This book, in its second edition, is intended as a practical guide to conducting action research in schools--it outlines the process of designing and reporting an action research project. Contending that action research can be used as a powerful tool that can contribute to school renewal and instructional improvement, the book defines and presents action research focusing the emphasis on the professional educator. It offers practical strategies and techniques for problem solving in school settings. Following the Preface and the Introduction, chapters in the book are: (1) An Introduction to Action Research: It's Not All That Complicated; (2) Teaching and Doing Action Research through General Semantics; (3) Getting Started on an Action Research Project; (4) Quantitative Approaches to Action Research; (5) Qualitative Approaches to Action Research; (6) Easy Steps to Program Development and Evaluation Research; (7) Data Collection Techniques That Work; (8) How to Analyze Quantitative Data Easily; (9) How to Analyze Qualitative Data Easily; (10) Putting It All Together: What Does It Mean?; (11) Completing Your Action Research Master's Thesis Project; (12) Action Research in Practice; and (13) Seven Suggestions for Action Researchers. Includes extensive figures, tables, and activities. Appended are: Pretest; Sample Write-Up of Quantitative and Qualitative Methods and Results; Sample Appendixes; Are You a Good Writer?; Brief Description of APA; Evaluation Criteria for Report; Sample Consent Forms and Cover Letter. Contains a glossary and 13 annotated references plus Web resources. (NKA)