Writing and Presenting an Action Research Report

1. WRITING AND PRESENTING AN ACTION RESEARCH REPORT

2. This part will give you information about a) How to write an action research report b) The structure of an action research report c) Where to present your research findings

3. Terms and expressions details дэлгэрэнгүй, нарийн мэдээлэл үнэлэлт дүгнэлт өгөх make judgements эх сурвалжаа дурдах сite sources анхны хувилбараа гаргах produce a first draft ном зүй хэсэг reference section ишлэл citation сэдвийн судлагдсан байдал literature review өгөгдөлд дүн шинжилгээ хийх, тайлбарлах data analysis and interpretation аман болон бичгийн хэлбэр oral and written modes зөвлөмж recommendation

4. What is an action research report? An action research report is a document that details the process and findings of an action research project. A research report tells the story of the research journey in exploring, investigating and finding out the answers to a research question or problem. (Glenda Nugent, Sakil Malik, & Sandra Hollingsworth, 2012).

5. An action research report explains :  what you did it  how you did it  why you did it  what you hoped to achieve  how you make judgements about what you have done.

6. Once you have collected and analyzed your action research data, you are ready to produce a report of your findings. In doing this, it is useful to consider two questions. Questions 1. For whom are you writing the report? 2. What are the particular requirements or guidelines for writing the report?

7. Write within word limit for the project.  Be very clear in identifying who, what, where, when, how, and  why. Guidelines for writing an action research report Cite sources when directly quoting or referring to someone else’s  ideas. Write in a clear, concise, jargon-free and understandable format.  Write your report according to the specific criteria or standard.  Produce a first draft and spend more time improving it.  Use writing techniques when you write your report.  Write for a reader and write like a reader 

8. When writing an action research report, focus on the following: Improve or edit your report as many times as possible to ensure clarity and coherence. Make sure that the content and approach are appropriate for an action research report. Produce an explanatory text, not only a descriptive text. Pay attention to grammar, word choice, and sentence structure. Clear and concise language can make your report more effective and easier to understand.

9. When writing an action research report, focus on the following: Do not use unreliable sources from the internet. Avoid plagiarism. Use your own words and ideas and paraphrase. Cite all the sources that you have used in your report. Any citation taken from a particular book should be included in a reference section of your report. Adhere to the APA (American Psychological Association) format when writing your report. Always proofread your report before submitting. This can help you catch any errors or inconsistencies that you might have missed.

10. Action research is often a cyclical process. The action research report that you write is based on this process. • The context or background Typically, an action • Literature review research report is written • Statement of research focus in the same way as you • Action plan and its implementation would write an original • Data collection methods research article. However, • Research findings including data you need to ensure that analysis and interpretation your report has the • Reflection and implications following components: • Next steps/Plan for further action

11. Table 1.1 Structure of Action Research Report (based on the action research report outline suggested by Putman, M. & Tracy, C. 2018)

12. Tips on what to include in a research report Section of the research report What to include/key questions The report title should convey the theme of the research and the nature of the study clearly. Title of the research report Background and context to the issue or problem being researched. Why is the topic of interest? Reasons why the research was undertaken. What was significant about the topic of study? The research goals (aim, objectives, purpose). Produce initial research question(s) to be explored. Introduction What is already known about the topic or issue from previous research (in school or beyond)? What can be learned from any previous research, and what does it add? Literature review The research methods chosen, with reasons for choice and their appropriateness to the topic or issue. How reliable the research methods were used. How you went about doing the research. How you decided on the sample of participants engaging in the research. The timescale for the research work. The ethics shown in doing the research with children and staff in school. Research methods

13. What you found out from doing the research. Present the results and findings in an interesting way, e.g. use charts, graphs, tables. Present qualitative descriptive findings in an organized way, e.g. using bullet point lists to summarise key findings. Results and findings What do the results and findings mean? Are they reliable? Answering the research question(s) posed. Whether there is anything important arising from the results and findings, or if there are any surprises. Is the hypothesis proved/disproved? How your findings and results compare with any previous research done on the same topic. Analysis and interpretation of the findings from the evidence gathered (not descriptive). Discussion What is the significance of the research? Has the problem or issue been resolved? How useful has the research been? Have you achieved what you set out to do? What have you discovered, and what have you learned from this research? So what? Conclusions

14. Tips on what to include in a research report What key recommendations are you making? Are the recommendations feasible and doable? What further research, if any, might be useful? Next steps? Recommendations Full list of books and documents you have used during the research project. References Include tables, ‘raw data', blank questionnaire, blank interview and observation schedules, photographs, and any other material that does not fit in with the main body of the research report. Appendices

15. Modes sharing your research One of the things to consider is which modes of presentation are most relevant for the different audiences you are trying to reach. The action research report can be presented- orally, visually and through writing.

16. Modes sharing your research Oral Presentation Modes Oral modes  Section meetings of English teachers in your school  Online meetings such as Zoom/Google meeting  Workshops organized among secondary school teachers In the immediate face-to-face situation, oral reports are a common way of presenting.  Research conferences at various levels (school, district, provincial, national)  Research conferences organized by the state and private universities  Annual TESOL conference held in Mongolia and overseas  Poster presentations showing the cycle of your research in visual and/or written form  International conferences on teacher education and teacher development such as the IAFOR Conference, East Asia International Symposium on Teacher Education, Conference of the International Association for World Englishes etc.,

17. Other Opportunities ● Regular meetings with colleagues or a mentor in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss your research ● Inviting other teachers or researchers into your classroom to discuss your research ● Giving brief reports on your research at staff meetings, teacher professional seminars, workshops, or parent and teacher community meetings

18. Written modes • Start a blog for action research. It is a great way to share your experiences, insights, and findings with a wider audience. • Publish your research articles in peer-reviewed research journals of educational institutions such as “Lavai” (MNUE), “Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences” (MNUE), “Educational studies”, (Institute for Educational (Mongolian Academy of Science), “Mongolian Journal of English Language and Culture Studies” (MNU), “European studies” (MNU), “Translation studies” (MNU) etc., Research), “Applied Linguistics” • Write a concise abstract summarizing your research and choose relevant keywords when writing a research article in a research journal. • Write a handout or book and publish it. By compiling your report into a handout or book, you can present your findings and methodologies.

19. Read Sample Action Research Reports 3-4 in the section “Supplementary reading”.

20. Reference Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners. NY: Routledge. Daniel R. Tomal. (2010). Action research for educators. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Donna Kalmbach Phillips and Kevin Carr. (2014). Becoming a teacher through action research: process, context, and self-study. Routledge. Glenda Nugent, Sakil Malik, and Sandra Hollingsworth. (2012). A Practical Guide to Action Research for Literacy Educators. Global Operations, International Reading Association. Johnson, A. (2012). A short guide to action research (4th ed.). Allyn and Bacon. Putman, M. & Tracy, C., (2018). Using Strategic Inquiry to Improve Teaching and Learning. SAGE Publications. Rita Cheminais. (2012). Children and Young People as Action Researchers: A practical guide to supporting pupil voice in schools.UK: Open University Press. ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

21. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!