Formative Assessment:
Select an article from one of the following journals and respond to the following
questions:
○ Educational Action Research:
https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/reac20
○ Links to an external site.
○
○ Action Research Journal: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/arj
○ Links to an external site.
○
○ Canadian Journal of Action Research:
https://journals.nipissingu.ca/index.php/cjar
○ Links to an external site.
○
1. Write a one paragraph (3-6 sentences) that summarizes the selected action
research study you selected.
2. What was the problem of practice that your study focused on and how do you
think this was uniquely aligned to action research?
3. In what ways, did the author(s) demonstrate four stages of action research
outlined by Mertler (2021).
4. In what ways was this report designed to intentionally target practitioners? Do
you think this was an effective approach? Explain why or why not.
5. What takeaways do you have to utilize for your own capstone project?

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Writing a formative assessment based on an action research article doesn’t have to be confusing. This guide walks you through each step so that your paper is organized, thoughtful, and meets all requirements.

📌 Step‑by‑Step Writing Guide

Step 1: Choose Your Article

Select one article from one of these journals:
- Educational Action Research:
  https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/reac20
- Action Research Journal:
  https://journals.sagepub.com/home/arj
- Canadian Journal of Action Research:
  https://journals.nipissingu.ca/index.php/cjar
Skim the abstract first to decide if it fits your interests and has enough detail to answer all questions.

Step 2: Read Actively

As you read your article:

Highlight the problem of practice
Note the research purpose
Identify stages of action research used
Look for how the study helps practitioners
Think about what this means for your own capstone project

Step 3: Draft Each Section

Below is how you should structure your response — one section at a time.

📝 1. Summary Paragraph (3–6 sentences)

Write one paragraph that:

Summarizes the purpose, methods, and overall findings
Explains the core action research focus
Is concise but complete

👉 Think: Who did the study involve, what did they do, and what did they learn?

🧠 2. Problem of Practice

Answer:

What problem was the study trying to solve?
Why is this problem important in educational settings?
Why was action research uniquely suited to address this problem?

👉 Emphasize that action research focuses on real problems in real settings.

🔍 3. Mertler’s Four Stages of Action Research

Mertler (2021) outlines four key stages:

Problem identification
Data collection
Data analysis and interpretation
Action or reflection

Explain how the authors showed evidence of each stage in their study.
Use specific examples from the article.

🎯 4. Practitioner Design

Discuss:

In what ways was the article written to help practitioners?
- Did the authors give clear action steps?
- Were recommendations practical?
Was this effective? Explain why or why not.

Think about:

Does the article give “take‑aways” that educators can use tomorrow?
Is the language accessible to practitioners, not just researchers?

💡 5. Takeaways for Your Capstone

Reflect on what you learned.

Answer:

What strategies, insights, or methods could you use in your own project?
Did the article help you think differently about your topic?
Did it change how you might plan, collect data, or reflect?

🧾 Formatting Tips

To make your paper clear and professional:

Use full sentences and paragraphs
APA format for any citations
Check grammar and organization
Keep responses focused and complete

🔗 Suggested Resource Links for Clarification

✔ Action Research Basics — ThoughtCo
https://www.thoughtco.com/action-research-4126118

✔ Action Research Explained — SAGE Research Methods
https://methods.sagepub.com/

✔ APA Formatting Guide — Purdue OWL
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

📌 Quick Checklist Before You Submit

✔ Did you include all 5 required responses?
✔ Is your summary one strong paragraph (3–6 sentences)?
✔ Did you clearly connect the study with action research stages?
✔ Did you reflect on your own capstone?
✔ Is your writing neat, clear, and in APA style?

Applying Action Research: Insights for Practitioners and Capstone Projects