Interdisciplinary research
Interdisciplinary research draws rigorously on discipline-specific ways of knowing—established knowledge claims, methods, approaches to inquiry and forms of communication—to inform a new understanding.
In conducting independent interdisciplinary research, you will:
Interdisciplinary research values the process of learning, as well as its results. The process will see you involved in:
*Local is defined in its widest sense to mean specific examples or case studies and does not necessarily imply that the focus must be geographically local for the student.
You will begin the interdisciplinary research process with your own initial beliefs about their chosen topics. As you gather findings, consider theories and make connections, you will revise and enrich your initial views. This change in understanding will be captured through the process of building a Researcher's reflection space and the Reflections on planning and progress Form.
In conducting independent interdisciplinary research, you will:
- explore problems, ideas and issues from the perspective of two IB subject areas
- build the inquiry skills necessary for conducting rigorous and age-appropriate research
- exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognise, frame and approach complex problems of global significance.
Interdisciplinary research values the process of learning, as well as its results. The process will see you involved in:
- identifying a topic of personal, local* and global significance
- framing a researchable question
- identifying the sources of expertise and disciplinary perspectives to further their understanding of the topic
- gathering relevant information, ideas and tools in such disciplines
- defining a research approach or method
- synthesising the different perspectives to advance their own interpretation or explanation of, or solution to, the problem under study
- crafting the essay and reflecting on their work, its significance, limitations and possibilities.
*Local is defined in its widest sense to mean specific examples or case studies and does not necessarily imply that the focus must be geographically local for the student.
You will begin the interdisciplinary research process with your own initial beliefs about their chosen topics. As you gather findings, consider theories and make connections, you will revise and enrich your initial views. This change in understanding will be captured through the process of building a Researcher's reflection space and the Reflections on planning and progress Form.
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
There are three stages in the research process: inquiry, action and reflection.
STAGE 1: INQUIRY During this stage, you will collect information from a range of sources to help formulate the research question. This may involve talking to people as well as reading. Literature review or secondary research As part of your inquiry, students should try to read as much as they can of what has already been written about their topic. This is called a “literature review” or “secondary research” (as opposed to carrying out their own “primary” research). |
Secondary sources may include:
Students must be sure that their sources are both relevant and reliable. They must consider the credibility of the publication, organisation and author as well as the source’s date. They should be aware that search engines themselves may be biased in the sources they suggest. |
This secondary research helps the student to refine their research question and begin to answer it. It also helps the student to:
The below document offers some suggestions of where to find academic sources.
- identify additional sources to investigate
- gain an insight into what methods earlier researchers used
- consider new aspects of the topic that were outcomes from previous research
- gain an overview of questions that were asked in past interviews and surveys.
- The findings from this reading can stimulate new and creative approaches to further research.
The below document offers some suggestions of where to find academic sources.
good_sources_of_information_ee.pdf | |
File Size: | 228 kb |
File Type: |
STAGE 2: ACTION
In the next phase, you will formulate your research question and undertake further research to answer it. This may be further secondary research or your own primary research.
Primary research
Carrying out primary research means collecting your own data. Taking into consideration your findings from the secondary research, you will need to gather additional information that you have identified as required to help you answer your research question.
Primary research techniques include:
In the next phase, you will formulate your research question and undertake further research to answer it. This may be further secondary research or your own primary research.
Primary research
Carrying out primary research means collecting your own data. Taking into consideration your findings from the secondary research, you will need to gather additional information that you have identified as required to help you answer your research question.
Primary research techniques include:
- extracting information from original documents
- interviewing experts
- conducting formal surveys
- gathering information by other methods from primary sources.
STAGE 3: REFLECTION
Whether you are undertaking primary or secondary research, or a combination, reflection is key. Through reflection you should:
Whether you are undertaking primary or secondary research, or a combination, reflection is key. Through reflection you should:
- evaluate their findings
- formulate a reasoned argument that answers the research question.
