SUPPORTING STATEMENT
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
2010 CENSUS PROGRAM FOR EVALUATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS
2010 Census Quality Survey
OMB Control Number 0607-XXXX
As the 2010 Census nears, planning for the 2020 Census is already underway. One particular area of interest for the 2020 Census is to make the Census cost-effective and accurate. The Census Bureau will explore the use of the Internet for the 2020 Census as an alternative means for the public to respond to the Census. Therefore, we have established the 2010 Census Quality Survey (CQS), formerly known as the Internet Reinterview Evaluation, as a research component under the 2010 Census Program for Evaluations and Experiments (CPEX).
Projects under the 2010 CPEX will guide future census design as well as benefit other ongoing programs conducted by the Census Bureau, such as the American Community Survey. Title 13, United States Code, Section 141, directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a decennial census of the population, and Section 193 authorizes the Secretary to conduct surveys to gather supplementary information relating to the Census.
As with previous decennial censuses dating back to 1950, the Census Bureau conducts a formal program to assess the census and experimental tests that examine methodologies, techniques, and strategies that will potentially improve the way the Census Bureau conducts the next decennial census. For experimental studies, the actual decennial census environment is required because it provides the necessary conditions to learn the true effects of new ideas within the context of the actual effects of national advertising, outreach partnerships, and other events that occur only during a census.
The 2010 CQS seeks to build on previous Internet data collection research in order to set the stage for the Internet testing cycle for the 2020 Census. The main objective is to estimate measurement errors, such as simple response variance and bias of responses from a census mail questionnaire compared to those from a census Internet questionnaire. The reinterviews will be conducted with a sample of 2010 Census mail respondents in order to provide estimates of measurement errors associated with the design and content of a self-administered census Internet questionnaire. Since the measurement error structure may differ depending on whether a respondent has only one response mode option (i.e. mail or Internet) versus having a choice between the two modes, we are testing both ‘push’ and ‘choice’ strategies. A sample of the 2010 Census mail questionnaire respondents will be invited to complete an Internet reinterview (‘push’ Internet), which has essentially the same content as the 2010 mail questionnaire. A separate sample of the 2010 Census mail questionnaire respondents will be invited to complete a mail reinterview (‘push’ mail) with essentially the same 2010 content. A third sample of the 2010 Census mail questionnaire respondents will be invited to complete a reinterview with the choice of mail or Internet modes (‘choice’ Internet/mail).
The data from the Internet reinterview will be compared with the data from the mail reinterview to provide additional information for estimating measurement errors associated with responses from each of the data collection modes as well as response option strategies. Internet reinterview data will also be compared to 2010 Census mail questionnaire data for the same households to estimate gross difference rates. A similar comparison will be made for the mail reinterview to estimate gross difference rates for the mail mode. These gross difference rates will be compared to estimate the measurement error that arises from Internet versus census mail questionnaires. In addition to estimating measurement errors, a key objective of the evaluation is to collect data related to respondent interaction with a census Internet questionnaire such as break-off rates and completion times. Laboratory usability testing will also provide data (e.g., eye-tracking and mouse-tracing results) on navigational issues.
The Internet and mail reinterviews will be conducted in September 2010, after the census enumeration activities have been completed, to minimize the risk to the 2010 Census data collection. However, the reinterviews will be conducted as close to the census enumeration as feasible to effectively compare reinterview results to the 2010 Census self-administered mail questionnaire. Presumably, the results collected within the census environment will reflect a more generalizable measurement error structure than results from a mid-decade census test instrument. In addition, we hope to capitalize on respondents’ awareness of the 2010 Census to obtain a higher response to the reinterviews than would be possible in the absence of the 2010 Census environment. However, for the Internet reinterview, compliance may suffer from public messaging informing potential respondents that there is no Internet response option in the 2010 Census.
As with all CPEX experiments and evaluations, the 2010 CQS is primarily designed for use by the Census Bureau to inform early 2020 Census testing and planning. The intent is to use the 2010 CQS quantitative results, in combination with the usability laboratory results, to focus the Census Bureau’s Internet development/design resources for early decade testing. This questionnaire design work will be integrated with response option and contact strategy research within the 2020 testing cycle to establish the optimal Internet data collection strategy for the 2020 Census.
The 2010 CQS is intended to provide estimates of measurement error associated with the design and content of a self-administered census Internet questionnaire. The overall goal is to design the most effective census Internet questionnaire, given the time and resource constraints, and then evaluate its associated measurement error and usability issues. The Internet instrument is not intended to simply replicate the 2010 Census mail questionnaire in an electronic mode. Rather, the goal is to evaluate measurement error associated with an Internet questionnaire that exploits the advantages of the electronic technology, while still retaining the meaning and intent of the questions and response options from the mail form. Likewise, this evaluation is not intended to evaluate public compliance (as measured by unit-level response rates). An Internet response strategy study within the 2010 Census production cycle (or shortly after) would be limited by the 2010 Integrated Communication Program (ICP) messages stating that there is no Internet data collection for the 2010 Census.
The Census Bureau plans to make results of this study available to the general public.
