Action Research and Ethics

Assignment 1 (Action Research and Ethics)

Assignment Source:
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Review pages 90-95 of Maxwell (2013). Note that ethical considerations apply to action research and your class project (or to any improvement inquiry that involves the collection of information from stakeholders).

For this assignment, develop several paragraphs (200–500 words) that respond to the following questions:

• How would your positionality as a researcher be defined—as an insider working with insiders, for instance?
• How would you describe your positionality in terms of power relationships with potential stakeholder groups from whom you might interact and collect information?
• What conflicts of interest exist, given your role and positionality?
• Which principles learned in CITI training apply to information gathering and data collection in your own organization?
• How could someone be hurt or at risk as a consequence of a focus group interview, individual interview, survey, or observational data collected in your organization?
• How did you ensure ethical practices in gathering your data?
• How did you ensure accuracy in your data collection? What were the results of your member checking with participants?
• What are the clear benefits of the information you obtained during your interviews or focus group and do they outweigh the risks?
• How might bias creep into your data collection or analysis and how might you avoid it?

As you develop your paragraphs, note the following:

• Address issues related to ethics, positionality, and power dynamics.
• Provide specific examples and other details pertinent to your research site.
• Write in clear, focused statements supported by specific examples and credible evidence.
• Cite the sources provided in this week’s readings below:
  1. Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2005). The action research dissertation: A guide for students and faculty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  2. Kemmis, S. (2009). Action research as a practice-based practice. Educational Action Research, 17(3), 463–474.

Kuhne, G. W., & Quigley, B. A. (1997). Understanding and using action research in practice settings. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 1997(73), 23–40. For more information on Action Research and Ethics read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_research