INTERDISCIPLINARY QUESTION GENERATION - SYNTHESIS AND VALIDITY ANALYSIS OF THE 1993-1997 BOVINE MASTITIS-RELATED LITERATURE

Interdisciplinary synthesis and validity analysis (ISVA), a structured learning approach which integrates teaming and communication theories , mete-analytic evaluation methods, and literature management-related technologies was applied in the context of the 1993-1997 bovine mastit is research literature. This study investigated whether ISVA could: 1) facilitate the analysis and synthesis of interdisciplinary knowledge claims, and a)generate projects or research questions. The bovine mast itis-related literature was conceptualized as composed of microbiologi cal, immunological, and epidemiological dimensions. Keywords involving these dimensions were searched in the Medline and Agricola databases. A final list of 148 articles were retrieved, analyzed, synthesized in to fifteen information sub-sets, and evaluated for construct, internal , external and statistical validity through an interdisciplinary itera tive dialogical process. Validity threats were re-phrased as new resea rch or educational projects.