Advancements and Trends in Non-Factoid Question Answering: A Comprehensive Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The field of Question Answering Systems (QAS) is rapidly evolving, and the search for effective systems has expanded beyond factoid questions to include non-factoid questions. While factoid QAS has received significant attention, non-factoid has been relatively overlooked. Given the increasing complexity of user inquiries, understanding, and improving NFQAS capabilities is crucial for addressing modern information-seeking behaviors. This paper focuses on Non-Factoid Question Answering Systems (NFQAS), which provide more sophisticated and context-dependent answers. This work aims to present a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that examines techniques and methodological advances, emerging trends and challenges in non-factoid question answering. The study identifies major milestones and developing patterns in NFQAS approaches and critically evaluates and synthesizes literature to identify fundamental challenges in the field.