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
