Directional questions do not require the use of any additional resources. A general, geographic knowledge of where things are and how things are done is generally all that is needed. These questions can also be answered with good signage or notices. Examples of directional questions are: "Where is the catalog?" "Where do I check out books?" "How late are you open on Friday?" "Do you have today's newspaper?"
There are two kinds of ready reference questions. The first kind of question can be answered quickly by consulting one or two standard reference tools, such as almanacs, encyclopedias and directories. These requests are generally for a single fact or a short answer. Often, these questions will begin with who, what, where, or when. Examples of this type of ready reference question include: "Who are my state legislators?" "What is the date of the Emancipation Proclamation?"
The second kind of ready reference question could be called instructional; providing the answer involves demonstrating a skill. These questions usually begin with how. Questions of this type include: "How do I download to a floppy disk from your computers?" "How do I search for magazine articles online?" "How do I find videos in your catalog?"
Specific search questions involve looking for more information than a single fact and generally require searching multiple sources for the answer. The librarian needs to formulate a search strategy to select appropriate resources that will answer the question. While ready reference questions require short, factual answers, specific search questions generally require presenting a range of information. These questions may require giving the patron a variety of resources--books, citations to articles, web sites, and a variety of reference tools such as indexes, catalogs, and bibliographies. Examples of questions are: "I am writing a paper on hummingbirds. What information do you have?" "Do you have anything on the history of atomic energy?" These questions are often a variation of "What are the best sources of information for my needs?"
Research questions are more complex than other questions. William A. Katz in Introduction to Reference Work (8th ed.) states that while there are usually specific sources and answers for ready reference and specific search questions, the answers to research questions depend on what the researcher is able to find. Answering research questions may involve trial-and-error and browsing techniques.
