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