Action research and narrative inquiry: five principles for validation revisited

Abstract

The article continues the discussion of the five quality principles proposed by Heikkinen, Huttunen, and Syrjälä, published in 2007 in Educational Action Research. In the present article, the authors reconsider the five principles: historical continuity; reflexivity; dialectics; workability; and evocativeness. These five principles are critically examined from two viewpoints. First, the authors discuss comments on the quality of the principles published in Educational Action Research, referring to contemporary discussion within the philosophy of science. Second, they review some empirical action research reports in which these principles have been applied. The authors point out some problems in applying these quality principles as well as successful ways of working with the principles.

Keywords:

• narrative inquiry
• reflexivity
• dialectics
• workability
• evocativeness