Making sense of action research through the use of a typology

Commenting on earlier work in the Journal of Advanced Nursing on action research, this paper takes up the theme of definition and approach and presents an original action research typology. Three key criteria of action research--'reeducation', 'problem focus', and 'improvement and involvement'--are related to four broad types of action research: 'experimental', 'organizational', 'professionalizing' and 'empowering'. The typology is of general relevance not only to action researchers but to any project concerned to resolve problems and bring about improvements in practice, including evaluation research. Following discussion of the typology, it is used to analyse three different action research projects, including one conducted by the authors in collaboration with a project team. It is shown that each of these projects, which are all concerned in some way to improve standards of nursing care in hospitals, contains elements of different types which may at times be in conflict. The ability to recognize this and to be explicit about the different types may assist action researchers in selecting an appropriate approach and in anticipating problems which may arise during the course of a project's life.