ABSTRACT
Carrying out your first action research study can be intimidating particularly if your subject expertise is not in the social sciences. So in this chapter, I intend to introduce some of the more well-known methods of enquiry. In Chapter 5 we worked through the stages of carrying out a research study using the ITDEM acronym. In this chapter we unpick the stages in more detail, particularly focusing on the identification of the issue or problem, and the thinking through of appropriate ways to research it. In pedagogical action research, the fundamental aim is to research:
some aspect of your teaching or assessment practice; some element of your students’ learning experience or academic performance; some other appropriate variable.
