FAQ SOP

There are many possible sources from which potential FAQs can be gathered:

• librarian recommendations;
• LibGuide query spy;
• course tags; and
• EDS frequently searched terms.

Please note that you may need to have admin access in LibAnswers or EBSCO to access some of these tools.

Recommend for FAQ?

Recommendations for FAQs can be given by the librarians through the drop-down analytics menu as they answer Ask Us! questions. FAQ recommendations can be displayed using LibAnswers and exported to Excel for additional review.

To review Ask Us! queries that have been recommended for FAQs:

1. Open LibAnswers.
2. From the bar at the top of the page, select Ref. Analytics.
3. Select Statistics.
4. In the drop down box next to Recommend for FAQ? select YES.
5. Select the Time Period to evaluate.
6. Select Export Transactions to view in Excel.

Query Analyzer is a LibAnswers tool that provides statistics on what users are asking for and their success in getting answers. It provides the terms they are using and if they found the information they needed.

Note: Data is kept only for 6 months.

Data from Query Analyzer

Query Analyzer tracks three possible results from a search entered into the Frequently Ask Questions search box and Ask a Librarian search box.

• Match via auto-suggest: The user was directly matched with a question in the system using the auto-suggest feature. When this occurs, the Question Query column will show the FAQ that was matched.
• Clicked on question: The user clicked on one of the questions listed in the search results for the query. Note that the question text will link you to the FAQ the user selected.
• Not Submitted: The user did not click on any results from their search nor did they submit their question.

Retrieving and Exporting Query Analyzer Data

To display and export data from Query Analyzer:

1. Open LibAnswers.
2. From the bar at the top of the page, select Stats.
3. Select Query Analyzer.
4. Enter the date range for the data (within the last six months).
5. Select Ask Us from the desired group from the Group dropdown.
6. Select Export Queries to view in Excel.

FAQ activity allows you to view the 50 most viewed and 50 least viewed FAQs within a specific date range and FAQ group.

To find and export FAQ activity for a specific time period:

1. Open LibAnswers.
2. From the bar at the top of the page, select Stats.
3. Select FAQ Entries.
4. Select FAQ Activity.
5. Enter the date range for the data (within the last six months).
6. Select Ask Us from the desired group from the Group dropdown.
7. Select Export Queries to view in Excel.

Course tags can be reviewed for inquiry trends and to determine if a course is generating similar questions. 

1. Open LibAnswers.
2. Select Status and then Tickets.
3. Set the Asked From date range.
4. Select the Queue (Ask Us).
5. Review the statistics and graphical display of tags used.
6. To export, Select the Export tab and then Export Tickets. 

Our search tool, EDS, offers a list of the most frequently searched terms or phrases. To view this information:

1. Login to EBSCOadmin.
2. Click on Reports & Statistics.
3. Under Search Analytics, select Top Search Terms Report.
4. You can opt to view the report by the last three months (default) or by last month by opening the Search From drop down.

Note: If you do not have access, request report from a team member who does.