Okay, that's a trick question. Sometimes patrons do ask for exactly what they want, and it's part of your job to figure out when that's the case. You won't need the reference interview all the time. But for now, we're going to focus on questions that do need a reference interview so you can get a sense of what they look like. \n\n\n[[Got it!|whatref5]]

This has been a very brief overview of when to do a reference interview and the best kinds of questions to ask. \n\nThe next time you are working with a patron, try to think about whether an open or closed question would be most appropriate, and whether you have enough information to really understand what the patron wants to find. \n\n<strong>Want more information?</strong>\n\n<a href="http://www.archives.gov/boston/volunteers/reference-interviews.pdf"> Guide to Successful Reference Interviews from the American Library Association</a>\nThese are the professional standards that most librarians follow when they do reference. While no one expects you to do all of these things every time you talk to a patron, this document can give you some strategies to think about as you work in the Engagement Centers.

<h1>What is the reference interview?</h1>\n\nFor starters, imagine a good shoe salesperson.\n\nSay you walk into a shoe store and say, "I'd like to buy some shoes." \n\nShe's not just going to point around the room and say, "Sure, we’ve got lots of shoes here to buy." \n\nInstead, the first thing she'll probably ask is, "What kind of shoes are you hoping to buy today?" \n\nShe knows that you don’t want just any shoes, since you likely came in looking for something specific. The faster she can find out that you want hiking boots and not sandals, the faster she can find you the perfect pair of shoes. She knows that she might have to ask you a number of questions to narrow down exactly what you want, a process that resembles an interview. In a sense, she is interviewing you to get the information she needs to find you the right shoes. \n\n[[Next|whatref1]]

Try again! The patron is most likely working on an asssignment, and wants help finding articles. \n\n[[Got it!|whatref3]]

The patron replies, "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. What is her email address?"\n\nGreat job!\n\nIn this case, the closed question is better. Since you know that the Women and Gender Studies librarian can help the patron, there's no point in making her guess. \n\n[[Try asking: "I think you might need help from an expert. Which of these librarians would you like to talk to?"|open3]]\n[[Next|ending]]\n

"Yes, if you think those would count as credible sources."\n\nThis kind of question might hide the fact that the patron is actually confused about what a "credible" source is. It is a good idea to understand what exactly he means before diving into searching.\n\n[[Try asking, "are you working with a particular definition of credible source? What is it?"|open2]]\n\n[[Next|scenario6]]

The patron replies:\n\n"Right, I do need scholarly articles. Can you show me how to search for those?"\n\nThis choice doesn't ask the patron to elaborate on what she needs or invite her to have a conversation with you. She might give you more information, or she might just answer your question without goinging into further detail.\n\n[[Try asking "what kinds of articles do you need?"|open1]]\n\n[[Next|scenario5]]

Try again! The patron is most likely working from an assignment that has specific criteria for what counts as a "credible source."\n\n[[Got it!|whatref4]]

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The Reference Interview: an Introduction

Correct. That's a trick question. Sometimes patrons do ask for exactly what they want, and it's part of your job to figure out when that's the case. You won't need the reference interview all the time. But for now, we're going to focus on questions that do need a reference interview so you can get a sense of what they look like. \n\n\n[[Next|whatref5]]

Correct. The patron is most likely working from an assignment that has specific criteria for what counts as a "credible source."\n\n[[Next|whatref4]]

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Correct. The patron is most likely working on an assignment, and wants help finding articles. \n\n[[Next|whatref3]]

<strong>How about this scenario?</strong>\n\nThe patron asks, "Can you help me find a credible source?"\n\nDoes she:\n\n[[Just want any source that could be considered credible, as in anything other than Wikipedia?|scenario2wrong]]\n\n[[Have a specific assignment, and probably a topic, and wants help finding a specific type of credible source (a peer-reviewed journal article, for example)?|scenario2right]]\n

There will be more information about how to ask good questions later in this overview. For now, I want you to think about when a reference interview might be necessary. Is the patron really asking for exactly what he or she wants?\n\n<strong>Try this scenario, for example.</strong>\n\nA patron asks you, "How do I search for articles?"\n\nDo you think he:\n\n[[Is just curious about how to search for articles in general?|scenario1wrong]]\n\n[[Needs to find a specific article or kind of article for an assignment?|scenario1right]]\n

