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There has been much interest expressed in the formation of a clearinghouse for scientific and technical meetings. In spite of this interest, no clearinghouse has been formed. Whether or not there is a valid need for the existence of such a clearinghouse has not been proven, but in this paper it is assumed that the need exists. Discussion of the organizational and operational problems involved follows. These problems include: (a) definition of area and level of coverage of the subject matter of any given meeting; (b) definition of the geographic area from which the meeting will draw its attendance; (c) definition of the area of interest of the clearinghouse in the face of difficulties imposed by mission-or project-oriented meetings and other interdisciplinary meetings; (d) attaining comprehensive coverage in spite of the difficulties in obtaining inputs from the organizers of government classified and other closed meetings, as well as from the organizers of ad hoc meetings; and (e) the need to ensure that the organizers of meetings will make use of the clearinghouse. Solutions to these problems will not yield to a simple approach, but will be obtainable only on the basis of careful study of the structure and dynamics of the national and international scientific and technical meetings network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last two decades there have many advocates for interdisciplinary work between the fields of history and sociology. Despite favorable arguments (listing the advantages of collaboration) and the founding of committees and journals (aimed at aiding or initiating cooperation) a number of writers have noted the aloofness of both fields and the lack of any real commitment to interdisciplinary work. But with an increasing interest in the study of family history over the last decade by both historians and sociologists there does seem to be an opportunity, and to some degree a necessity, for an interdisciplinary effort between these two fields. The focus here is upon one area of family history that has recently received much attention from both fields- the colonial American family. Both disciplines are involved in a restoration of the colonial family which, in the process, is providing the beginnings of an interdisciplinary effort. The presentation of the results produced up to this point and the problems arising in the restoration process are reviewed with the expectation of stimulating further comparable research and collaboration. A growing knowledge and appreciation of the works, concepts, and techniques of both fields should enable meaningful efforts in the future between the two disciplines. The result will be, for this particular area of study, a more precise image and better understanding of the colonial family system. This should eventually lead to a clearer understanding of familial change and societal change, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two trends, the growth of interdisciplinary research and the proliferation of machine-readable data bases, require that new techniques and tools be applied to facilitate use of scientific and medical literature in support of research. In order to permit systematic searching of multiple data bases to satisfy requests in interdisciplinary areas, a mapping of a portion of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to three other controlled vocabularies has been constructed. A description of the development of the mapping is followed by details of a preliminary test of its effectiveness based on searches in the subject areas of applications of physics and engineering in medicine. The test shows: (1) Index Medicus provides an average of 81% of the citations retrieved in searches using more than one source; (2) in some subject areas use of the mapping does allow an increase in the number of items retrieved, but with a loss in precision. Limitations of the mapping revealed by the test suggest possible alternative applications of the mapping in controlled vocabulary development and in on-line searching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a model for interdisciplinary research. Advantages of the model; Analysis of the problems in the application of the model to manpower planning; Emphasis on an investigation of the maritime industry in Israel.

Examines the importance of interdisciplinary society for research in child development. Role of child psychologists in the field; Concern for the decreasing attention given to child development; Approaches in attempts to concentrate on the whole child analysis.

In the last twenty-five years economists and sociologists have shown growing interest in the interrelationships within the family business management situation by pertinent research and extension activities, especially those dealing with family farms. Awareness of the significance of the farm family to the farm business has also been developing in the agricultural sector of the business community. This article takes stock of progress made in understanding farm-home interrelationships in decision-making and proposes an interdisciplinary approach for basic research on both the events of decision-making and acting upon the decisions. This investigation also has significance for decision-making and action in non-farm family business situations. To be specific, the principal objectives here are (a) to review and evaluate extension and research activities in farm and home interrelationships, (b) to introduce the reader to some literature in the other social sciences which may make economic research on the events of farm-home decision-making and action conceptually and empirically more fruitful and extension work more useful, and (c) to outline the steps of a proposed program of basic research. Hopefully the article will provoke professional discussion of the potentials of interdisciplinary research.

This article focuses on the role of the editor in interdisciplinary research. Interdisciplinary research was born the hybrid child of technical specialization and scientific cooperation. The concept of interdisciplinary research again makes possible a focal point for a multiplicity of scientific and sociological approaches to the complicated problems of modern research. The rather special job of the editor in this situation, then, is one of coordination of ideas, materials, and communicative techniques. Like any other editor, he must know about commas, semantics, and grammar.