Introduction

One of the issues that runs through the contributions in this section is the balance between different aspects of communication research. For example, in his survey of issues in information science (which appears for the first time in this volume) Wilson stresses the importance of using both qualitative and quantitative methods in studying the collection of data. He is also at pains to demystify the term ‘information science’ by referring to its origins in (special) librarianship. The vast growth of technical and scientific data that occurred after World War Two and the lesser and later growth of social research, each posed the problem of effective retrieval of information. Wilson demonstrates the diversity and dynamism of research into information science, covering as it does the organisation, transfer, retrieval and utilization of data. Nevertheless, he is also conscious of its deficiencies, particularly in regard to how little is known about how information is used to improve performance in industry, commerce and elsewhere and thus how better to organize the availability of information.