Participatory action research (PAR) is considered a subset of action research, which is the “systematic collection and analysis of data for the purpose of taking action and making change” by generating practical knowledge (Gillis & Jackson, 2002, p.264). Action research discourse includes myriad terms, such as: participatory action research, participatory research, community-based participatory research, and other forms of participative inquiry, which may seem ambiguous for novice researchers intending to conduct action research (Greenwood & Levin, 1998; Gibson, Gibson & MacAulay, 2001). Ideally, the purpose of all action research is to impart social change, with a specific action (or actions) as the ultimate goal (Greenwood & Levin, 1998; Kach & Kralik, 2006; McNiff & Whitehead, 2006).