A Meta-Evaluation of Action Research Final Reports

Abstract

In the theoretical part of this article, we discuss the complementarity of action research and evaluation research in the context of the construct of meta-evaluation and of evaluation standards as a starting point for the quality requirements of final research reports. The empirical part of the research concentrates on describing the design of qualitative research and its outcomes, the aim of which is to describe the course and the findings of a meta-evaluation of action research reports written by students of teaching. The findings show that within one and the same research report, the content of each category differs in quality. In the analysed reports, categories connected to describing recommendations for pedagogical practice have proven problematic, despite the fact that recommendations are meant to be an essential finding of action research.