Unanswerable Questions: What Do You Do with Challenging Health Reference Questions?

Abstract

Objectives: Describe the characteristics of challenging health reference questions and propose ways to improve one's chances of finding answers. This study will identify the range of questions (e.g., question types, answer quality, user satisfaction) presented in online community forums like MEDLIB-L. It will duplicate a similar study in 2004 that analyzed MEDLIB-L messages but will focus on reference questions. Methods: This study will analyze messages posted in MEDLIB-L from January 2012 to December 2012. Announcements, citation verifications, document delivery requests, and chat discussions will be excluded from the analysis. The remaining messages will be analyzed and classified according to question type, response given, response quality, and user satisfaction. Messages will be coded using a modified classification system based on Cheri Smith's 2004 study of the culture of MEDLIB-L. Identified categories include: topical search, statistical data, practice guidelines, standards, product reviews, measurement tools/tests, skills training, grants, and administrative/organizational. Once messages are categorized, a content analysis will be conducted to identify key patterns and clues for how librarians and information specialists can find answers to difficult reference questions.