Creating an annotated bibliography
An annotated bibliography provides a concise summary of each source and some assessment of its value and relevance. It is excellent preparation for carrying out independent research.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY - ITS FUNCTION
The process is not just a matter of listing possible sources. It also requires you to think critically. They must consider the sources in terms of:
A good annotated bibliography will:
HOW TO COMPILE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Generally, an annotated bibliography consists of:
A summary should include:
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY - ITS FUNCTION
The process is not just a matter of listing possible sources. It also requires you to think critically. They must consider the sources in terms of:
- what has already been written about their chosen topic and
- how your own research will fit into this.
A good annotated bibliography will:
- allow you to keep track of your reading
- encourage you to think critically about the sources you are using in relation to your own research area
- allow you, quite early on in the process, to become aware of possible concerns about using certain sources
- help you determine whether a source is of use to you in your research
- help you to justify your use of particular sources, both to your supervisor and to the examiner
- help you with the planning of your research, and ultimately save you time
- enable you to develop your critical-thinking skills in selecting and evaluating source material.
HOW TO COMPILE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Generally, an annotated bibliography consists of:
- the bibliographic information
- the annotations (a concise summary of the source).
- The annotations will vary in length depending on whether the you are writing a summary of the source or analysing it.
A summary should include:
- a concise summary of the content and theme(s) of the source
- a comment on the authority of the author
- a comment on the purpose of the source
- a comment on how this source might be useful.
AREA |
INFORMATION |
Bibliographic information |
Bourgois, P. 1995. In search of respect: selling crack in El Barrio. New York, NY, USA. Cambridge University Press. |
Content/theme(s) |
Ethnographic study of social marginalisation in East Harlem. A focus on the economics of exclusion and the realities of life for low-level drug dealers within a community. |
Author’s authority |
Professor of anthropology who spent several years undertaking fieldwork with the community he was researching. |
Purpose |
An ethnographic insight into the microeconomics of low-level drug dealing in an urban environment, paying particular attention to issues around the rise of poverty in urban areas, and the politics and economics of exclusion. |
Usefulness |
Insight and access to the life of a group of marginalised people—a difficult undertaking. Insight into the ethnographic method in practice, in terms of the challenges, rewards and ethical considerations. Critical look at the role of the observer and the need for reflexivity. |
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Research practices when working on an extended essay must reflect the principles of academic honesty. The essay must provide the reader with the precise sources of quotations, ideas and points of view through accurate citations, which may be in-text or footnotes, and full references listed in the bibliography, which, regardless of the system used, must ensure the minimum requirements.
Producing accurate references and a bibliography is a skill that you should be seeking to refine as part of the extended essay writing process. Documenting the research in this way is vital: it allows readers to evaluate the evidence for themselves, and it shows your understanding of the importance of the sources used.
Failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as academic misconduct and will, therefore, be treated as a potential breach of IB regulations.There are several IB publications that address how to correctly cite and reference sources and also what constitutes academic honesty.
Producing accurate references and a bibliography is a skill that you should be seeking to refine as part of the extended essay writing process. Documenting the research in this way is vital: it allows readers to evaluate the evidence for themselves, and it shows your understanding of the importance of the sources used.
Failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as academic misconduct and will, therefore, be treated as a potential breach of IB regulations.There are several IB publications that address how to correctly cite and reference sources and also what constitutes academic honesty.
Conducting primary research
After the literature review or secondary research is completed, you must analyse your findings and:
You must choose a method or methods that are appropriate to the research question and commonly used in the particular Diploma Programme subject.
Possible data collection methods include:
INVESTIGATIONS
Types of investigation include:
INTERVIEWS
Interviews may be conducted:
Face-to-face interviews have the advantage of allowing the interviewer to ask follow-up questions during the interview.
Successful interviews require careful preparation, including:
Another consideration is how to record the response. You must ask the permission of the interviewee if they wish to use any audio-visual equipment during an interview.
Please note that electronic submissions are not acceptable, and so an example of a transcript will need to be attached in the appendix.
SURVEYS
Surveys can be carried out:
Successful surveys require:
Quantitative vs qualitative data
To collect quantitative data the survey must ask closed or multiple-choice questions. These:
To collect qualitative data, the survey must ask open-ended questions, which allow the respondents to write their own answer.
