This is a request for a generic
clearance for the National Center for Education Statistics to
conduct various procedures to test questionnaires and survey
procedures. These procedures include but are not limited to
experiments with levels of incentives for various types of survey
operations, focus groups, cognitive laboratory activities, pilot
testing, experiments with questionnaire design, and usability
testing of electronic data collection instruments.
This change request is to
increase the number of responses and burden hours allowed under the
generic clearance for the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) to conduct various tests of questionnaires and survey
procedures, especially to test new questions, forms, or other
methodologies. These procedures include but are not limited to
experiments with levels of incentives for various types of survey
operations, focus groups, cognitive laboratory activities, pilot
testing, experiments with questionnaire design, and usability
testing of electronic data collection instruments. There are two
primary reasons for the request to increase burden: (1) inclusion
of screeners and other recruitment activities that were not before
included in burden calculations (this increases the estimated
number of respondents approximately 12 times and the estimated
burden hours approximately 2 times per study), and (2) anticipated
increase in the number of cognitive studies being submitted to OMB
for clearance as a result of recent OMB guidance pertaining to
testing new items and methodologies.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
NAEP Grade 8 Mathematics Block Difficulty Pilot Study
Cognitive Pilot and Field Studies System Change Memo.doc
Change memo to OMB 1850-0803 revised 2 surveys 12-17-08.rtf
The Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) 2010 Pilot Test and the Spanish Cognitive Interviews for the 2010 National Household Education Survey (NHES) Study Draft Questionnaires