Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role of themata in science

  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since the 1960s. thematic analysis has been introduced as a new tool for understanding the success or the failure of individual scientific research projects, particularly in their early stages. Specific examples are given, as well as indications of the prevalence of themata in areas beyond the natural sciences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science: Project 2061.Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Oxford University Press, New York. 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Berlin, I..The Crooked Timber of Humanity (Random House, New York, 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  • Crombie, A. C.,Styles of Scientific Thinking in the European Tradition (Duckworth, London, 1994).

    Google Scholar 

  • Holton, G.,Thematic Origins of Scientific Thought: Kepler to Einstein (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1973; 2nd revised edition, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  • Holton, G.,The Scientific Imagination (Cambridge University Press, 1978).

  • Holton, G.,The Advancement of Science, and its Burdens: The Jefferson Lecture and Other Essays (Cambridge University Press, 1986).

  • Holton, G.,Science and Anti-Science (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Holton, G.,Einstein, History, and Other Passions (American Institute of Physics Press, 1995; Addison-Wesley, 1996).

  • Kent, A. (Ed.),Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Vol. 61. Supplement 6 (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1987), pp. 332–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merton, R. K., “Thematic analysis in science: Notes on Holton's concept,”Science 188, 335–338 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutherford, F. J. and Ahlgren, A.,Science for All Americans (Oxford University Press, New York, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonnert, G., and Holton, G.,Gender Differences in Science Careers: The Project Access Study (Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonnert, G., and Holton, G.,Who Succeeds in Science? The Gender Dimension (Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 358 Jefferson Laboratory, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Gerald Holton

Authors
  1. Gerald Holton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Holton, G. The role of themata in science. Found Phys 26, 453–465 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02071215

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02071215

Keywords

Search

Navigation