Journal Article

\Are We Getting Warmer?\ Query Clarification in Live Chat Virtual Reference

Connaway, Lynn Silipigni, Confer, Patrick A., Radford, Marie L., Kwon, Hannah, Sabolcsi-Boros, Susanna

2011

Overview

As virtual reference services (VRS) have become vital alternatives to traditional face-to-face (FtF) and phone reference, guidelines for best practices emerged to ensure that users are being well served across different modes of service delivery. Yet much remains to be understood about whether and how the essential process of query clarification occurs in the live chat reference environment. This study is among the first large-scale analyses of chat transcripts from libraries of different types, sizes, and world-wide geographic regions. It reports results from a qualitative analysis of a random sample of 850 transcripts from Question Point, a 24/7/365 cooperative reference service administered by OCLC Online Computer Library Center with one thousand plus member libranes across the world. A Query Clarification Coding Scheme was developed as part of the analysis by using the constant comparative method. Close reading and evaluation of the transcripts revealed that librarians ask clarifying questions heavily before searching, while users generally offer clarification of their information need more often during the searching process. Both groups clarify to seek or offer information about the query topic and background; search history; and extent, depth, and type of resource needed. They also clarify to verify understanding and correct misunderstanding. Results indicate that accuracy was enhanced for librarians who used clarifying questions in answenng ready reference (factual) questions. Although highly recommended query clarification techniques, especially using the follow-up question before logging off, are generally prescribed to improve accuracy, only 50 percent of libranans used follow-up questions and 33 percent of all questions asked to users were open questions. These findings suggest that emphasis on increasing these two techniques during VRS librarian training will improve the effectiveness of chat reference. Additionally, users with queries related to school, academic, or work-related information seeking were found to compuse 26 percent of the analyzed transactions, suggesting important implications for further research efforts as well as VRS librarian training and practice.

• Publisher: American Library Association
• Subject: Academic libraries / Accuracy / Behavior / Best practice / Best Practices / Chat / Clarification / Coding / Computer Centers / Computers / Cooperation / Distance learning / Electronic reference services / Grounded Theory / Guidelines / Information / Information Needs / Information resources / Information Seeking / Information seeking behavior / Information Services / Instant messaging / Instant messaging technology / Interviews / Learning / Librarians / Libraries / Library operations / Library Personnel / Miscommunication / Online reference work / Qualitative research / Reference interviews / Reference librarians / Reference Services / Regions / Search histories / Social interaction / Studies / Training / Transaction logs / Transactions / Transcripts (Written Records) / Users / Virtual reference services (Libraries)