It seems that scholars and emerging scholars often look at others research agendas and believe that they have intentionally created a brilliant research path from scratch. In reality, the research path is often one of happenstance and opportunity. Let’s explore how our passions converge with opportunity and result in outcomes that advance our own interests and the profession.

The purpose of this presentation is to share with the participant’s information on Prevention Research. Prevention research will be defined and criteria for and best practices for conducting evidence-based prevention research will be shared. Examples of prevention research will be shared to illustrate how to operationalize evidence-based prevention research. Handout and bibliography will be provided.

Does the possibility of using advanced statistics on large samples yielding nationally representative results excite you? Does it also make you nervous? If so, this session is for you! Join us as we demystify using national datasets in school counseling research. We will share information about existing datasets, securing restricted data, and navigating data analysis with weighted samples. Participants will also explore variables within the High School Longitudinal Study and learn its strengths and limitations.

Researchers often question which qualitative methodology would be best for their research questions because they appear to be similar. In this session, we will explore three methods and compare/contrast research questions in the search for a good match. Bring your questions and we can discuss what might work for your research.

The aim of this mentoring time is to allow participants to consult individually and in small groups with established researchers to discuss their projects. Attendees are encouraged to bring their research ideas, questions, and concerns. Opportunities for collaboration will also be available.

In this presentation, participants will learn techniques for making online surveys more engaging for participants, and strategies for reporting and maximizing response rates. Specifically, several examples of 'interactive surveys' created in Qualtrics will be presented to highlight how to use skip logic and scoring to create engaging assessments that can also serve as self-directed interventions, and a recently-published systematic review of online survey response rates in counseling journals will be discussed.

What are strategies for publishing qualitative research? What constitutes rigorous qualitative research? How can I further develop my qualitative research ideas? Gain answers to these questions and more in this interactive, practical session. The first part of this session will include strategies for conducting and publishing qualitative research in the counseling field, including increasing rigor. The second half of this session will include small group work, to workshop qualitative research ideas and processes. Come ready for questions and conversations.

The field of school counseling benefits immensely from the availability of evidence-based practices specific to our profession, yet the overall quality of research in our field has long suffered from a lack of rigor. This session is intended for those who would seek to improve the robustness of future investigations. Topics such as instrument selection, power analysis, participant recruitment and retention methods, fidelity logs, improved methods of analyzing effect size, and more will be discussed.

Invited panel of emerging scholars in the beginning stages of their research careers will talk through critical ideas and issues addressed in their research. Panelists will share a one-page description of their program of research. Feedback will be provided to panelists by more experienced researchers and audience members. Panel selection will include diversity in types of research studies (quantitative, qualitative, and theoretical) and scholars (graduate students and professors). This session will be highly interactive.

Conducting research in K-12 schools is needed to expand the evidence base underpinning school counseling practice. In this presentation, five panelists with a record of success conducting research in K-12 schools will share their ideas and techniques for the following: navigating IRB and district approval; engaging school counselors, administrators, and other educators in the research process; and the role of funding in facilitating research in schools. Ample time for answering audience questions will be provided.