ABSTRACT
In this essay the authors develop the metaphor of textual reading and writing in action research, focussing on two different types of texts: the readerly and the writerly. By examining the way in which each of these texts is written and read, three ideas are discussed: the value of understanding action research as a writerly text; the shift in authority from readerly to writerly texts; and finally, the way in which this metaphorical construction can more clearly help foster a deeper understanding of the nature of collaboration within action research projects.