Tracing the interdisciplinarity and the evolution of information science through a study of the Journal of the Association of Information Science and Technology (JASIS&T) and iConference proceedings

Abstract

Interdisciplinary academic fields are challenging to understand and manage due to their complexity and dynamic nature. The composition of academic programs, curricula, and faculty in these fields varies significantly across institutions and within academic and research communities. Text analysis of the Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology (JASIS&T) and the iConference Proceedings over a sixteen-year period provides evidence of shifting topics and communities within information science. Understanding these changes in an interdisciplinary field helps clarify its identity, which, in turn, supports knowledge production and the administration of academic programs and research