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Research and evaluation are essential aspects of any good guidance program. They play a particularly important role in the guidance of the academically talented. Any school which attempts to meet the needs of talented students finds itself faced with major decisions regarding individualism,* grouping, acceleration, enrichment, programs of study-and the effectiveness of the decisions must be determined.Research, as it is understood by research specialists, can rarely be undertaken by guidance counselors because of limitations imposed by pressures of other duties, lack of adequate clerical help, lack of money, and insufficient training in research design and techniques. There are, however, many activities of a research nature which can and should be undertaken. These activities may not deserve the title of research, yet they can be of great importance in determining the success of a local program for the academically talented. Furthermore, they should be undertaken because they are activities for which the guidance counselor must feel a special responsibility. If he does not assume the responsibility, it is unlikely that the administrator or the classroom teacher will be able to do so.These activities of a research nature are concerned mainly with the accumulation of data and the presentation and interpretation of the data to those who are responsible for planning and conducting special programs for the academically talented. If their decisions are to be sound, administrators need all the informa-* MacCurdy, R. D. "Individualism for the Gifted Child." Phi Delta Kappan 41:408-409; June 1960.