PURPOSE Practice-based research is proposed as an additional way to bridge the divide between research and practice. METHOD The article compares the traditional, laboratory-based research with research that is generated from practice: practice-based research. The defining features of each are described, with an emphasis on contrasting internal and external validity. Retrospective and prospect...

Far too often, there is a gap between research and policy and practice. Too much research is undertaken with little relevance to real life problems or its reported in ways that are obscure and impenetrable. At the same time, many policies are developed and implemented but are untouched by, or even contrary to evidence. An accompanying paper describes an innovative progr...

The aim of nursing research is generally agreed to be the generation of knowledge, and whilst this is a relevant aim in theory-based disciplines such as sociology, the primary concern of nursing is with practice. Using examples drawn mainly from the field of mental health, it will be argued in this paper that the application of generalizable, research-based knowledge to individual, unique, pers...

in this commentary, the idea of closing the gap between knowing and doing through closing the gap between academics and practitioners is explored. the two communities approach to knowledge production and use, has predominated within healthcare, resulting in a separation between the worlds of research and practice, and, therefore, between its producers and users. meaningful collaborations betwee...

This study reports a mixed methods design investigation into language teachers’ conception of research. The study drew on various sources of data, including teachers’ responses to questionnaires items, qualitative comments in follow-up interviews, and contributions to e-mail inquiries. Results showed that the teachers’ understanding of research is mainly associated with a standard view of resea...