Practitioner research refers to
research
Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
and/or workplace research such as
evaluation
Evaluation is a
systematic determination and assessment of a subject's merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of standards. It can assist an organization, program, design, project or any other intervention or initiative to ...
performed by individuals who also work in a professional field as opposed to being full-time academic researchers. Practitioner research developed as a recognized type of
research
Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
in the last quarter of the 20th century. In this context, 'practitioner' means someone who delivers
public service
A public service is any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through public sector agencies ...
s, such as a nurse, teacher, advice worker, probation officer, counselor or social worker. Practitioner research developed in disciplinary silos, but by the turn of the century it had been recognized that all disciplines could approach practitioner research in broadly the same way.
For a practitioner, doing research alongside practice can assist with one or more of the following:
* Solving a specific problem, such as how to reduce crime on a particular housing estate.
* Contributing to the learning of a discipline such as education or social work.
* Influencing government policy, e.g. welfare or health policy.
It is also held to improve the quality of the practitioner-researcher's practice.
Practitioner research has two categories:
[Kara H (2012) Research and evaluation for busy practitioners: a time-saving guide, p. 1. Bristol: The Policy Press]
* Research in the workplace, such as a service
evaluation
Evaluation is a
systematic determination and assessment of a subject's merit, worth and significance, using criteria governed by a set of standards. It can assist an organization, program, design, project or any other intervention or initiative to ...
or needs assessment,
*
Academic research
Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
related to the practitioner's role, such as a master's degree or PhD in a relevant subject.
See also
*
Pracademic A pracademic (or practitioner-academic or academic-practitioner) is someone who is both an academic and an active practitioner in their subject area.
The term has a history of at least 30 years, but its first coining is unclear. The earliest refer ...
Further reading
* Drake P and Heath L (2011) Practitioner research at doctoral level: developing coherent research methodologies. Abingdon: Routledge.
* Dahlberg L and McCaig C (eds) (2010) Practical research and evaluation: a start-to-finish guide for practitioners. London: Sage.
References
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Research
Academic publishing