© Tefko Saracevic 1

Mediation inlibrarianship &

information retrieval

Reference interview

Searchers as intermediaries in information retrieval

© Tefko Saracevic 2

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 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 analysisuser-intermediary interaction– connected with human-computer

interaction (HCI)– also prescriptive, theories from

HCI & cognitive science

© Tefko Saracevic 8

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 9

Reference interview ...

Dyadic & (usually) face-to-face, 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 10

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 11

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 12

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 has to analyze them

© Tefko Saracevic 13

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 14

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 15

Art of interviewingpurposive 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

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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

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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 18

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

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Mediation in IR Dyadic model (direct)

Triadic model (indirect)

User

Computer

Interface

Intermediary(human interface)

User Computer

Interface

© Tefko Saracevic 20

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

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Roles of intermediaries

Traditional mastering

– interfaces– databases– technology

searching for users

diagnosis– as in

reference counseling packaging &

delivery of results

Evolving (due to rise in end-

users) mastering

– networking instruction assisting guiding enabling inf. resources

– selection etc. system admi- nistration

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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 …

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Stages in user - intermediary discourse

Presearch interview– opening gambit; socialization– modeling of user– file, resourse selection– explanations by intermediary

Online 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

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What are they taking about?

Context

Terminology

System explanations

Search tactics

User problem, taskRequest, inf. needExpectations

Concepts & termsBoundariesRestrictions

How, what, when ..Features, files, resources

Selection, variation– terms, logic, files

Mistake correction

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What are they talking about? (cont.)

Review & relevance

Actions

Backchannels

Social/ extraneous

Review, evaluation– tactics, terms,

sources ...Relevance judgingFeedbackDescription of

activitiesExplanations

Communication prompts, fillers, acknowledging ..

Social discourseFormalities

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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 27

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 28

YESSSSSSSSSSS!