Telephone follow-up

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

Telephone Follow-Up
[IF OBVIOUS YOUTH – Ask to speak with an adult]
Hello, my name is ________________ and I am calling from TBD 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]  Is there another adult of the household that I
could speak to?
[IF NOT AVAILABLE]  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 Cook
Inlet beluga whales in Alaska and $X as a token of our appreciation for completing the
survey. The survey had a picture of a Cook Inlet beluga whale on the cover and some
color graphics inside. Do you remember receiving that questionnaire?
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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?
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2
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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?
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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
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OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

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

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 confidential and your name will not be
revealed to anyone.
1 YES [SKIP TO Q1]
2 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  OK. We look forward to receiving your completed
questionnaire.
[SKIP TO TERMINATE].
2 YES  [CONTINUE WITH EVALUATE]

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OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

EVALUATE

Q1

This 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)
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2
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Q2

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

I will now read two statements. For each, tell me if you strongly disagree, somewhat
disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree.

Protecting threatened and endangered
species is important to me............................
Protecting jobs is more important than
protecting threatened and endangered
species..........................................................

Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

1 x

2 x

3 x

4 x

5 x

1 x

2 x

3 x

4 x

5 x









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

Q3

19______
Refused

In what year were you born?

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

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

Q4

[SKIP Q4 IF THEY INDICATE THEY ARE RETURNING THE SURVEY] Which of the
following best describes the highest level of education you have completed?

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Q5

Some high school or less
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college
Two year college degree (AA, AS) or technical school
Four year college graduate (BA, BS)
Some graduate work but did not receive a graduate degree
Graduate degree (MA, MS, MBA, PhD, JD, MD, etc.)
REFUSED

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

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

[IF RETURNING SURVEY]  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 Cook Inlet beluga whales.
[IF NOT RETURNING QUESTIONNAIRE]  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 Cook Inlet beluga whales or T&E species
B I don’t know about Cook Inlet beluga whales, T&E species, etc.
YES
OTHER RESPONDENT COMMENTS
4

NO

YES
NO

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

____________________________________________________________________________

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 confidential and your name will not be revealed to anyone.
[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 Cook Inlet beluga whales or beluga whales]. The survey does
not require you to have any special knowledge, we just ask that you consider each question and
respond with your own opinion.
[I don’t care about Cook Inlet beluga whales]. 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.

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