Steller Sea Lion telephone follow-up survey

ATTACHMENT 4
Draft Telephone Follow-Up
[IF OBVIOUS YOUTH – Ask to speak with an adult]
Hello, my name is ________________ and I am calling from PA Consulting in [City, State] on
behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I am trying to reach [name on
address].
[IF RESPONDENT IS NOT AVAILABLE] à Is there another adult of the household that I
could speak to?
[IF NOT AVAILABLE] à Thank you, I will call back later. When would be a good
time to reach [name, or another adult head of household]?
[IF QUALIFIED RESPONDENT IS ON THE PHONE]
QA Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire asking your opinions about the future of Steller
sea lions in Alaska and $X as a token of our appreciation for completing the survey. The
survey had a picture of Steller sea lions on the cover and some color graphics inside. Do
you remember receiving that questionnaire?
1
2

YES
NO [SKIP TO QA2]

QA1 As of today, we have not received your completed questionnaire. Your household is part
of a small group of people we are asking for opinions, so your response is very important.
If we send you another survey, could you find the time to complete the survey and return
it to us within a week of receiving it?
1
2
3
4

YES – SEND NEW SURVEY [SKIP TO VERIFY]
YES – DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SURVEY [THANK YOU. SKIP TO
CONTINUE]
SURVEY HAS ALREADY BEEN RETURNED [THANK YOU, SKIP TO
CONTINUE]
NO [SKIP TO QB]

QA2 We are collecting public opinions for the federal government to consider when
developing action plans for threatened and endangered species in Alaska. Your
household is part of a small group of people we are asking for opinions, so your response
is very important. If we send you another survey, could you return the survey to us
within a week after you receive it?
1
2
3

YES – SEND NEW SURVEY [SKIP TO VERIFY]
YES – DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SURVEY [SKIP TO CONTINUE]
NO [SKIP TO QA3]

QA3 Since we are only contacting a small number of households, it is very important that we
hear from your household. Your opinions will represent those of other households
similar to you. The survey does not require any special knowledge. Is there another
adult head of household that would be interested in completing the survey?
1
2
3

QB

YES, GETTING THEM TO THE PHONE [REPEAT QA2]
YES, BUT NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME [SET CALLBACK]
NO [SKIP TO QB]

It is very important for our analysis that we understand how those who haven’t returned
the survey compare to those who did. This way we will not misinterpret the results.
Could I take about 4 minutes to ask you a few questions that will help us with our work?
I’d like to remind you that all of your answers are kept separate from information about
you, like your name. Moreover, only your responses will be provided to the researchers
for analysis.
1
2

YES [SKIP TO Q1]
NO [ASK FOR A MORE CONVENIENT TIME, OTHERWISE, THANK AND
TERMINATE]

VERIFY (If new survey needs to be sent)
I would like to verify some information that I have. I have your name as…
NAME____________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS_________________________________________
CITY__________________________STATE _______ ZIP__________
PHONE___________________________________________________
Thank you, I will send another questionnaire out today.
CONTINUE (If they indicate survey has been or will be returned)
Receiving your completed questionnaire will be very helpful. Could I take 3 minutes to ask you
4 questions to help us with our preliminary results until we receive your completed
questionnaire?
1 NO, or NOT NOW à OK. We look forward to receiving your completed
questionnaire.
[SKIP TO TERMINATE].
2 YES à [CONTINUE WITH EVALUATE]

EVALUATE

Q1

This next question is about your overall opinion of the Endangered Species Act.
Currently there are 74 mammals, 92 birds, 115 fish, 236 other species such as
reptiles and insects, and 746 plants protected under the Endangered Species Act.
When you think of the Endangered Species Act, how positive or negative is your
general reaction? Is it... (Read answer options)
1
2
3
4
5
9

Q2

Mostly positive
Somewhat positive
Neutral
Somewhat negative
Mostly negative
[DON’T READ – BUT CODE IF STATED] Don’t know

We are faced with many problems in this country, none of which can be solved
easily or inexpensively. I am going to read you a list of 8 of these problems. For each
one, please indicate if you think we are spending too much money on it, about the
right amount, or too little money on it.
We are spending:
too much
6

about the right
amount

too little
6

6
2cx

3

cx

2

cx

3

cx

cx

2

cx

3

cx

1

cx

2

cx

3

cx

Law enforcement

1

cx

2

cx

3

cx

Drug rehabilitation

1

cx

2

cx

3

cx

Education

1

cx

2

cx

3

cx

Endangered species

1

cx

2

cx

3

cx

Space exploration.

1cx

The environment

1

cx

Health

1

Assistance to big cities

[RETURNING SURVEY] à I have just 2 quick questions about you and your household to help
us group your responses with others.
[NOT RETURNING SURVEY] à I have just 3 quick questions about you and your household
to help us group your responses with others.

Q3

In what year were you born?

Q4

[SKIP Q4 IF THEY INDICATE THEY ARE RETURNING THE SURVEY] Which of the

19______
Refused

following best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
1
2
3
4
5
6
9

Q5

8 years or less of school
9 to 12 years of school (high school)
Some college or technical school
Completed technical school or an associates degree program
Completed four year college degree
Some or completed graduate school work
REFUSED

Into which of the following groups does your total annual household income fall
before taxes?
1
2
3
4

Under $30,000
$30,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $79,999
$80,000 and over

[IF RETURNING SURVEY] à Thank you, this will help with our preliminary analysis.
Receiving your completed questionnaire will greatly help to have an accurate understanding of
public opinion about government actions to protect Steller sea lions.
[IF NOT RETURNING QUESTIONNAIRE] à That’s all the questions I have for you. Do you
have any comments that you would like to add? Thank you for your time. We really appreciate
your participation in this brief survey. Thanks again, and have a good evening.
TERMINATE
[TO BE COMPLETED BY INTERVIEWER]
Respondent gender:
MALE
FEMALE
LANG Language or other barrier:
1 YES, POSSIBLE LANGUAGE BARRIER
2 YES, DEFINITE LANGUAGE BARRIER
3 NO LANGUAGE, BUT OTHER TYPE OF BARRIER [SPECIFY]
4 NO BARRIERS
DID THE RESPONDENT INDICATE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?
A I don’t care about Steller sea lions or T&E species
B I don’t know about Steller sea lions, T&E species, etc.

NO
NO

YES
YES

OTHER RESPONDENT COMMENTS
____________________________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS AND ANSWERS
[If concerned about purpose of the call] This is not a marketing or sales call. We are collecting
public input for government, industry, and citizen groups to consider when developing action
plans for threatened and endangered species in Alaska. I want to assure you that your answers
will be kept separate from information about you, like your name. Only your responses will be
provided to researcher for analysis.
[If asking about the study sponsor] This survey is sponsored by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, a U.S. government agency charged with making decisions about
threatened and endangered marine mammals.
[Response to: “Why did you send money with the survey?”] The survey is very important and
we find we can get more citizen input for less money by including a small token of our
appreciation with the survey. More people return the survey faster, so we don’t have to contact
as many households, or contact you as often, to get an accurate sample of the public’s input.
[I don’t know anything about Steller Sea Lions]. The survey does not require to you have any
special knowledge, we just ask that you consider each question and respond with your own
opinion.
[I don’t care about Steller sea lions]. It is important that we hear that on the survey. If we only
receive surveys from people who care a lot, that would result in biased results about what public
opinion really is.