Conceptual aspects of transdisciplinarity and the research in Information Science RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE

Abstract

This article presents the conceptual evolution of the transdisciplinary approach and basic ideas about the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary terms. It is based on doctoral research, whose main objective was examine research developed in the Information Science those counted with the involvement of more than one discipline. The conceptual framework composition used in the analysis was formed by the thoughts of contemporary authors from different areas. The results allowed drawing a profile of research in relation to the use of the mentioned approaches, concluding that different forms and levels of interactions are found in research in Information Science, being the multidisciplinary approach the most common. Concludes, in relation to the aspects presented here, that the concepts have suffered significant change, which has caused extensive discussions and changes in their meanings. The degree of interaction to conduct transdisciplinary research requires more attention when the term is cited, avoiding consider it as a new term to replace the interdisciplinary. The conceptual changes observed result in the need for a reevaluation and updating, especially in the context of information science, about what would be an inter, multi, or transdisciplinary area, in accordance to the directions acquired by the terms along its evolution.