This study attempts to conduct a corpus-based analysis of citations embedded in the Discussion section of research articles (RAs) by investigating multiple dimensions of citations including rhetorical functions, semantic contents, engagement strategies, and textual integration forms. The corpus of the study consisted of Discussion sections from 30 RAs in the field of Applied Linguistics which were selected on the basis of them adopting qualitative methods and having a separate Discussion section. The results of the study revealed that qualitative RA writers employed citations for a variety of rhetorical purposes using semantic contents such as theoretical concepts and research findings. The analysis of the dialogic dimension of citations showed the delicate interplay between contractive and expansive engagement options. The analysis of the textual integration patterns indicated the qualitative RA writers’ clear preference for non-integral structures, with short direct quotes or summaries of others’ work incorporated into their own arguments or knowledge claims. The results are discussed in terms of the epistemological assumptions of qualitative RAs.