Analysis of the types of questions asked of the AnyQuestions virtual reference survice

Abstract

AnyQuestions.co.nz is a digital reference service aiming to help students to find online information for their homework. 67 4 questions were analysed for this study in order to identify the types of questions school students ask. The questions were analysed using three schemas- the subject or essential learning area of the New Zealand curriculum, traditional reference categorisations of directional, ready reference or specific search and expected answer categories as defined by Graesser, McMahen and Johnson (1994 ). It was found that the majority of questions asked are from the social studies area, closely followed by science and that specific search questions were most common. The majority of questions had answers that were from the concept completion category. The findings in the subject and traditional reference categories were similar to those in earlier studies.