
 who is involved in the project;
 what the critical question is and what was implemented or analyzed;
 where the project took place (description of setting);
 when the data collection occurred (dates of implementation and/or data collection,
length of study);
 how data collection was completed (brief statements – the next section details this
information);
 why you conducted the study;
 limitations of the study.
This section may seem redundant given that you have already revealed your critical
question (CQ) and action(s) earlier. The intent here is to clearly focus your reader and to
use a technical, professional tone that defines the study before the reader begins the story
of your research.

The Roadmap of My Action Research Project

The goal of this section is to inform your reader about the following:
 the interventions, analysis, or strategies you implemented;
 the data collection strategies and sources you used;
 the contents of the data sets you collected;
 the methods you used to analyze, interpret, and deconstruct the data;
 changes you made in your research design.
This section should be three to five pages long. Continue the professional tone of the
“Clarifying My Action Research Project.” The Roadmap section is a technical piece of the
paper in which the reader gets an inside view of your research process. The idea here is
that someone else could do the same research in their classroom by following your
detailed descriptions of methodology.

The Story of My Action Research Project

The goal of this section is to illustrate what you have learned as related to your critical
question. Use your data to tell the story of your research and support your conclusions and
emerging theories. This section is the heart and soul of your action research paper. This is
where you tell your story. The section is rich in voice, style, and data. Remember the
writing advice: show, don’t tell as you write. Interweave important data into your narrative.
Include tables, charts, and quotes from interviews and your observations and reflections.
Use your data to illustrate your ideas, and to provide the reader the freedom to draw
his/her own conclusions as well. Explain how you interpret your data. Support your
interpretations with examples. Use multiple data sources to support major assertions or
ideas. Include multiple voices and perspectives, including those of critical colleagues,
students, and “distant mentors” (literature review). Deconstruct your work, providing
counterexamples and alternative interpretations.

Further Reflection and Continuing Questions about My Action Research Journey

In this section, you bring themes together and begin the process of concluding your paper.
Consider the following questions as writing prompts for this final reflection of your action
research journey:
 What are some of the most important lessons you will take into your teaching career?
 What will you do differently next time?
 What additional questions did this research project pose for you?
 What was your action research journey like? How has this journey transformed your
image of teacher, teaching, students, schools, learning? How have your paradigms
been altered, confirmed, and/or challenged?
 What have you learned about action research? How has your definition of AR
changed? How do you see yourself using this process in the future?

How to Write a Memorable Conclusion

Conclusions are tough: how do you end a good date, or say goodbye after a long visit?
More than likely, you will write your concluding paragraph several times before you are
satisfied. An effective way to write the concluding paragraph is to use a quote, either from
someone famous, your students, other participants, or from your own researcher’s
notebook. Another possibility is to end with a short story, a vignette, from your data that
illustrates the central focus of the study. Sometimes, a combination works well.

In the example below, the student teacher had conducted an action research project about
homework. In his classroom, students either did not turn in homework or they turned in
poor quality homework. He attempted two different kinds of homework strategies to
improve both quality and completion rates. However, he found that a reward system which
gave students “free time” points for turning in homework regardless of quality, trumped all
his other homework strategies. This is how he concluded his piece:
To conclude my research I decided to ask the entire class one question.
“Would you rather earn homework points by turning in an assignment that
you know you could do better on or sacrifice the homework points but get the
best score in the class on a big assignment?” Seventy-six percent of the
class said they would choose the homework points. Only six of the 25
students polled would take the top score. Students are getting mixed
messages. They’re motivated to get the homework points even though we
want them to produce their best work. They’re motivated by the wrong thing;
completing assignments no matter what the quality is. Absolutely, they still
struggle to complete their work, but they do understand that completing work
is what is valued regardless of the quality. More than anything else, I’ve
learned that students are smart. They learn early on in the school year what
is important, and most students strive to achieve that. As a teacher, I need to
be aware of this and careful not to send a message to my students that I
don’t want them to receive. Students will provide us with the information we
need to create the types of classrooms we want if we look for it. I credit the
students for teaching me the lessons that I will take from this action research
project, one of which is summarized by this quote, “The question educators
need to ask is not how motivated their students are, but how their students
are motivated” (Kohn, 1994, p. 3).
This conclusion returns to the heart of the action research study. It summarizes the main
lesson the student teacher/researcher learned. And, it encourages the reader to ask,
“What kind of mixed messages do I send to my students?” This makes for a memorable
final curtain call!
References
Consult carefully with APA guidelines, or whatever other citation methods required in your
program, to ensure that references are done correctly. References are yet another
element of trustworthiness. Plagiarism is not only legally and ethically wrong; it cheapens
the quality of your journey. Attend to references carefully.

Appendices
A writer places in the appendices additional information that supports or illustrates points
in the paper. Items in the appendices allow the reader to go deeper or gain a clearer view
of what is being said in the main text. Appendices are important but they are not a
“dumping ground.” For example, not all data goes in the appendices; however, a log of
data sets may be appropriate. Not all student work would be placed in the appendices, but
a sample that clarifies an assignment would be appropriate.
Possible inclusions in the appendices include:
 a log of data sets or specific items from a data set;
 assessments;
 surveys, questionnaires, and interview questions;
 letters home (including how you gained permissions);
 lesson plans;
 artifacts.
Note that anything placed in the appendices must be referenced in the text of the paper.
Check the appropriate citation guidelines on how to do this.