The use of questions in Action Research

Questions in Action Research help frame the purpose and aim for improvements in services.  In other words, questions help to isolate what you are trying to change and what you are trying to improve or find out.  Questions also assist in focussing actions.  The questions that Reconnect and NAYSS providers develop, explore issues within their local community with an emphasis on improving outcomes for young people and their families.

In the NAYSS context, particular attention should be given to the use of language and the need for translation or interpreter services to enable participation from members of newly arrived communities.

A good place to start would be asking: “What would it take to…?”
(Quixley 1997 in Reconnect Action Research Kit, 2000).

Where you start depends on where you are at the moment

When a service is first established, it can be useful to focus on issues like developing working relationships between first to know agencies such as Centrelink, local schools and local youth and family support services.

Another starting point could be to work out how accessible the Reconnect or NAYSS is to young people at risk of homelessness and their families, for example, service opening hours, office location and staff profile. You could also explore some specific questions about service delivery methods, for example, regarding case management, material support and counselling.

Action Research can also offer the chance to reflect on existing outcomes and what it would take to improve services for young people and their families.  The key to this is to start with small and concrete questions.

Where to start – starting small but thinking broad

Cycles can start by observing something that has happened or by giving consideration to an issue that has been raised. 

Action Research cycles can start with small questions.

‘Macro’ and ‘micro’ questions

Macro questions tend to be a broad area of enquiry and may be pursued over a number of years.  

Micro questions are concrete, targeted and smaller in scope – they provide the opportunity and the means to answer broader macro questions.

Examples of macro questions:

• What would it take to improve early intervention capacity for this community?
• What would it take to improve the effectiveness of this Reconnect and/or NAYSS strategy?

Examples of micro questions:

• Should the times the service is open be extended or changed?
• What does a service need to do to engage young people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds?
• What approaches make parents feel they are getting adequate support?
• What would keep young people out of refuges?
• What would it take to improve the referral numbers from Centrelink?