CITATION AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
Cite as: Dervin, B. (1997). Given a context by any other name: Methodological tools for taming the unruly beast. In P. Vakkari, R. Savolainen, & B. Dervin (Eds.), Information seeking in context (pp. 13-38). London: Taylor Graham. Reprinted in: B. Dervin & L. Foreman-Wernet (with E. Lauterbach) (Eds.). (2003). Sense-Making Methodology reader: Selected writings of Brenda Dervin (pp. 111-132). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
© Hampton Press and Brenda Dervin (2003), reprinted by permission of Taylor Graham Publishing (1997).

BOOK PURCHASE:
To purchase a copy of this book, visit www.amazon.com, or contact Hampton Press at (800) 894-8955.

ABSTRACT:
In this paper Dervin offers a conceptual state-of-the-art-review of the term “context” drawing on social science treatments of the term, particularly from communication scholars drawing on three traditions—hermeneutics and text analysis; pragmatics and systems theory; and contextual psychology. Dervin draws from her review common themes and contested themes, and then elaborates methodological implications particularly for the study of information seeking and use. The article is central to understanding the ways in which Dervin has charted the metatheory and methods of Sense-Making Methodology.

TO OBTAIN FULL TEXT:
You may request access to the full text URL by completing this form. (This will open a new window.)

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