THEORY GROWTH IN INFORMATION-SCIENCE - APPLICATIONS OF THE THEORY OF SCIENCE TO A THEORY OF INFORMATION-SEEKING

The aim of the study is to analyse theory growth in information scienc e by using a case from information seeking studies. Scientific growth is identified with the growth of theories. Three contexts of theoretic al work are differentiated: unit theories, theoretical research progra mmes and metatheories. For analysis of theory growth tools based on th e current theory of science are needed. The study introduces tools for the analysis of theory growth and theory reconstruction and applies t hem to analysis of a theory on information seeking. Tools include the systematisation and formalisation of theories. The usefulness of these tools is illustrated by reconstructing a theory used in a current inf ormation seeking study. It is shown that they help in specifying the t heory in the following ways: 1. in stating the central concepts and th eir relations; 2. in revealing implicit restrictions of the theory; an d 3. in facilitating the derivation of additional hypotheses from the theory's axioms, especially by showing the mechanisms which interconne ct the concepts of the theory. The results of reconstruction, specific ation and enrichment of the theory show future prospects for developin g it and thus it creates potential growth of knowledge within the theo ry of information seeking.