Keywords

social Q&A, SQA, social media, question formulation, Super User, question answering, how-to questions, answerability, online documentation, user-generated content

Abstract

This study introduces social question-and-answer (SQA) documentation to technical and professional communication scholarship. It conceptualizes SQA as interactive, user-generated documentation and describes contextual information types within social how-to questions that initiate documentation. It also explores whether contextual information associates with answers that complete the interactive documentation. Results reliably describe 15 information types based on content analysis of 3,529 contextual information types from 500 questions. Exploratory statistical analysis suggests that askers may increase answerability by including less speculative thought, more error messages, and less general situation information. To facilitate complete SQA documentation, the study calls for additional research into question content and answerability.

Original Publication Citation

Baker, M. J. (2020). Contextual Information in Social How-To Questions That Initiate Documentation. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 34(3), 287–326. https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651920910226.