Interdisciplinary Research

• Research is a complex process. It does not proceed in a linear fashion, but rather is a cumulative endeavor. Interdisciplinary research adds another wrinkle because it demands familiarity with the common vocabulary, basic questions that guide inquiry, and strategies of interpretation of two or more different academic fields.

• Interdisciplinary research takes TIME. You need a great deal of time to digest, reflect on, and synthesize pieces of knowledge from diverse sources. Ten hours of thoughtful effort over a month will yield a better paper than ten hours of frantic effort the night before the paper is due.

• Set careful parameters for your project, and reconsider these parameters frequently. Information overload is a concern in interdisciplinary research. If you feel that you are drowning in a vast sea of information, make an appointment with your professor to discuss ways in which you might refocus your research and/or ask a librarian for suggestions on ways to narrow your search strategy.

• Keep careful records of your research journey: write down complete bibliographic information for the sources you find; record your discovery path so that you can retrace your steps if needed; and note what keywords and subject headings you have used in your searches and which databases you have utilized.

• Develop the cognitive flexibility to appreciate nuances and handle ambiguities. The end product of research--the written paper--is your chance to contribute to the world of ideas and knowledge!