Interdisciplinary Research: Process and Theory

by Allen F. Repko, Rick Szostak

Overview

This book offers a comprehensive, systematic presentation of the interdisciplinary research process and the theory that informs it by drawing on student and professional work from a variety of fields. The book has been iterative in its development over editions, as the authors have learned from the work of instructors and students using it and have adjusted their advice in response. Notable changes in the Fifth Edition respond to feedback from the Forum devoted to this book in Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2022. Examples have been updated so most are more contemporary, new content has been added on mixed methods and team research to respond to the needs of graduate students, and content has been revised throughout to address the current thinking on interdisciplinarity and integration, and strategies for achieving common ground as an interdisciplinary research team.

An instructor website for the book at http://edge.sagepub.com/repko5e includes editable PowerPoint slides, a test bank, and figures and tables from the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071884263
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/21/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	424
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Allen F. Repko, PhD, is the former director of the interdisciplinary studies program in the School of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he developed and taught the program’s core curriculum for many years. The program is one of the largest in the United States. Repko has written extensively on all aspects of interdisciplinary studies, has twice served as coeditor of the interdisciplinary journal Issues in Integrative Studies, and has served on the board of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS).

Rick Szostak, PhD, is professor and chair of economics at the University of Alberta, where he has taught for 34 years. He is the author of a dozen books and 50 articles, all of an interdisciplinary nature. Several of his publications address how to do interdisciplinary research, teach interdisciplinary courses, administer interdisciplinary programs, or organize information in order to facilitate interdisciplinarity. As an associate dean, he created the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Alberta, the Science, Technology and Society program, an individualized major, and two courses about interdisciplinarity. He has twice served as coeditor of the interdisciplinary journal Issues in Integrative Studies. He was president of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) from 2011 to 2014. He can be contacted at [e-mail].

 

 

Table of Contents

Preface
About the Authors
Part I: About Interdisciplinary Studies and Disciplines
Chapter 1: Introducing Interdisciplinary Studies
Defining Interdisciplinary Studies
The Intellectual Essence of Interdisciplinarity
Distinguishing Interdisciplinarity from Multidisciplinarity, Transdisciplinarity, and Integrative Studies
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 2: Introducing the Disciplines and Their Perspectives
Defining Disciplinary Perspective
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
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Part II: Drawing on Disciplinary Insights
Chapter 3: 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
Creativity and STEP 1
STEP 2: Justify Using an Interdisciplinary Approach
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 4: 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
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 5: Conducting the Literature Search
Meaning of Literature Search
Reasons for Conducting the Literature Search
Special Challenges Confronting Interdisciplinarians
The Initial Literature Search
The Full-Scale Literature Search
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 6: 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
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 7: 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
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Part III: Integrating Insights
Chapter 8: Understanding Integration
What Interdisciplinary Integration Is
The Controversy Concerning Integration
Integration in the Broad Model
Questions Raised by This Discussion of Integration
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 9: Identifying Conflicts Among Insights and Their Sources
Identify Conflicting Insights
Locate Sources of Conflict Among Insights
Communicate Your Research to the Appropriate Audience
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 10: Creating Common Ground Among Insights: Concepts
About Interdisciplinary Common Ground
Create Common Ground
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 11: Creating Common Ground Among Insights: Causal Relationships
Causal Arguments
Create Common Ground Among Different Causal Explanations
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 12: Constructing a More Comprehensive Understanding
Definition of “More Comprehensive Understanding”
Be Creative
Construct the More Comprehensive Understanding from Modified Concepts
Construct a More Comprehensive Understanding from Causal Relationships
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Chapter 13: Reflecting on, Evaluating, and Communicating the Understanding
Reflect on the More Comprehensive Understanding
Evaluate the Quality of Interdisciplinary Work
Evaluate the More Comprehensive Understanding
Communicate the Results of Integration
Chapter Summary
Exercises
Conclusion: Interdisciplinarity for the New Century
Appendix: Interdisciplinary Resources
Glossary of Key Terms
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

Repko and Szostak’s text remains a vital guide to interdisciplinary inquiry, with clear accounts of an ideal progression from initial idea through completed project. While oriented to all levels from undergraduates to professional scholars, the book ably serves as a text for doctoral students; it has helped them achieve profound contributions. The current edition expands on instruction regarding literature searches and research questions, while encouraging students to rely on their own creativity as novel approaches are conceived and interpretations of findings sought.”

Carol Barrett

"The Fourth Edition of Interdisciplinary Research offers improved clarity and usability, particularly for undergraduate researchers. Guiding questions at the beginning of each chapter encourage readers to remain focused, and newly incorporated examples of relevant, recent research demonstrate that interdisciplinary perspectives have the power to help us understand and shape the world around us—including people, policies, and even public spaces—for the better.”

Anissa J. Sorokin

“This is the premier text for interdisciplinary research and advances all “studies” fields through its systematic treatment of the interdisciplinary research process. By explaining interdisciplinary research as a process, Repko gives students the framework needed to carry out valuable and forward-thinking research.”

James Lacey

In this Fourth Edition, Repko and Szostak have gone further to de-mystify the interdisciplinary research process. By providing students with guiding study questions within each chapter, adding extended advice on how to choose a complex research question, and illustrating that many of the strategies outlined in this text can be applied beyond the academy, they are more responsive to the needs of both professors and students.”

Charles R. Hamilton

“The book de-mystifies how to do interdisciplinary research, and provides a framework for approaching the study.”

Michelle Buchberger

“Repko gives relevant examples and carries them through the entire text, building on disciplinary insights while focusing on interdisciplinary integration.”

Dave Conz

From undergraduates to seasoned research teams, Repko and Szostak make interdisciplinary research accessible to all by the grounding of elusive concepts in a systematic approach to the study of complex problems. This text is vital to interdisciplinary studies and should be implemented in all interdisciplinary and integrative programs.

Jennifer P. Anderson

An outstanding contribution to the field, suitable for beginners and advanced researchers alike.

Andrew T. Arroyo

The revised edition of Interdisciplinary Research is timely and well received! Literature on interdisciplinary research has increased and developed to include a synthesis theory and practice from around the world. This book is recommended for undergraduate and graduate students and those involved in interdisciplinary research. Instructors using this as a primary or supplemental text will find the pedagogical revisions helpful in challenging students to engage with the interdisciplinary research process. I highly recommend it.”

Marcus Tanner