Interdisciplinary research : process and theory
Allen F. Repko (Author), Rick Szostak (Author)
The Third Edition of Interdisciplinary Research: Process and Theory offers a comprehensive and systematic presentation of the interdisciplinary research process and the theory that informs it. Authors Allen F. Repko and Rick Szostak illustrate each step of the decision-making process by drawing on student and professional work from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and applied fields. Designed for active learning and problem-based approaches as well as for more traditional approaches, the book now includes more examples from real student research projects and adds more tables and figures to enliven the discussion. -- Amazon.com
xxxi, 425 pages ; 23 cm
9781506330488, 1506330487
936687178
Part I. About interdisciplinary studies and disciplines : Introducing interdisciplinary studies : Defining interdisciplinary studies ; The intellectual essence of interdisciplinarity ; Distinguishing interdisciplinarity from multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and integrative studies
Introducing the disciplines and their perspectives : How knowledge is typically reflected in the organization of the academy ; Categories of disciplines ; Disciplinary perspectives ; Unpacking the defining elements of a discipline's perspective
Part II: Drawing on disciplinary insights : Beginning the research process : The integrated model of the interdisciplinary research process ; Key characteristics of interdisciplinary research ; Step 1. Define the problem or state the research question ; Step 2. Justify using an interdisciplinary approach
Identifying relevant disciplines : Select potentially relevant disciplines ; Map the problem to reveal its disciplinary parts ; Reduce the number of potentially relevant disciplines to those that are most relevant
Conducting the literature search : Reasons for conducting the literature search ; Special challenges confronting interdisciplinarians ; The initial literature search ; The full-scale literature search
Developing adequacy in relevant disciplines : The meaning of adequacy ; Develop adequacy in theories ; Develop adequacy in disciplinary methods ; Use and evaluate disciplinary methods in basic research ; Provide in-text evidence of disciplinary adequacy
Analyzing the problem and evaluating insights : Analyze the problem from each discipline's perspective ; Evaluate the insights produced by each discipline ; Checklist for evaluating previous research
Part III: Integrating insights : Understanding integration : What interdisciplinary integration is ; The controversy concerning integration ; Integration in the broad model ; Questions raised by this discussion of integration
Identifying conflicts between insights and their sources : Identify conflicting insights ; Locate sources of conflict between insights ; Communicate your research to the appropriate audience
Creating common ground between insights: concepts and/or assumptions : About interdisciplinary common ground ; Create common ground between conflicting concepts and/or assumptions
Creating common ground between insights: theories : Defining disciplinary theory ; Models, variables, concepts, and causal relationships ; Create common ground between theories ; When theories differ only minimally
Constructing a more comprehensive understanding or theory : Definition of "more comprehensive understanding" ; Construct the more comprehensive understanding from modified concepts and/or assumptions
Reflecting on, testing, and communicating the understanding or theory: Reflect on the more comprehensive understanding or theory ; Test the quality of interdisciplinary work ; Test the more comprehensive understanding ; Communicate the results of integration
Conclusion