Home › MCQs › Library Sciences › Question #1531
Back to Questions
Library Sciences QUESTION #1531
Question 1
According to Katz (2002), which of the following is the key distinction between a 'ready-reference' question and a 'research' reference question?
  • Ready-reference questions are only asked in person; research questions are asked online
  • Ready-reference questions require brief factual answers quickly found in standard sources; research questions require in-depth searching across multiple sources✔️
  • Ready-reference questions involve government documents; research questions involve academic journals
  • Ready-reference questions are answered by paraprofessionals; research questions require a PhD
Correct Answer Explanation
Katz (2002) distinguishes ready-reference questions — which require quick, specific factual answers (e.g., a date, a definition, a statistic) findable in a single standard source — from research questions, which are complex, require extended searching, and involve synthesizing information from multiple sources.