The Impact of Information Technology on Research Jonathan A. Morell Advances in Social Science and Computers Abstract There is little empirical research on the impact of information technology (IT) on how research is carried out by scientists and engineers. This paper draws on other bodies of writings that indirectly shed light on this question. Included are: the role of calculation in research, scientific productivity, the philosophical underpinnings of science and technology, systems analysis, and the use of computer aided design in engineering. A model is developed which helps identify the types of impacts that IT may have on social system and epistemological aspects of research. Social system factors span a range from the behavior of individual researchers, through the organization of research laboratories, to social policy concerning funding for research. Epistemological factors involve matters such as choices of methodologies, judgments as to what kinds of problems should be studied, and evidence that should be considered in evaluating hypotheses. Factors are hypothesized that may explain why IT may have particular effects on any given research endeavor. Examples of such factors include a field's data intensity, requirements for real time analysis, and lay interest in the research. The main objectives of the paper are to help advance a research agenda for understanding how IT affects science and engineering research, and to further research in this area.
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