Understanding People's Questions on Social Networks
This research explores various aspects of questioning behavior on social networks, including the types of questions asked, how they are phrased, who asks them, which questions receive answers, and motivations for answering. It also delves into known information about collaborative search, online question-answering tools, and survey responses regarding asking questions through status messages. The study provides insights into question phrasing styles, question frequencies, and participants' behavior on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
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What Do People Ask Social Networks? Meredith Ringel Morris, MSR Jaime Teevan, MSR Katrina Panovich, MIT
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Questions About Peoples Questions What questions do people ask? How are the questions phrased? What are the question types and topics? Who asks which questions and why? Which questions get answered? How is answer speed and utility perceived? What are people s motivations for answering?
What Is Known About Question Asking Collaborative search [Morris & Teevan] Searching v. asking [Evans et al.; Morris et al.] Expertise-finding [vark.com; White et al.; Bernstein et al.] Online question answering (Q&A) tools Question type [Harper et al.: conversational v. informational] Response rate [Hseih & Counts: 80%] Response time [Zhang et al.: 9 hours; Hseih & Counts: 3 hours] Motivation [Raban & Harper; Ackerman & Palen; Beenan et al.]
Survey of Asking via Status Messages Survey content Used a status message to ask a question? Frequency of asking, question type, responses received Provide an example Answered a status message question? Why or why not? Provide an example 624 participants Focus on Facebook and Twitter behavior
Questions About Peoples Questions What questions do people ask? How are the questions phrased? What are the question types and topics? Who asks which questions and why? Which questions get answered? How is answer speed and utility perceived? What are people s motivations for answering?
Questions: Phrasing Questions short (75 characters, 1 sentence) 18.5% of phrased as a statement I need a recommendation on a good all purpose pair of sandals. Often scoped 1 out of 5 directed to anyone Anyone know of a good Windows 6 mobile phone that won t break the bank? Network subset Hey Seattle tweeps: Feel like karaoke on the Eastside tonight?
Questions: Types Type % Example Building a new playlist any ideas for good running songs? Recommendation 29% I am wondering if I should buy the Kitchen-Aid ice cream maker? Opinion 22% Anyone know a way to put Excel charts into LaTeX? Factual 17% Why are men so stupid? Rhetorical 14% Who wants to go to Navya Lounge this evening? Invitation 9% Need a babysitter in a big way tonight anyone?? Favor 4% I am hiring in my team. Do you know anyone who would be interested? Social connection 3% Could any of my friends use boys size 4 jeans? Offer 1%
Questions: Topics Topic % Example Technology 29% Anyone know if WOW works on Windows 7? Entertainment 17% Was seeing Up in the theater worth the money? Home & Family 12% So what s the going rate for the tooth fairy? Which university is better for Masters? Cornell or Georgia Tech? Professional 11% Planning a trip to Whistler in the off-season. Recommendation on sites to see? Places 8% Restaurants 6% Hanging in Ballard tonight. Dinner recs? What is your opinion on the recent proposition that was passed in California? Current events 5% Shopping 5% What s a good Mother s Day gift? Philosophy 2% What would you do if you had a week to live?
Questions: Who Asks What Type Topic old men Twitter Recommendation Technology Opinion Entertainment women Facebook Factual Home & Family Rhetorical Professional young Invitation Places Favor Restaurants Social connection Current events Offer Shopping Philosophy
Questions: Motives for Asking Topic % Example Trust 24.8% I trust my friends more than I trust strangers. Subjective 21.5% Search engine can provide data but not an opinion. Thinks search would fail I m pretty search engine couldn t answer a question of that nature. 15.2% Audience 14.9% Friends with kids, first hand real experience. Connect 12.4% I wanted my friends to know I was asking the question. Speed 6.6% Quick response time, no formalities. Context 5.4% Friends know my tastes. Tried search 5.4% I tried searching and didn t get good results. Easy 5.4% Didn t want to look through multiple search results. Quality 4.1% Human-vetted responses.
Questions About Peoples Questions What questions do people ask? How are the questions phrased? What are the question types and topics? Who asks which questions and why? Which questions get answered? How is answer speed and utility perceived? What are people s motivations for answering?
Answers: Speed and Utility 94% of questions received an answer Answer speed A quarter in 30 minutes, almost all in a day People expected faster, but satisfied with speed Shorter questions got more useful responses Answer utility 69% of responses helpful
Answers: Speed and Utility Type Topic Recommendation Technology Fast Opinion Entertainment Factual Home & Family Unhelpful Rhetorical Professional Invitation Places Favor Restaurants Social connection Current events Offer Shopping Philosophy
Answers: Motives for Answering Motive % Example Altruism 37.0 Just trying to be helpful. Expertise 31.9 If I m an expert in the area. Question 15.4 Interest in the topic. Relationship 13.7 If I know and like the person. Connect 13.5 Keeps my network alive. Free time 12.3 Boredome/procrastination. Social capital 10.5 I will get help when I need it myself. Obligation 5.4 A tit-for-tat. Humor 3.7 Thinking I might have a witty response. Ego 3.4 Wish to seem knowledgeable.
Answers About Peoples Questions The questions people ask Short, directed to anyone Subjective questions on acceptable topics Social relationships important motivators The questions that get answered Fast, helpful responses, related to length and type Answers motivated by altruism and expertise
QUESTIONS? Meredith Ringel Morris Jaime Teevan Katrina Panovich M. R. Morris, J. Teevan, and K. Panovich. What Do People Ask Their Social Networks, and Why? A Survey Study of Status Message Q&A Behavior. CHI 2010. M. R. Morris, J. Teevan, and K. Panovich. A Comparison of Information Seeking Using Search Engines and Social Networks. ICWSM 2010 (to appear).
