Here is what my xml looks like, with the action provided and nothing shows up in the menu:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<odoo>

<reco

rd model="ir.ui.view" id="course_form_view">

<field name="name">course.form</field>

<field name="model">openacademy.course</field>

<field name="arch" type="xml">

<form string="Course Form">

<sheet>

<group>

<field name="name"/>

<field name="description"/>

</group>

</sheet>

</form>

</field>

</record>

<!-- window action -->

<!--

The following tag is an action definition for a "window action",

that is an action opening a view or a set of views

-->

<record model="ir.actions.act_window" id="course_list_action">

<field name="name">Courses</field>

<field name="res_model">openacademy.course</field>

<field name="view_type">form</field>

<field name="view_mode">tree,form</field>

<field name="help" type="html">

<p class="oe_view_nocontent_smiling_face">Create the first course

</p>

</field>

</record>

<!-- top level menu: no parent -->

<menuitem id="main_openacademy_menu" name="Open Academy"/>

<!-- A first level in the left side menu is needed

before using action= attribute -->

<menuitem id="openacademy_menu" name="Open Academy"

parent="main_openacademy_menu"/>

<!-- the following menuitem should appear *after*

its parent openacademy_menu and *after* its

action course_list_action -->

<menuitem id="courses_menu" name="Courses" parent="openacademy_menu"

action="course_list_action"/>

<!-- Full id location:

action="openacademy.course_list_action"

It is not required when it is the same module -->

</odoo>