A study on Q&A services between community-based question answering and collaborative digital reference in two languages

Wu, Dan; He, Daqing

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/38388 Copy

Description

Title

A study on Q&A services between community-based question answering and collaborative digital reference in two languages

Author(s)

• Wu, Dan
• He, Daqing

Issue Date

2013-02

Keyword(s)

• Social Web
• Community-based question answering sites
• Collaborative digital reference services

Abstract

To explore further improvement of libraries’ reference services in the Web 2.0 environment, we systematically compared community-based question answering (cQA) sites with collaborative digital reference (cDR) services in both English and Chinese languages. We employed a sampling method where we asked a set of questions of four different types and in three domains at selected cQA and cDR sites. The focus of the study includes evaluation of the answer quality and the responsiveness of the sites to the questions. Our results show that cQA sites provide more answers within shorter response times, and they are probably better suited to answer questions about everyday life or questions with easy answers. In contrast cDR services are augmented by better trained librarians, well organized working procedure, and more extensive information sources, so they produce more effective services. We finally hypothesize ideas of combining cQA and cDR under the goal of further improving cDR services.

Publisher

iSchools

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/38388

DOI

https://doi.org/10.9776/13205

Copyright and License Information

Copyright © 2013 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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