Comments on: The String Theory of Reference Interviews http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/ the neverending reference interview of life Fri, 17 May 2013 00:38:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: The Reference Singularity « Agnostic, Maybe http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-728 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:42:10 +0000 http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-728 [...] have written about reference before in terms out how the interviews could possibly be measured (and maybe re-labeling reference service as an “information concierge”), but I had not really [...]

]]> By: Andy http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-156 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:13:03 +0000 http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-156 I think it could be. They are certainly measurable in all aspects, including the patron impression (done after the fact). It really could be a model of analysis for how reference questions pan out, although it would be a very non-traditional layout. Length and width could be plotted just like their Cartesian counterparts, whereas height could be plotted in general terms such as general, specific, very specific. This would actually created a 3D object of what a reference interview looks like. Plotting this along the time line could show how it changes shape over time (based on number of places looked, searches done, etc. over time.) And, as suggested in the post, color could be used to describe positive/negative impressions from the patron.

Of course, this feels overcomplicated for this, but nothing math can’t solve, right? =D

]]> By: Heather D. http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-155 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:16:01 +0000 http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/the-string-theory-of-reference-interviews/#comment-155 Interesting post! Thanks for sharing it. It can be hard to quantify the how/what/why of a reference interview, as well as how effective reference services are; maybe these five dimensions could be used in that way?

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