On the Evolution of Library and Information Science Doctoral Dissertation Topics in North America (1960–2013)

Abstract

Since the 1960s, many scholars have questioned the relationship between library science and information science. This paper investigates LIS doctoral dissertations in terms of their topics and interdisciplinarity in the period 1960–2013. Results show that LIS is an interdisciplinary field in which library science and information science are intimately related. The study shows that Information Science has surpassed Library Science to become the dominant research topic in LIS. It also shows that the academic background of doctoral advisors affects the interdisciplinarity of their student’s doctoral dissertations.