Field Test of the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey

APPENDIX N
SAMPLE SCRIPTS FOR TELEPHONE CALLS COLLECTING INFORMATION
RECORDED IN FOOD BOOKLETS

Step 1. Call
IF OUTBOUND CALL:
My name is [NAME]. I’m calling from Mathematica Policy Research on behalf of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture about the National Food Study. May I please speak with [FILL HH GATEKEEPER]?
IF INBOUND CALL:
Thanks for calling the National Food Study Hotline. My name is [FILL NAME]. Could you please give me the
number listed on the front cover of your food booklet? IF NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE: That’s okay. Could you
spell your first and last name for me?
ESTABLISH PURPOSE OF CALL:
Are you calling with questions, or to report the information from your food booklets?
 QUESTIONS
 REPORTING
IF AT ANYTIME THE RESPONDENT INDICATES THAT THEY NO LONGER WANT TO CALL IN, INFORM
THEM THAT IS OKAY AS LONG AS THEY WRITE THE ADDRESS FOR EACH PLACE IN THEIR
BOOKLETS.

Step 2. Confirmation (first interview)
Q1. According to my records, there are [FILL N HH MEMBERS] people living or staying in your household right
now. Is that correct?
 YES
 NO
Q1a. The household members I have are: [FILL LIST OF NAMES]. Is there someone we should add or was a
person listed who is not a member of your household? IF NEEDED, FIX HH ROSTER
Q2. Which HH members are recorded in your booklet?
FOR REMAINING HH MEMBERS:
Q2a. Where is [NAME]’s information being kept? Is [SHE/HE] keeping [HER/HIS] own booklet?
CAI: CONTINUE THIS SERIES UNTIL EACH HH MEMBER IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN A BOOKLET.

Step 3. Daily Lists
Q3. Do you have [LIST ALL BOOKLET KEEPERS]’s booklets with you now?
 YES
 SOME- NOT ALL
 NO
Q3a. Are the booklets close enough that you could get them easily? If so, I will hold while you get them.
Q4. Let’s go to [YOUR/NAME’s] booklet. Could you open it to the green page that says “Daily List – Day [FILL]”
at the top?
Q5. Which day is checked at the top?
Q6. Did you check the nothing to report box?
 YES
 NO
Q6a. So that means [YOU/SHE/HE] did not get any food from outside the home that day. Is that right?
 YES
 NO
Q7. In the top section, Section A, how many places are listed?
Q8a. What is the name of the first place?
Q8b. What was the total amount paid?
Q9a. What is the name of the second place?
Q9b. What was the total amount paid?
CAI: CONTINUE THIS SERIES UNTIL EACH PLACE IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
Q10. In the bottom section, Section B, how many places are listed?
Q11a. What is the name of the first place?
Q11b. What was the total amount paid?
Q12a. What is the name of the second place?
Q12b. What was the total amount paid?
CAI: CONTINUE THIS SERIES UNTIL EACH PLACE IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
Q13. That’s it for this page. Please make an “x” in the box that says “Office Use” at the bottom of the
page? This way we will know it has been recorded and we won’t ask you about it the next time we speak.
FOR SUBSEQUENT ITERATIONS OF THIS COMMAND: Make an “x” in the “Office Use” box and flip to the
next page.
CAI: REPEAT Q5-Q13 FOR EACH DAY OF STUDY WEEK REPORTED DURING THE CALL.

Step 4. Red Pages
Now I’d like to go through the Red Pages in this booklet.
Q14. FIRST DAY ONLY, UNLESS PROBLEMS NOTED ON PREVIOUS INTERVIEW: Generally, did anyone
have problems filling out the red pages?
 YES
 NO
FOR FIRST PHONE CALL: Could you open this booklet to the first actual red page (the one after the sample
red page)?
SUBSEQUENT CALLS: Could you turn to the first red page that you have not reported to us? It should be the
first one without an “x” in the “Office Use” box.
1.
2.

CONFIRM DAY
CONFIRM NAME OF PLACE

CAI: IN REAL TIME SEARCH GOOGLE YELLOW PAGES FOR RESTAURANT NAME NEAR ZIP CODE
ASSIGNED TO CASE AND OFFER OPTIONS FOR CONFIRMATION. IF NEEDED, ASK FOR STREET
ADDRESS IF NO OPTIONS APPEAR. IF NOT FOUND IN GOOGLE, ASK FOR ADDRESS (YOU CAN READ
IT OFF THE RECEIPT) OR CITY. IF THE LOCATION IS NOT A BUSINESS, THE ADDRESS SHOULD NOT
BE RECORDED.
3.
4.
5.

Which meal or snack did you check?
Who got this [MEAL OR SNACK]?
How did you pay?

IF PURCHASED, ASK:
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

What was the total amount paid?
Does the total amount include tip?
If you left a tip, how much?
Do you have a receipt? IF YES: Did you attach the receipt to the page?
Did you buy food or drinks for anyone not in your household? IF YES: How many people?
IF RESPONDENT ATTACHED RECEIPT TO PAGE: Could you read me the items off the receipt?

ASK ALL RESPONDENTS:
12. Are there any items listed at the bottom of the page? IF YES: Could you read me everything on the
[FIRST/SECOND/REPEAT AS NECESSARY] line?
Alright, make an “x” in the “Office Use” box and flip to the next page.
CAI: CONTINUE THIS SERIES UNTIL EACH PLACE IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
WHEN FINISHED WITH THE LAST COMPLETED RED PAGE: Just so you know, that’s where we’re going to
pick up the Red Pages next time, so you might want to mark this page.
CAI: RESTART AT STEP 3 FOR THE NEXT HH BOOKLET. REPEAT THIS SERIES UNTIL EACH BOOKLET
IS COMPLETE.

Step 5. Blue Pages and Meal Matrix
We are almost done; I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about the blue pages in the scanner book.
1.
2.
3.

Have you scanned any groceries yet?
Did you have any problems with the scanning?
Are you saving the receipts?

Great. Remember that it is important to save the receipts. Also, have you been filling out your meal matrix that
is under the magnet on your refrigerator?
 YES
 NO

Step 6. End
That is the end of my questions. Thank you for giving me this information. Do you have any questions for me?
 YES
 NO
IF NECESSARY, REMIND THEM WE WILL CALL FOR HH INTERVIEW #2
IF NOT DAY 7: Please give us a call back on [DAY OF WEEK] to tell us about the food you got between now
and then.
IF DAY 7: As scheduled, your field interviewers [FILL NAME] will return on at [FILL TIME] on [FILL DAY] to
complete the final interview, collect the booklets, and collect the scanner. [S/HE] will also bring your thank you
gift cards for taking part in the study.