Mediation in librarianship & information retrieval Reference interview Human-human interaction Question negotiation © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 1 Processes In reference: reference interview – long standing concern – a basic & major professional skill of librarians – 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, Rutgers University 2 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, Rutgers University 3 Reference interview ... Dyadic & (usually) face-toface or by phone Reference interview characteristics: – purposive by both participants – restricted subject(s) – relies on questions - answers for diagnosis – situation bound; social – possible counseling aspects – connected to informational outcome - level, quantity, type ... © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 4 Elements to worry about User Problem, task Inf. need Knowledge Intent Demographics Librarian Comm. skills Knowledge – subject – inf. resources Affective Intent Library • Inf. resources • Situation, set-up • Policies, rules Results • Effectiveness, validity, reliability © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 5 Diagnosis Taylor’s classification of information needs: – Visceral - unexpressed – Conscious - within mind – Formalized - statement – Compromised - as presented Types of questions asked: – Closed ‘yes - no’; ‘this-that’ answers – Open ‘tell me more about project ...’ – Neutral assessing situation, gaps, uses © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 6 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, Rutgers University 7 Studies of reference Process – what goes on? Stages? – reformulations, refinements – still an art, not fully understood Types of questions – most asked are closed Communication aspects – verbal & non-verbal – progress in discourse – affective, attentive behavior Results – validity, reliability, satisfaction – statistics, costs © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 8 IR - problems addressed 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? © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 9 Mediation in IR Dyadic model Interface User Triadic Computer model User (human interface) © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Interface Intermediary Computer 10 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 slide – visualization Intermediary: – acts as additional interface – factors as in previous slide © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 11 Roles of intermediaries Traditional mastering – interfaces – databases – technology searching for users diagnosis – question analysis counseling packaging & delivery of results © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Evolving (due to rise in end-users) mastering – networking instruction assisting guiding enabling inf. resources – selection etc. system administration 12 Stages in user intermediary discourse Presearch interview – opening gambit; socialization – modeling of user; db selection – explanations by intermediary Online search interaction (if user present during searching) – 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, Rutgers University 13 Discourse categories Context Terminology System explanations Search tactics © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University User problem, task Request, inf. need Expectations Concepts & terms Boundaries Restrictions How, what, when .. Features, databases Selection, variation – terms, logic, databases Mistake correction 14 Discourse categories (cont.) Review & relevance Actions Backchannels Review, evaluation – tactics, terms, sources ... Relevance judging Feedback Description of activities Explanations Communication prompts, fillers, acknowledging .. Social/ extraneous © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Social discourse Formalities 15 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, Rutgers University 16 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, Rutgers University 17 Examples from a study 40 users; question each 4 intermediaries; triadic HCI regular setting videotaped, logged 48 hrs of tape (72 min. avrg) – presearch: 16 min avrg. – online: 56 min avrg. User judgments: 6225 items – 3565 relevant or part. relevant – 2660 not relevant Many variables, measures & analyses © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 18 What do they talk about ? (number of utterances) Categories Context Intermediary 565 5% User Total 1102 11% 1667 8% Terminology 1265 10% 904 9% 2169 10% System expl. 1399 12% 625 6% 2024 10% Tactics 3360 30% 1680 17% 5040 24% Rev./Rel/ 1996 18% 1825 19% 3821 18% Action 1554 14% 399 4% 1953 9% Backchan. 1179 10% 3179 33% 4358 21% Total 11318 100% 9714 100% 21032 100% % of Total 54% 46% 100% © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 19 Type of questions asked Categories User Intermediary Total Terminology Output/ evaluation Search proc. tech. asst. 266 31% 817 53% 1083 45% 67 8% 344 22% 411 17% 176 21% 32 2% 208 9% Databases 143 17% 57 4% 200 8% Context 0 172 11% Social 79 9% 71 5% 150 6% Backchan. Other inf. services 40 5% 50 3% 90 4% 28 3% 12 1% 40 2% Action 32 4% 0 32 1% Online issues 21 2% 2 .1% 23 1% Total 852 100% 1557 100% 2409 100% % of Total 35% 65% 100% © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 172 7% 20 Conclusions Interaction: 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 But: GREAT FUN & SATISFACTION © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 21 Thank you Gracias Danke Merci Hvala © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 22