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Practitioner research refers to research and/or workplace research such as evaluation performed by individuals who also work in a professional field as opposed to being full-time academic researchers. Practitioner research developed as a recognized type of research in the last quarter of the 20th century. In this context, 'practitioner' means someone who delivers public services, such as a nurse, teacher, advice worker, probation officer, counselor or social worker. ^[1] Practitioner research developed in disciplinary silos, ^{[2] [3] [4]} but by the turn of the century it had been recognized that all disciplines could approach practitioner research in broadly the same way. ^[5]

For a practitioner, doing research alongside practice can assist with one or more of the following:

• Solving a specific problem, such as how to reduce crime on a particular housing estate.
• Contributing to the learning of a discipline such as education or social work.
• Influencing government policy, e.g. welfare or health policy. ^[6]

It is also held to improve the quality of the practitioner-researcher's practice. ^[7]

Practitioner research has two categories: ^[8]

• Research in the workplace, such as a service evaluation or needs assessment,
• Academic research related to the practitioner's role, such as a master's degree or PhD in a relevant subject.

See also

• Pracademic

Further reading

• Drake P and Heath L (2011) Practitioner research at doctoral level: developing coherent research methodologies. Abingdon: Routledge.
• Dahlberg L and McCaig C (eds) (2010) Practical research and evaluation: a start-to-finish guide for practitioners. London: Sage.

References