File:RefDesk Response Speed 2008.gif

Summary
I created this graph myself, using information from the Reference Desk archives and MS Excel.

This plot includes data from the Science Ref Desk archives
 * Reference desk/Archives/Science/2008 November 1
 * Reference desk/Archives/Science/2008 November 10
 * Reference desk/Archives/Science/2008 November 19
 * Reference desk/Archives/Science/2008 November 27

Cumulative fraction of questions receiving at least one response versus time to first response is plotted. Times were based on signature timestamps, or Sinebot-added template timestamps for unsigned comments.

Two questions were not included in the analysis. One question received only one, undated response. One question was moved to another Desk and was not answered at the Science Desk.


 * Mean time for response: 1 hour, 44 minutes. (104 minutes.)
 * Median time for response: 33 minutes.
 * Minimum time: 2 minutes.
 * Maximum time: 13 hours, four minutes.

Two thirds of questions received their first response in 80 minutes or less; three quarters received their first response in 106 minutes or less.

Five questions (11%) waited more than 4 hours. No questions were left unanswered.