This document provides an introduction to participatory action research (PAR). PAR is a qualitative approach that improves social situations by systematically planning, acting, observing, and reflecting on implemented changes. It relies on participant self-education and involvement. The key steps involve engaging community participants, defining problems, developing research and action plans, collecting and analyzing data, and reporting findings. PAR emphasizes empowering people to develop practical solutions to their own problems and highlighting minority needs. Weaknesses can include lack of organization and potential for manipulation.

1. PAR PARTICIPATORY
ACTION RESEARCH
LAUREN MORLEY • SABRINA ALLETSON • MORIAH VICE
OKSANA KRAVETS • BRIGIT O’REGAN • ZACH ASHBEE

2. PAR PARTICIPATORY
ACTION RESEARCH
INTRODUCTION

3. INTRODUCTION
Participatory Action
Research is...
A qualitative approach that improves social
practice by changing it and learning from the
consequences of these changes.
P A R

4. INTRODUCTION FEATURES
• Collaborative
• A systematic learning process involving
planning, acting, observing, and reflecting
• Often used when dealing with social work and
the relationship-building process
• Relies on participant self-education and
consciousness so that they may plan to raise the
quality of their lives
P A R

5. INTRODUCTION KEY STEPS
1. Engage community participants
2. Clearly define the problem
3. Examine assumptions
4. Assess the needs of the group
5. Identify a research team
6. Develop an action plan
7. Develop research plan
8. Identify research question(s)
9. Create data collection strategies
10. Conduct ongoing data
collection and analysis
11. Report findings and results
P A R

6. INTRODUCTION CURRENT USES
• Education: collaboration
between
researchers, teachers, students
, and/or parents
• Community engagement:
specific phenomena (e.g.
violence), social justice, or
community planning
• Organizations: employees and
managers make joint decisions
P A R

7. INTRODUCTION STRENGTHS
• Empowers people to democratically develop
practical solutions to problems that affect them
• Participants decide which problems to study
(PAR highlights minority needs and concerns)
• Provides insight into a group's values and
knowledge.
P A R

8. INTRODUCTION WEAKNESSES
• Has no timeline: action cycles can continue
indefinitely
• May have no research leader, resulting in
disorganization and conflicting research
strategies
• Can be used to manipulate
P A R

9. INTRODUCTION KEY TERMS
• Social Learning: Changes in individual values and
behaviour due to collaboration, which in turn
influence collective culture
• Recognized Impacts: Perceptions of change due
to PAR
• Conflict Resolution: Degree of conflict between
participants; resolution during the process; could
include quality of decision making.
P A R

10. PAR PARTICIPATORY
ACTION RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION

11. DATA COLLECTION METHODS
• Methods: interviews, focus groups, surveys,
photovoice, documents, observations, field
notes, etc.
• Primary data sources: participants,
stakeholders, reports, researchers, documents,
etc.
• Secondary data sources: archival materials,
media, statistics, etc.
P A R

12. DATA COLLECTION METHODS
• Interviews, for example, are a rich source of data
that can highlight the perceived links between
cause and effect.
• Disadvantages: They are time consuming and
complex to analyze.
• Data collection must be context-
sensitive, inductive and naturalistic.
• Researchers should not attempt to manipulate
the process but observe it.
P A R

13. DATA COLLECTION STEPS
1. Gain entry 6. Gather data
2. Collaboratively 7. Encourage
choose a research participants to reflect
topic and plan data on their assumptions
collection. through reflexive
3. Select participants journaling
4. Clarify participant 8. Perform preliminary
roles analysis, which leads
5. Develop data back to step 2
collection tools
P A R

14. DATA COLLECTION KEY TERMS
• Transparency: Both internal, whereby
participants understand how decisions are made;
and external, whereby observers can audit the
process.
• Emergent Knowledge: Influence of local
knowledge on the outcome of the research.
P A R