Debate

Interdisciplinary research: putting the methods under the microscope

David W Robertson¹ , Douglas K Martin² and Peter A Singer³

¹  Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1, Canada

²  Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, and the Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L4, Canada

³  Joint Centre for Bioethics; Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1, Canada

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2003, 3:20doi:10.1186/1471-2288-3-20

Published:	19 October 2003

Abstract

Background

While the desirability of interdisciplinary inquiry has been widely acknowledged, indeed has become 'the mantra of science policy', the methods of interdisciplinary collaboration are opaque to outsiders and generally remain undescribed.

Discussion

Many have analysed interdisciplinarity, especially in relation to the creation of new disciplines and institutions. These analyses are briefly outlined. Still, there currently persists a silence about the methods of interdisciplinary collaboration itself, and the core of this paper proposes a template for such methods.

Summary

Breaking this silence – by making the methods of interdisciplinary projects transparent – could further invigorate interdisciplinary research.