Action Research

This chapter introduces Action Research as an approach to research that attempts to develop understanding whilst bringing about change at the same time. It brings together research and practice, which are tied together by critical reflection. To begin, an introduction to Action Research is presented, followed by a brief overview of it and some reasons why it should be considered as a viable research approach. Some examples of Action Research within Sport Coaching are then provided. Subsequently, applied issues and considerations are discussed with a particular focus on the ethical issues of conducting Action Research. Finally, some reflections on the challenges of doing Action Research are provided from the field. The chapter concludes with some critical questions.