The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We will be conducting cognitive interviews for the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). The CFS is co-sponsored by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and is a quinquennial survey producing data on the movement of goods in the United States. Though the survey is quinquennial, it requires respondents to report for the four quarters of the survey year.
The Service Sector Statistics Division would like to redesign the 2007 form and add new items, one of which will only appear on the fourth quarter form. To evaluate the updated questionnaire, we will especially focus on the following topics:
Availability of data and respondents’ willingness to report it,
Correct sampling of shipments during the reference period,
Duplication of data and incorrect reporting in Item F,
Navigation, response strategies, and levels of cognitive burden, and
Respondents’ comprehension of the wording and terminology used on the form.
From April to July 2011, staff from the Response Improvement Research Staff within the Census Bureau’s Office of Economic Planning and Innovation will be conducting approximately 35 unstructured interviews. The companies will be from selected NAICS, such as mining, select retail, and service trade, as well as support facilities of multi-unit companies that perform shipping activities. Company sizes will vary. Interviews will take place at the company’s site and they be conducted in the following regions: Richmond, VA; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; and New Jersey. After we recruit companies, we will email or fax them follow-up reminders about their appointments.
Subject area specialists from the Census Bureau or members of BTS will accompany the researcher on most, if not all, of the interviews. They will assist with respondent debriefing, especially in cases where additional clarification of the subject matter is required.
We will record the interviews with the participants’ permission, to aid researchers in accurately reporting findings and recommendations. Before beginning the interviews, we will inform participants that their response is voluntary. We also will inform the participants that the information they provide is confidential. We will not provide monetary incentives to participants in this study.
We estimate that it will be necessary to interview only one participant at each business. We estimate the length of the interviews will average 1 hour. Therefore, the maximum estimated burden for this research is 35 hours.
Enclosed are draft copies of the fourth quarter questionnaire and the protocol we will use for pretesting.
The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is:
La Toya B. Thomas
Response Improvement Research Staff
7K130C
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, D.C. 20233
(301) 763-9588
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | ander043 |
| Last Modified By | demai001 |
| File Modified | 2011-03-03 |
| File Created | 2011-03-02 |