CITATION AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
Cite as: Dervin, B. (1983, May). An overview of Sense-Making research: Concepts, methods, and results to date. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Dallas, TX.
© Brenda Dervin (1983 & 2002).

EXPLANATION AND CAUTION:
This 1983 presentation of the Sense-Making Methodology is now out of date. Many additional features have been developed since 1983 and important changes in descriptive terms and foundational concepts have been introduced. This 1983 paper is still foundational, however, and is thus a useful reading for those interested in the Methodology. Page #s from the original paper have been indicated in the online file to facilitate citation. The paper as presented here is exactly as delivered in 1983 except for:

• Use of the label Sense-Making Methodology instead of sense-making to designate the approach. The change was introduced in the mid-90s to distinguish this explicit Methodology from a variety of uses of the term sense-making in both social sciences and humanities discourses which mandate attention to sense-making as a phenomenal focus for research. As presented here, Sense-Making Methodology is a methodology developed explicitly to implement that mandate.
• The first paragraph of the paper and footnote #1 have been changed to accurately reflect where readers can go for additional information as of 2002.

ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the Sense-Making approach to research—its assumptions, methods, and results to date (circa 1983). The paper includes sections on: Sense-Making’s roots, core conceptual premises, the Sense-Making model, methods of data collection, Sense-Making variables, practice inventions, and the Methodology’s research agenda. Also included are a series of appendices that present examples, overviews, and discussions of the impact of Sense-Making’s interview style. Despite the thorough nature of this paper, however, no attempt is made to fully document all studies done using the Sense-Making approach or the extensive literature reviews on which development of the approach has been based.

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OTHER MATERIALS BY THIS AUTHOR ON THIS WEB SITE:
See:  http://communication.sbs.ohio-state.edu/sense-making/AAauthors/authorlistdervin.html