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The invisible substrate of information science

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  • Marcia J. Bates

Abstract

The explicit, above‐the‐water‐line paradigm of information science is well known and widely discussed. Every disciplinary paradigm, however, contains elements that are less conscious and explicit in the thinking of its practitioners. The purpose of this article is to elucidate key elements of the below‐the‐water‐line portion of the information science paradigm. Particular emphasis is given to information science's role as a meta‐science—conducting research and developing theory around the documentary products of other disciplines and activities. The mental activities of the professional practice of the field are seen to center around representation and organization of information rather than knowing information. It is argued that such representation engages fundamentally different talents and skills from those required in other professions and intellectual disciplines. Methodological approaches and values of information science are also considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcia J. Bates, 1999. "The invisible substrate of information science," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 50(12), pages 1043-1050.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jamest:v:50:y:1999:i:12:p:1043-1050
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(1999)50:123.0.CO;2-X
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Mirel & Jennifer Steiner Tonks & Jean Song & Fan Meng & Weijian Xuan & Rafiqa Ameziane, 2013. "Studying PubMed usages in the field for complex problem solving: Implications for tool design," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(5), pages 874-892, May.
    2. Bentivoglio, Deborah & Bucci, Giorgia & Belletti, Matteo & Finco, Adele, 2022. "A theoretical framework on network’s dynamics for precision agriculture technologies adoption," Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural (RESR), Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural, vol. 60(4), January.
    3. Jenny Bossaller & Anthony J. Million, 2023. "The research data life cycle, legacy data, and dilemmas in research data management," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(6), pages 701-706, June.
    4. Dana Rotman & Kezia Procita & Derek Hansen & Cynthia Sims Parr & Jennifer Preece, 2012. "Supporting content curation communities: The case of the Encyclopedia of Life," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 63(6), pages 1092-1107, June.
    5. Sylvain K Cibangu, 2018. "Misunderstandings of Capability Approach: Towards Paradigm Pluralism," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 9(2), pages 54-72.
    6. Staša Milojević & Cassidy R. Sugimoto & Erjia Yan & Ying Ding, 2011. "The cognitive structure of Library and Information Science: Analysis of article title words," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(10), pages 1933-1953, October.
    7. Kebede, Gashaw, 2010. "Knowledge management: An information science perspective," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 416-424.
    8. Adam Worrall & Alicia Cappello & Rachel Osolen, 2021. "The importance of socio‐emotional considerations in online communities, social informatics, and information science," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(10), pages 1247-1260, October.
    9. Williams, Susan P. & Scifleet, Paul A. & Hardy, Catherine A., 2006. "Online business reporting: An information management perspective," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 91-101.
    10. Raphaël Gellert, 2022. "Comparing definitions of data and information in data protection law and machine learning: A useful way forward to meaningfully regulate algorithms?," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(1), pages 156-176, January.
    11. Cristóbal Urbano & Jordi Ardanuy, 2020. "Cross-disciplinary collaboration versus coexistence in LIS serials: analysis of authorship affiliations in four European countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 575-602, July.
    12. Vanessa L. Kitzie & Travis L. Wagner & Valerie Lookingbill & Nicolas Vera, 2022. "Advancing information practices theoretical discourses centered on marginality, community, and embodiment: Learning from the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and as," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(4), pages 494-510, April.
    13. Daniel Carter & Amelia Acker & Dan Sholler, 2021. "Investigative approaches to researching information technology companies," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(6), pages 655-666, June.
    14. Isto Huvila & Heidi Enwald & Kristina Eriksson‐Backa & Ying‐Hsang Liu & Noora Hirvonen, 2022. "Information behavior and practices research informing information systems design," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(7), pages 1043-1057, July.
    15. Bryce Clayton Newell, 2023. "Surveillance as information practice," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(4), pages 444-460, April.
    16. Michael B. Twidale & David M. Nichols & Christopher P. Lueg, 2021. "Everyone everywhere: A distributed and embedded paradigm for usability," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(10), pages 1272-1284, October.
    17. Isto Huvila, 2022. "Making and taking information," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(4), pages 528-541, April.
    18. Marcia J. Bates, 2021. "Search foundations: Toward a science of technology‐mediated experience. Sachi Arafat and Elham Ashoori. Boston, MA: MIT Press, 2019. 448, pp. $65.00 (hardback). (ISBN 9780262038591)," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(3), pages 377-383, March.
    19. Nicole A. Cooke & Vanessa L. Kitzie, 2021. "Outsiders‐within‐Library and Information Science: Reprioritizing the marginalized in critical sociocultural work," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(10), pages 1285-1294, October.
    20. Yan Zhang & Jiaying Liu & Shijie Song, 2023. "The design and evaluation of a nudge‐based interface to facilitate consumers' evaluation of online health information credibility," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(7), pages 828-845, July.
    21. Carlos G. Figuerola & Francisco Javier García Marco & María Pinto, 2017. "Mapping the evolution of library and information science (1978–2014) using topic modeling on LISA," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(3), pages 1507-1535, September.
    22. Tami Oliphant, 2021. "Emerging (information) realities and epistemic injustice," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(8), pages 951-962, August.
    23. Rong Tang & Bharat Mehra & Jia Tina Du & Yuxiang (Chris) Zhao, 2021. "Framing a discussion on paradigm shift(s) in the field of information," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(2), pages 253-258, February.

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