You are here

Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies
Share
Share

Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies

Third Edition


January 2020 | 448 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies provides a comprehensive introduction to interdisciplinary studies with an approach that is conceptual and practical. Completely updated to reflect advances in the literature on research, learning, and assessment, the book describes the role of both disciplines and interdisciplinarity within the academy, and how these have evolved. Authors Allen F. Repko, Rick Szostak, and Michelle Phillips Buchberger effectively show students how to think like interdisciplinarians in order to facilitate their working with topics, complex problems, or themes that span multiple disciplines. 

New to the Third Edition are guiding questions at the start of each chapter, a discussion of the public policy issue of "basic income" as an example at the end of each chapter, application of interdisciplinary techniques in daily life, enhanced discussion of ethical decision-making, and updated examples and references throughout.

FREE SAGE edge online resources gives instructors and students the edge they need to succeed with an array of teaching and learning tools in one easy-to-navigate website.  Learn more.
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
PART I • UNDERSTANDING INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
 
Chapter 1 • Interdisciplinary Studies in the Real World
Why Interdisciplinary Studies Matters

 
What Is Driving Interdisciplinary Studies Today?

 
The Academic Benefits of Pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies Degree

 
Interdisciplinary Studies and Your Career Development

 
A Threaded Example: Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 2 • The Rise of the Modern Disciplines and Interdisciplinarity
Why the Past Matters

 
The Rise of the Modern Disciplines

 
The Rise of Interdisciplinarity

 
Interdisciplinarity’s Criticism of the Disciplines

 
Revisiting the Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 3 • Interdisciplinary Studies Defined
Why Definitions Matter

 
Defining Interdisciplinary Studies

 
Differences Between Disciplinarity, Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinarity, and Transdisciplinarity

 
Two Conceptions of Interdisciplinarity

 
Useful Metaphors of Interdisciplinary Studies

 
Basic Income Revisited

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 4 • The Interdisciplinary Studies “Cognitive Toolkit”
How She Did It

 
Intellectual Capacities

 
Values

 
Traits

 
Skills

 
Ethical Analysis

 
Ways to Apply Your Interdisciplinary “Toolkit”

 
Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 5 • Academic Disciplines
Disciplines and Disciplinarity Defined

 
The Epistemic, Social, and Organizational Dimensions of Disciplines

 
The Concept of Disciplinary Perspective

 
The Defining Elements of a Discipline

 
Typical Methods

 
Disciplinary Perspective and Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 6 • The “DNA” of Interdisciplinary Studies
Assumptions of Interdisciplinary Studies

 
Theories Supportive of Interdisciplinary Studies

 
Epistemology of Interdisciplinary Studies

 
How Interdisciplinary Studies “Sees”

 
Reflections on Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
PART II • THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
 
Chapter 7 • Thinking Critically About Disciplinary Perspectives
What It Means to Think Critically About Disciplinary Perspectives

 
Developing a Sophisticated Conception of Knowledge

 
Why Interrogate Disciplinary Perspectives (or Practice Critical Pluralism)

 
How Interdisciplinarians Interrogate Disciplinary Perspectives

 
Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Scenario

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 8 • Thinking Critically About Disciplinary Insights
Critical Thinking Attitudes

 
Categories of Statements

 
Critically Analyzing Disciplinary Insights

 
Critical Thinking About Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 9 • Thinking Critically About Integration and Its Results
Approaches to Interdisciplinary Integration

 
The Broad Model Approach to Integration

 
Strategies for Integration

 
The Result of Integration

 
Reflecting on What Was Achieved

 
Integration and Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Scenario

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
PART III • INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND WRITING
 
Chapter 10 • An Interdisciplinary Research “Road Map”
The Power and Usefulness of Research

 
Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research

 
The Broad Model of the Interdisciplinary Research Process

 
STEP 1: Define the Problem or State the Research Question

 
Some Useful Group Exercises

 
STEP 2: Justify Using an Interdisciplinary Approach

 
Researching a Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Applications and Exercises

