Introduction Conducting a proper research requires choosing the proper alignment for the study. Part of the alignment for the doctoral students includes studying the literature and knowing what previous researchers used as their model because it has already been documented and empirically tested (Walden, 2014). After choosing the topic and problem statement it is imperative that the proper theoretical framework is chosen. Therefore, the student must consider which theory fits their dissertation best. To be successful in which theoretical framework it is imperative that the student pays close attention to the theories previous researchers have used in the literature. According to Sabatier and Weible (2014) the second criterion to consider when choosing a theory is to pay attention to the development of an active research. The four indicators are: the degree the theory is used and published in journals; if the theory is tested multiple times; if scholars employ the theory and tried to actively develop shared research protocols, methods, or approaches, and how the theory has adopted over time. …show more content…
In the current review of literature for zero-tolerance policies a couple of theories have been used. For example, in Thompson’s Eliminating zero tolerance policies in schools: Miami-Dade County public schools' approach (2016) Critical Race Theory was used to offer insight into the causes of racial inequality in schools. Another example is Wun’s (2016) Against Captivity: Black Girls and School Discipline Policies in the Afterlife of Slavery. In Wun’s article she provides an excellent example of how applying the Feminist Theory to the current research explains how zero-tolerance policies negatively affect minority girls. Wun contends that school disciplines operate as perpetually and involuntary open surveillance and