Can action research yield causal explanations?
In the sense of explanations given in terms of causal relationships between variables, generally not. On occasions, the understanding developed may be causal — people may come to recognise that event A precedes and probably causes event B. But this isn’t a central interest. A different type of causal explanation often features in action research. A causal connection between certain actions and certain outcomes may be identified. Such a connection is then tested when the planned actions are carried out. Action research can give causal explanations in _this_ sense. In fact, as action research is intended to produce action, this is usually an emphasis.
