Paradigms, Purpose, and the Role of the Literature

The authors have identified three areas that are central to the rationale for conducting a qualitative research project, yet which produce confusion and uncertainty for some psychologists trained in traditional research methods. In this article, they consider how philosophy of science paradigms relate to the foundational rationale for qualitative inquiry and present suggestions for how researchers can formulate a statement of purpose and research questions that are congruent with an identified paradigm. They examine the role of scholarly literature in two areas: those of developing a rationale and in enhancing the impact of qualitative research. Examples from contemporary counseling psychology research are used to illustrate core concepts.