Sample size and selection
When collecting data from groups of people, you must make certain that:
- determine to what extent you answer the research question
- find agreement between authors
- find disagreement, where the evidence reveals differences in points of view or findings.
You must choose a method or methods that are appropriate to the research question and commonly used in the particular Diploma Programme subject.
Possible data collection methods include:
- investigations
- interviews
- surveys.
- the methods used
- the persons involved
- how and why these were selected
- the relevant results
- any limitations and biases that may have influenced the results.
INVESTIGATIONS
Types of investigation include:
- examining original sources, for example:
- maps
- photographs
- historical documents
- company policies
- laws
- original art.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews may be conducted:
- face-to-face
- by email
- by phone
- by online chat.
Face-to-face interviews have the advantage of allowing the interviewer to ask follow-up questions during the interview.
Successful interviews require careful preparation, including:
- developing questions related to the research question and the findings from secondary research
- trialling the questions before the actual interview
- deciding on the best methodology for conducting and recording the interview
- making the purpose and use of the data collected well known in advance
- in some cases, providing the interviewee with the questions in advance
- assuring the anonymity of the interviewee if requested.
Another consideration is how to record the response. You must ask the permission of the interviewee if they wish to use any audio-visual equipment during an interview.
Please note that electronic submissions are not acceptable, and so an example of a transcript will need to be attached in the appendix.
SURVEYS
Surveys can be carried out:
- using a printed form distributed to a defined group of people under controlled conditions
- online.
Successful surveys require:
- knowing from the secondary research what areas need to be investigated
- formulating well-stated questions that yield data that can be analysed
- trialling the questions before conducting the survey—this is called a pilot study
- assuring anonymity as requested by the participants
- conducting the survey and collecting the data in a well-defined manner.
Quantitative vs qualitative data
To collect quantitative data the survey must ask closed or multiple-choice questions. These:
- have a limited number of responses or
- have scale choices or
- require the respondent to prioritise items.
To collect qualitative data, the survey must ask open-ended questions, which allow the respondents to write their own answer.
Sample size and selection
When collecting data from groups of people, you must make certain that:
- the sample is large enough to generate meaningful data
- it is clear how and why you selected the participants.
PRoblems encountered by WSEE students during their research
The problems are listed in relation to the relevant assessment criteria. This list is not exhaustive.
Criterion A: Focus and method
Common stumbling blocks
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding
Common stumbling blocks
Criterion C: Critical thinking
Common stumbling blocks
Criterion A: Focus and method
Common stumbling blocks
- The research question is not appropriate for an interdisciplinary investigation. It is:
- descriptive rather than analytical
- too broad
- too narrow, or expresses a foregone conclusion.
- The student presents the research question as a fact-gathering exercise rather than as a question framing a problem of inquiry.
- It is unclear why this is relevant to the subject in which it is registered.
- It is unclear why an interdisciplinary approach is necessary.
- Sources are too narrowly focused or too broad in range in relation to the research question posed.
- The methodological approach is presented mechanistically (“I will use interviews and surveys”) rather than a reasoned strategy for gathering relevant information or data collection (“While semi-structured interviews will allow me to understand the villagers’ perspectives and beliefs, a survey of adults in the community will enable me to see how widespread such beliefs are in the village”).
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding
Common stumbling blocks
- The student has difficulty putting the area of research or research question in context; a general background is given rather than setting up an argument or explanation.
- There is a tendency towards sweeping, broad strokes rather than deep understanding of the subject or area of research. The commentary is general and relies on common-sense observations.
- The use and interpretation of sources is simplistic.
Criterion C: Critical thinking
Common stumbling blocks
- There is a tendency towards narrative as opposed to a presentation and critical discussion of research and findings.
- The research/findings are not discussed in relation to the research question.
- Integration is unclear or superficial. There is a tendency to juxtapose the two disciplines.
- There is little critical analysis of the sources used.
- There is a tendency to list factors rather than assessing their relative importance.
- The student inappropriately uses categorical language to assert firm conclusions when it might be better to be more tentative.
- The student summarizes findings, without attempting to draw all the ideas together into an insightful explanation or argument.