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To Borrow or Not to Borrow is the Question? Theory Borrowing in Library Information Science Postgraduate Research in Nigeria and South Africa

Abstract Researchers rely on theory to explain social reality. The theories may be disciplined-based or borrowed from others as a result of the absence of discipline-based theories. The purpose of the study was to determine the use of theory in postgraduate library and information science (LIS) research in Nigeria and South Africa in order to establish the extent of theory borrowing. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze 400 postgraduate research outputs. The study showed that postgraduate researchers mainly use borrowed theories. The theories were mostly borrowed from sociology, management and psychology. Despite implications for the maturity of discipline that does not undermine LIS as a discipline, the need for theory development in the discipline cannot be overemphasized. The study contributes to the understanding of theory use and borrowing in LIS postgraduate research.