The same applies to doing reference. \n\nThe reference interview is based on the idea that patrons rarely ask for exactly what they want. They might ask for something general when they want something specific, they might ask for the wrong thing, they might not know how to articulate what they want, or even know what they want at all. Asking the patron questions can help you better understand what she wants, or help her clarify her thinking. \n\n[[Next|whatref2]]\n

Of course, closed questions aren't always bad. One you've looked at several types of hiking books, she might ask, "do you like the brown ones or the beige ones better?" \n\nThat's a closed question, since it has a limited set of answers, but it's a good one for clarifying information further. Judicious use of closed questions can help you confirm that you know what the patron wants, or help him navigate between choices more effectively.\n\nUsing open and closed questions at the appropriate time is an important part of the reference interview.\n\n[[Try some scenarios|scenario4]]\n

However, if she asks an open question, like "what are you hoping to find today?" she has given you an opportunity to elaborate. She has invited you to share information, rather than play 20 questions. Imagine how exhausting this exchange would be:\n\n"Do you want sandals?"\n"No."\n"Do you want flats?"\n"No."\n"Do you want heels?"\n"No."\nAnd so on.\n\nNow compare this:\n\n"What are you hoping to find today?"\n"I'm going backpacking and I want to find a good pair of hiking boots."\n\nSee how much more information she got from the second question? Though the first exchange isn’t entirely realistic, I think you get the idea. \n\n[[Next|whatref7]]\n\n

<h1>Open and Closed Questions</h1>\n\nWhen you are doing a reference interview, there are two basic types of question you might use: open questions and closed questions.\n\nWhat's the difference?\n\nThink back to the shoe saleswoman. When you first walk in the door, she could ask you, "do you want to buy some sandals" or "what are you hoping to find today?" The first question is closed - you can only answer "yes" or "no" and what if you don’t want to buy sandals at all? She hasn’t given you the opportunity to clarify what you really want.\n\n[[Next|whatref6]]\n\n

<strong>One more scenario.</strong>\n\nWhat does this dude want?\n\n"Where's the water fountain?"\n\n[[He wants a detailed explanation of where all the water fountains in the building are located|scenario3wrong]]\n\n[[He wants you to point to the nearest water fountain|scenario3right]]\n

<strong>Try one more:</strong>\n\nYou've been helping a patron who is working on a project about women at MSU. You've found some material, but not really what she wants. You decide it's a good idea to make a referral to the relevant subject librarian, who looks to be the Women and Gender Studies Librarian. \n\nWhich question fits better?\n\n[[I'm going to refer you to the Women and Gender Studies librarian for more help. Is that okay with you?|closed3]]\n\n\n[[I think you might need help from an expert. Which of these librarians would you like to talk to?|open3]]

<strong>The patron asks,</strong> "Can you help me find a credible source?"\n\nWhich is a better question?\n\n[["Do you want to find sources through the library?"|closed2]]\n\n[["Are you working with a particular definition of credible source? What is it?"|open2]]\n\n

<strong>A patron asks:</strong>\n\n"How do I search for articles?"\n\nWhich is a better question?\n\n[["What kinds of articles do you need?"|open1]]\n\n[["Do you need scholarly articles?"|closed1]]\n

Emilia M.

The patron replies:\n\n"My assignment says I need to find two scholarly articles and one trade article. I'm kind of confused about that, do you know what a trade article is?"\n\nGreat choice! The patron just gave you three useful pieces of information: she needs scholarly articles, trade articles, and she's confused about her assignment. \n\n[[See what happens if you ask, "do you need scholarly articles?"|closed1]]\n\n[[Next|scenario5]]

The patron replies, "Ummm, I'm really not sure."\n\nYou don't always have to ask open questions. In this case, you know a little more about the situation than the patron, and so can help her narrow down her choices by letting her know the best librarian to help with her question. \n\n[[Try asking "I'm going to refer you to the women and gender studies librarian for more help. Is that okay with you"|closed3]]\n[[Next|ending]]

"Yes, I have a definition here from my professor. She says that my source has to be from a peer-reviewed or academic journal, and it has to be written by an expert. Do you know how to find that out?"\n\nExcellent question! You now have a pretty precise definition of what the patron's professor means by "credible source." If the patron was not able to answer this question, it might be an indication that he is confused about his assignment, and may need to talk to his professor further. \n\n[[Try asking, "do you want to find sources through the library?"|closed2]]\n\n[[Next|scenario6]]