title: Introduction to a special issue on concept mapping.
abstract: Concept mapping was developed in the 1980s as a unique integration of qualitative (group process, brainstorming, unstructured sorting, interpretation) and quantitative (multidimensional scaling, hierarchical cluster analysis) methods designed to enable a group of people to articulate and depict graphically a coherent conceptual framework or model of any topic or issue of interest. This introduction provides the basic definition and description of the methodology for the newcomer and describes the steps typically followed in its most standard canonical form (preparation, generation, structuring, representation, interpretation and utilization). It also introduces this special issue which reviews the history of the methodology, describes its use in a variety of contexts, shows the latest ways it can be integrated with other methodologies, considers methodological advances and developments, and sketches a vision of the future of the method's evolution.
authors: Cornell University, 435 Kennedy Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States. Electronic address: wmt1@cornell.edu.
authors: William M
authors: WM
authors: Trochim
authors: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, United States.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: McLinden
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D036262:Empirical Research; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design
keywords: Brainstorming; Cluster analysis; Concept mapping; Multidimensional scaling; Pattern matching; Sorting; Structured conceptualization