Mediation in librarianship & information retrieval Reference interview Searchers as intermediaries in information retrieval © Tefko Saracevic 1 Mediation definition Encarta dictionary: 1. intervention to settle a dispute “the intervention by a third party between two sides in a dispute in an attempt to help them reach an agreement.” 2. action as medium “PSYCHOLOGY the action a medium that transfers something from one place to another” Thesaurus: arbitration, intercession, conciliation, intervention, negotiation © Tefko Saracevic 2 Definitions (cont.) Mediator: A person who intervenes in the information search process of another Informal mediators: friends, family … Formal mediators: librarians, teachers … Professional mediation involves diagnosing the user’s problem and identifying what interventions would be helpful © Tefko Saracevic 3 Fit? None of the dictionary definitions really fits, even though elements are there – this is often the case when general terms are appropriated in science, professions, technology think “windows,” “media” A standardized definition for “mediation” in IR & searching has not yet emerged, so we will make one – however the notion and practice is long standing – it has achieved more importance, exposure & explication since use with technology © Tefko Saracevic 4 Mediation in searching “literature” = recorded knowledge in many forms Main role of searchers is to be an effective interface between users & literature Mediation is a qualified dialog & discourse between a searcher & user to determine the information needs of a user and act according to that in the above role Mediation is both a communication & a related intervention process © Tefko Saracevic 5 Role of mediation Mediation involves a number of things – diagnosis helping a user to clarify the information need – searching: presenting the need to a system & results to user – counseling, explaining among others, helping in evaluating output – elimination of ambiguity, reducing vagueness – influencing attitudes Meeting user-expectations – involving the user during the process Base: effective communication* © Tefko Saracevic 6 Processes In reference: reference interview – long standing concern – a basic & major professional skill of librarians – literature mostly prescriptive, some theories from communication In information retrieval (IR): question analysis user-intermediary interaction – connected with humancomputer interaction (HCI) – also prescriptive, theories from HCI & cognitive science © Tefko Saracevic 7 Reference interview Broader context: Interview and interviewing as treated in a number of fields – theories from communication interpersonal, social interaction – theories and practices from sociology - among main methods – theories and practices from journalism – ethical concerns © Tefko Saracevic 8 Reference interview ... Dyadic & (usually) face-toface, by phone or chat Reference interview characteristics: – purposive by both participants user has goal, searcher has goal – restricted to given subject(s) – relies on questions - answers for diagnosis – situation bound; social encounter – possible counseling aspects – connected to informational outcome level, quantity, type ... – user evaluates encounter, outcomes © Tefko Saracevic 9 Variables Same characteristics at hand in all mediation A number of variables involved in mediation – meaning that there are many elements that are capable of changing & varying – and that they affect outcome These are the elements that the searcher has to consider – “worry about” & deal with to positively affect the outcome Mediation may be subject to communication accidents & failures © Tefko Saracevic 10 Elements to worry about User Problem, task Inf. need Knowledge Intent Demographics Searcher Comm. skills Knowledge – subject – inf. resources Affective Intent Library • Inf. resources • Situation, set-up • Policies, rules Results - outcomes • Effectiveness, validity, reliability © Tefko Saracevic 11 Diagnosis What is user’s information need? Taylor’s classification of information needs: – Visceral - unexpressed user has a need but it is vague – Conscious - within mind user has a relatively well formulated need in mind – Formalized – statement user has expressed the need in a statement, question, example – Compromised - as presented user has presented a need to a system – query Searcher © Tefko Saracevic has to analyze them 12 Diagnosis questions Types of questions asked: – Closed questions “Do you want articles in English only?” ‘yes - no’; ‘this-that’ answers – Open questions ‘tell me more about project ...” elicits descriptive answers & encourages user to talk – Neutral questions getting the background situation (how the information need was generated), the gap or missing piece of understanding, and the uses, or how the user plans to use this information © Tefko Saracevic 13 Role of questions answers Clarify, expand, and perhaps repair the need or question as it is initially presented by the user Provide basic information for user modeling Prepare for selection of files or resources Establish user priorities & evaluation criteria Prepare for translation of need, question into an appropriate query or queries Do a good job © Tefko Saracevic 14 Art of interviewing purposive social interaction Situational factors – setting, physical environment – rules, regulations, ethics – appearance, demeanor Communication skills – – – – – semantics; language expression, delivery nonverbal communication turn taking encouragement; backchannels Social factors – establishing confidence – rapport © Tefko Saracevic 15 Interviewing ... Strategies – progression in stages – opening moves setting an agenda, stage – exploration, guidance – maintaining focus. re-focusing – feedback, re-iteration – closure Content, questions – from categories in other slides – role of explanation of choices © Tefko Saracevic 16 Counseling, enabling Users often do not have – well defined problem – well expressed or specific question – ideas what inf. or resources exist or may be useful – what to do next, as to information or sources Counseling: – help in definition, focusing – advice on action Enabling: – instruction on use, technology, structure of resources ... © Tefko Saracevic 17 IR - problems addressed (reminder) Objective: provide the users with effective access to & interaction with information resources. 1. How to organize inf. intellectually? 2. How to specify search & interaction intellectually? 3. What systems & techniques to use for those processes? Searcher = intermediary © Tefko Saracevic 18 Mediation in IR Dyadic model (direct) Interface User Triadic Computer model (indirect) User (human interface) © Tefko Saracevic Interface Intermediary Computer 19 Elements to worry about ‘Computer:’ – stands for a number of things hardware, software inf. resources; meta information Interface: – inf. to & from computer – commands, display, navigation User: – factors as in previous slides – visualization Intermediary: – acts as additional interface – factors as in previous slides © Tefko Saracevic 20 Roles of intermediaries Traditional mastering – interfaces – databases – technology searching for users diagnosis – as in reference counseling packaging & delivery of results © Tefko Saracevic Evolving (due to rise in end-users) mastering – networking instruction assisting guiding enabling inf. resources – selection etc. system administration 21 Discourse in IR In IR, interview is involved (as in reference interview), but there is more There is a discourse about a number of things – goes through several stages – involves more then question-answer Searcher is also an intermediary between user & system – could be considered as a human interface – technology plays a role Intermediary & user ask questions, provide explanations, answers, guide, evaluate … © Tefko Saracevic 22 Stages in user intermediary discourse Presearch – – – – opening gambit; socialization modeling of user file, resourse selection explanations by intermediary Online – – – – interview search interaction tactical maneuvering; changes terms, search tactics; db feedback; reiteration - dynamic explanations by both parties Closure – closing downdrift – focusing on output; evaluation – delivery; advising - next steps © Tefko Saracevic 23 What are they taking about? User problem, task Request, inf. need Expectations Context Terminology System explanations Search tactics Selection, variation Concepts & terms Boundaries Restrictions How, what, when .. Features, files, resources – terms, logic, files Mistake correction © Tefko Saracevic 24 What are they talking about? (cont.) Review & relevance Actions Backchannels Social/ extraneous © Tefko Saracevic Review, evaluation – tactics, terms, sources ... Relevance judging Feedback Description of activities Explanations Communication prompts, fillers, acknowledging .. Social discourse Formalities 25 Terminological imperative What was the topic most involved in discourse? Studies show that aspect related to terminology was discussed more than any other topic – – – – – meaning of terms categories, related terms what terms to use in queries validation of terms appropriate vocabulary Why? Most important in query formulation At the end, searching is about language © Tefko Saracevic 26 Conclusions Mediation: a complex process Requires varied knowledge & skills of intermediaries: – – – – communication, interviewing diagnosis, counseling inf. resources, meta inf. systems, networks Intermediaries role changing In IR: terminological imperative – most talked & asked is about terms & vocabulary But: GREAT FUN & SATISFACTION © Tefko Saracevic 27 YESSSSSSSSSSS! © Tefko Saracevic 28