The relationship between information science and information systems (IS) research is examined through analysis of the subject literature of each field and by citation and co-citation analysis of highly cited researchers in each field. The subfields of user studies (US) and information retrieval (IR) research were selected to represent information science research as these subject areas are central to information science and seemed also to represent areas in which there was most overlap of interest or subject matter. The two forms of analysis revealed that although there seemed considerable overlap or potential for overlap in research subjects that there was almost none in relation to the disciplinary fields as assessed by the co-citation analysis of the most highly cited authors in the three subject areas. An examination of the reasons for this is offered in relation to the nature of scientific disciplines, the socialization process of researchers in the different fields and with institutional pressures.
A discipline which investigates the characteristics of information and the nature of the information transfer process, whilst not losing sight of the practical aspects of collecting, collating and evaluating information and organizing its dissemination through appropriate intellectual apparatus and technology. (Bottle, 1997, p. 212) But, surprisingly, there is no entry at all for IS. This is despite the fact that the Criteria for Information Science published by the Institute for Information Scientists in the United Kingdom (Institute of Information Scientists, 1996) does specifically and prominently refer to IS:
The broad concepts and theories of information systems and information and communication technologies insofar as they apply to the principles and practices of information management. (Institute of Information Scientists, 1996, p.