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Examining interdisciplinarity of library and information science (LIS) based on LIS articles contributed by non-LIS authors

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  • Yu-Wei Chang

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

Abstract

This study investigated the external contributors of library and information science (LIS) knowledge who were unaffiliated with LIS-related institutions but published their research results in LIS journals. Differences between the contributors to library science (LS) and contributors to information science (IS) were considered. Articles published in 39 strongly LIS-oriented journals indexed in the Web of Science database between 2005 and 2014 were analyzed. The results demonstrated that 46.5% of the LIS articles were written by at least one non-LIS author; authors’ backgrounds ranged across 29 disciplines. An increasing trend was observed in degrees of interdisciplinarity of LS and IS. An increase in proportion of articles by LIS and non-LIS authors was identified in LS and IS as well. Those with medical backgrounds were the primary non-LIS authors contributing to the LS field and collaborated the most frequently with LIS authors. Those with computer science backgrounds were the most prevalent non-LIS contributors to the IS field and preferred to publish individually. A critical difference was also identified in research topics between LS and IS. The foundations of LIS and scientometrics were the largest research topics in LS and IS, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu-Wei Chang, 2018. "Examining interdisciplinarity of library and information science (LIS) based on LIS articles contributed by non-LIS authors," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 1589-1613, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:116:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-018-2822-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2822-7
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    Cited by:

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    3. Pertti Vakkari & Yu‐Wei Chang & Kalervo Järvelin, 2022. "Disciplinary contributions to research topics and methodology in Library and Information Science—Leading to fragmentation?," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(12), pages 1706-1722, December.
    4. Pertti Vakkari & Kalervo Järvelin & Yu‐Wei Chang, 2023. "The association of disciplinary background with the evolution of topics and methods in Library and Information Science research 1995–2015," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(7), pages 811-827, July.
    5. Zhao, Yi & Liu, Lifan & Zhang, Chengzhi, 2022. "Is coronavirus-related research becoming more interdisciplinary? A perspective of co-occurrence analysis and diversity measure of scientific articles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    6. Yu-Wei Chang, 2021. "Characteristics of high research performance authors in the field of library and information science and those of their articles," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(4), pages 3373-3391, April.
    7. Pertti Vakkari & Yu-Wei Chang & Kalervo Järvelin, 2022. "Largest contribution to LIS by external disciplines as measured by the characteristics of research articles," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(8), pages 4499-4522, August.
    8. Yu-Wei Chang, 2019. "Are articles in library and information science (LIS) journals primarily contributed to by LIS authors?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(1), pages 81-104, October.
    9. Maja Jokić, 2020. "Productivity, visibility, authorship, and collaboration in library and information science journals: Central and Eastern European authors," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(2), pages 1189-1219, February.

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