In clinical work, counselors approach clients with a set of core assumptions about the practice of counseling-or theoretical orientation-and apply this accordingly throughout the duration of counseling in consideration of various client, setting, and treatment factors. Similar to how counselors rely on a theoretical orientation to guide professional practice, counseling researchers use research traditions to navigate qualitative research design decisions. Moreover, Kline (2008) asserted that selecting a research tradition congruent with one's research orientation and study purpose, and infusing it in all phases of qualitative inquiry, is a criterion for trustworthiness (i.e., coherence). Given its importance in framing the design and maximizing rigor of qualitative inquiry, the purpose of this article is to provide an overview of major qualitative research traditions and illustrate how they are infused into various qualitative research design components.First, it is important to briefly discuss the concept of research paradigm. While the terms research paradigm and research tradition are used often interchangeably in the literature, we conceptualize them as interdependent and essential components of the counseling researcher's orientation for qualitative inquiry. Hays and Singh (2011) noted that research paradigms are belief systems based on core philosophies of science (i.e., ontology, epistemology, axiology, rhetoric, and methodology), and research traditions are methodological approaches and design strategies that are influenced by paradigms. Collectively, they serve as a foundational guide or blueprint that highlights the counseling researcher's assumptions, values, and activities related to the scientific pursuit for a particular research topic.Common research paradigms include positivism, postpositivism, social constructivism, critical theory, feminism, and queer theory. Scholars operating under each paradigm attribute differential value to the nature of reality or truth of a phenomenon (ontology), knowledge construction (epistemology), infusion of researcher values in design and attention to the research relationship (axiology), role of researcher and participant voice in research process and data presentation Infusing Qualitative Traditions in Counseling Research Designs Danica G. Hays and Chris WoodResearch traditions serve as a blueprint or guide for a variety of design decisions throughout qualitative inquiry. This article presents 6 qualitative research traditions: grounded theory, phenomenology, consensual qualitative research, ethnography, narratology, and participatory action research. For each tradition, the authors describe its purpose and key characteristics, outline commonly associated fieldwork activities, describe analytic approaches within the tradition, and then discuss strengths and challenges of the approach.(rhetoric), and considerations for scientific rigor (methodology). As attention to qualitative approaches increased across a variety of disciplines, the notion that scientific inquir...

This qualitative study used Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework to examine the meaning, context, and process by which 12 African American students in gifted education programs formulated perceptions of their experiences in those programs. The following themes emerged from the semistructured, biographical questionnaires and individual interviews: (a) critical issues facing gifted African American students; (b) ways that the students navigate the perils of gifted education; and (c) the benefits of gifted education. These themes highlight the salience of race inside and outside gifted education programs. The research findings also provide practical applications for teachers, principals, school counselors, and parents.

The authors present diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 2003) as a framework for integrating social justice into counselor education. An overview of diffusion theory is provided along with how the tenets of diffusion of innovation can be used to alleviate fears and anxieties that come with adopting an innovation such as social justice in counselor education.

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Wood (2010) Reflections and learning from using action learning sets in a healthcare education setting, Action Learning: Research and Practice, 7:3, 303-314,