Information quality is an integral part of the pre-dissemination review of the information disseminated by the Census Bureau (fully described in the Census Bureau’s Information Quality Guidelines). Information quality is also integral to the information collections conducted by the Census Bureau and is incorporated into the clearance process by the Paperwork Reduction Act.
3. Use of Information Technology
This evaluation will examine the use of the Internet as a method for submitting census data. The content of the Internet questionnaire has been developed, although minor changes may be made based on results of usability testing. The design builds on that of the 2011 ACS Internet Experiment instrument, which has benefited from external consultation. However, the 2010 CQS Internet reinterview instrument has some unique design features which are tailored to the 2010 CQS objectives.
The mail reinterview questionnaire data will be keyed. We intend to perform 100% QA, however resources for doing so are currently being assessed. We are unable to use the 2010 Census production data capture system since Lockheed Martin’s system will be disbanded before reinterview results are received.
Raw data received from the Internet and mail reinterviews will not be coded through 2010 Census processing. As a result, the race and Hispanic origin responses from the Internet and mail reinterviews will be autocoded, with the residual write-ins requiring expert coding. The coding process for Internet and mail reinterviews will be identical.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
This evaluation, as with all 2010 CPEX programs, is an effort unique to the Census Bureau; therefore, duplicate information is not being collected by any other agency.
5. Minimizing Burden On Small Business or Other Small Entities
The collection of information targets households and should have no effect on small businesses or small entities.
6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection
Data collections in this request will support 2020 decennial census planning and research. If these data collections were not to occur, the Census Bureau would lack quantitative evidence to improve upon the current decennial census design. For these experimental studies, the actual decennial census environment is required because it provides the necessary conditions to learn the true effects of new ideas within the context of the actual effects of national advertising, outreach partnerships, and other events that occur only during the census.
7. Special Circumstances
There are no special circumstances.
8. Consultations Outside the Agency
The notice for public comment, entitled, “Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Internet Reinterview Evaluation,” was published in the Federal Register on December 30, 2009 (Vol. 74, No. 249, pp. 69063 – 69065). Note that the name of this data collection effort is now the 2010 Census Quality Survey. No comments were received during the 60-day public comment period.
Survey methodology experts Don Dillman, Mick Couper and Roger Tourangeau, were consulted on the survey design, the development of the Internet reinterview instrument, and the development of the mail materials. In addition, usability participants will provide their views on the clarity of instructions and ease of use of the Internet application and associated materials.
9. Paying Respondents
Respondents will not be paid or provided with gifts for any of these collections.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
In accordance with Title 13, United States Code, respondents will be informed of the confidentiality of their answers. The experiments and evaluations are in compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Act Notice of 1974 and the Paperwork Reduction Act. All persons involved with the collection of the experimental data will be either Census Bureau employees or
persons appointed to “special sworn status.” All census data will be kept in a secure environment.
The survey is voluntary. Respondents will be notified of the voluntary nature of the survey in the letter that accompanies the questionnaire. Respondents will also be notified of privacy and confidentiality safeguards in the letter. Privacy and confidentiality information will also be available as hyperlinks in the Internet instrument.
11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
The content of the 2010 Census Quality Survey will generally be the same content as the 2010 Census mail questionnaire. The Census Bureau perceives no questions as being sensitive.
12. Estimate of Burden Hours
An estimated 100,000 Internet ‘push’ reinterview invitations, 142,857 Internet/mail ‘choice’ invitations and 20,000 mail ‘push’ reinterview invitations will be mailed out to 2010 Census mail questionnaire respondents. The burden estimates in the table below are based on a theoretical 100% response, rather than our expected response rate.
|
Total # of Respondents |
Estimated Response Time |
Estimated Burden Hours |
Internet Reinterview |
100,000 |
10 minutes |
16,667 |
Mail Reinterview |
20,000 |
10 minutes |
3,333 |
Internet/Mail Reinterview |
142,857 |
10 minutes |
23,810 |
Total |
262,857 |
-- |
43,810 |
13. Estimate Cost Burden
There is no cost to the respondents selected for these experiments and evaluations other than the time necessary to complete the items.
14. Costs to Federal Government
Estimated costs to the U.S. Census Bureau are approximately $1,030,000.
15. Reason for Change in Burden
This collection is being submitted as new.
16. Project Schedule
The project schedules are still being developed and depend on receiving OMB Approval of the authorization request. Estimated dates for project milestones are presented below.
Milestone |
Date |
Initial study plan draft |
12/2009 |
Phase 1 of usability testing |
3/2010 |
Cognitive testing of contact materials and Internet rostering approach |
4/2010 |
Select sample of housing units |
4/2010 |
Phase 2 of usability testing |
6/2010 |
Final study plan |
8/2010 |
Mail notification letters |
8/2010 |
Conduct Internet reinterview and mail reinterview |
9/2010 |
Conduct expert coding of race and Hispanic origin data |
10/2010 |
Receive response data |
11/2010 |
Receive coded data |
1/2011 |
Initial report draft |
7/2011 |
Final report |
10/2011 |
17. Request to Not Display Expiration Date
None.
18. Exceptions to Certification
None.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | love0313 |
| Last Modified By | reise004 |
| File Modified | 2010-04-26 |
| File Created | 2010-04-26 |