Multi-perspective question answering using the OpQA corpus

We investigate techniques to support the answering of opinion-based questions. We first present the OpQA corpus of opinion questions and answers. Using the corpus, we compare and contrast the properties of fact and opinion questions and answers. Based on the disparate characteristics of opinion vs. fact answers, we argue that traditional fact-based QA approaches may have difficulty in an MPQA setting without modification. As an initial step towards the development of MPQA systems, we investigate the use of machine learning and rule-based subjectivity and opinion source filters and show that they can be used to guide MPQA systems.