 
 
Chapter 11 • Identifying Relevant Disciplines and Gathering Information About the Problem
STEP 3: Identify Relevant Disciplines

 
STEP 4: Conduct a Literature Search

 
The Broad Model Rubric Applied to STEPS 3 and 4

 
Investigating Basic Income

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
Critical Thinking Scenario

 
Peer Evaluation and Edit Activity

 
 
Chapter 12 • Analyzing Insights and Reflecting on Process
STEP 5: Critically Analyze the Disciplinary Insights Into the Problem

 
STEP 6: Reflect on How an Interdisciplinary Approach Has Enlarged Your Understanding of the Problem

 
Basic Income Revisited

 
Conclusion

 
Critical Thinking Questions

 
 
Appendixes
Appendix A: Intellectual Autobiography

 
Appendix B: Student Portfolios and Blogging

 
Appendix C: Service Learning, Internships, and Alternative Projects for Nontraditional Students

 
Appendix D: The Broad Model Rubric: Instructor Version and Sample Student Outline

 
Appendix E: Answer Key

 
 
Glossary of Key Terms
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Student Study Site
SAGE edge for students enhances learning, it’s easy to use, and offers:
  • an open-access site that makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime;
  • eFlashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts;
  • eQuizzes that allow students to practice and assess how much they’ve learned and where they need to focus their attention; and
  • case studies from SAGE Research Methods tying important research to chapter concepts to strengthen learning.
Instructor Teaching Site
COMING SOON FOR FALL 2020 CLASSES: A test bank with a variety of question types to accompany this book. Check the website at: https://edge.sagepub.com/repkointrois3e in July.

SAGE edge for instructors
supports your teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students with:
  • a password-protected site for complete and protected access to all text-specific instructor resources;  
  • editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides that offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course;
  • exclusive access to full-text, influential case studies from SAGE Research Methods, which have been carefully selected to tie important research and scholarship to chapter concepts; and
  • figures and tables taken from the manuscript. 

Written clearly and concisely, this book should be welcomed by instructors and students alike.  Filled with “real world” examples on most every page, this user-friendly book is the blueprint for understanding interdisciplinary research.  

Michael Rubinoff
Arizona State University
Review

The new edition continues to offer the most comprehensive foundation for understanding key concepts in interdisciplinary studies with both a scholarly and practical approach. Students also have opportunities to build their own ‘cognitive toolkits’ through applications and exercises. A welcome addition includes a threaded example demonstrating interdisciplinary thinking in action. 

Rhonda Davis
Northern Kentucky University
Review

This textbook is a great guidance tool for teaching the value of interdisciplinary scholarship and a method for the integration of disciplines, perspectives and ideas.  The text is useful for instructors and students in finding a pedagogical plan toward interdisciplinary study and research.  The third edition offers improved clarity and examples to important sections. It provides a deeper explanation of the history and ethics applied to interdisciplinary analysis.  

Lisa Turner de Vera
Florida State University
review

The third edition has clear language, well-constructed figures, and photographs. The textbook provides excellent cases, research, and examples for student learning that will garner student interest and engagement, particularly the discussion on basic income in each chapter.  The variety of application exercises and discussion prompts not only give students the opportunity to practice critical thinking, self-reflection, and improve their metacognitive skills but also allow for flexibility for the instructor. 

Sylvia Rogers
Auburn University
Review

Repko, Szostak, and Buchberger have revised Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies in such a way that makes this text so much more meaningful and useful for the professor and the student.  The end of chapter critical thinking and application exercises were a highlight of the previous text, but the new revised edition even adds more ideas and application scenarios that are extremely thought provoking.  As one introductory interdisciplinary student exclaimed last semester, “Why isn’t all of education like this?” 

Lorene Heuvelman-Hutchinson
North Greenville University
review

For instructors

Purchasing options

Please select a format:

ISBN: 9781544379401
£109.00