Interdisciplinary Research
Process and Theory

Fifth Edition

Allen F. Repko - University of Texas at Arlington (Retired)
Rick Szostak - University of Alberta, Canada

Courses:
Interdisciplinary Studies & Research | Research Design | Research Methods

April 2025 | SAGE Publications, Inc

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.

Available Formats

ISBN: 9781071884256	Paperback	Suggested Retail Price: $142.00	Bookstore Price: $113.60
ISBN: 9781071884270	Electronic Version	Suggested Retail Price: $88.00	Bookstore Price: $70.40

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email sageheoa@sagepub.com. Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html.

For assistance with your order: Please email us at textsales@sagepub.com or connect with your SAGE representative.

SAGE
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.sagepub.com

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

Key features

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.
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.

You are here

Disable VAT on Taiwan

Interdisciplinary Research
Process and Theory

Sage College Publishing

Related Products