Qualitative Research on Methods for Unduplicating People Suspected of Being Counted More Than Once During a Census

Protocol for 2010 TCFU Interview

Cognitive Interviewing Protocol

8/16/10

Participant ID: Interview Date:

Interviewer ID:

Respondent state:

Introduction

(Cognitive Interviewer: Read/ Paraphrase)

Hello, I’m [NAME], and I work for [NAME OF CONTRACTOR], and I am doing work for the U.S. Census Bureau. Thanks for agreeing to help us today. Let me tell you a little about what we will be doing:

Every ten years, the Census Bureau collects data about the entire U.S. population. This year everyone in the country got a census form to complete for their household. After everyone completed their census forms, some people were contacted by telephone for a follow-up survey. Today, I will be asking you questions that are a part of a research study for the census. First I’m going to pretend to be an interviewer calling you on the phone, and after the interview is over, I will ask you about the questions you answered. There aren’t any right or wrong answers here, I am just interested in what you think.

Before we start, I will give you a consent form [HAND THE CONSENT FORM TO R] and we’ll go over it together. It is consent to make a tape recording of our conversation, but it also tells you about the confidentiality of this interview. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have. This document tells you that because we would like to keep track of everything you say today, we would like to tape-record our conversation. It also says that your answers are confidential and protected by law (Title 13 USC). Only researchers working on this project who have taken an oath and are subject to a jail term, a fine, or both if they disclose any information that could identify you or your household will see your answers or hear the tape. Your participation is voluntary and you may choose not to answer any particular question you don’t want to answer.

Now we are ready to start the interview. Do you have any questions before we start?

START TAPE

Administer interview. Remember to note any problems/comments/questions/puzzled looks/exasperated sighs respondent has on the questionnaire – come back and probe on these afterwards.

------------------------------------------------End Interview--------------------------------------------------

Now, I am going to ask you some questions about your answers and about the survey questions themselves. I am really interested in how these questions work for you, so there are no right or wrong answers.

1. Overall, what did you think of that interview? Was it easy or difficult?

2. In your own words, what was this survey asking about?

3. What time period were you thinking about when you were answering these questions?

4. From the information you just provided, do you believe that we have a complete picture of all the places that you (and or your family members or friends) stayed during 2010? If not, why not? What is missing?

5. There were a few times when I read introductions to different sections, did you notice them, or not really? What do you remember from the introductions I read?

6. How did you feel about the introductions to different sections?

7. Did you find the introductions helpful or unhelpful? What makes you say that?

8. Were the survey questions what you expected, or not? What makes you say that?

9. If applicable: Does it bother you that we only asked questions about (YOU/NAME) or (NAMES)? If so, why?

10. Were there any survey questions that you think might offend some people? If so, what is it that you think makes these questions offensive?

11. Other than what we have already talked about, do you think there are questions some people would find difficult?

12. Other than what we have already talked about, do you think there are questions some people would find sensitive? If so, what is it that you think that makes these questions sensitive?

INT: Now I’d like to just walk back through the questionnaire with you for a bit and maybe talk about some of the questions I just asked you. As we’re doing this, if there was any particular thought or reaction you remember having when I asked you a certain question, please let me know.

Start with Section A. Go back through interview, and probe on anything that needs clarification, with respondent using probes like “what did X mean to you?” or “what were you thinking of when I asked you X?”

IF 2 ADDRESSES WERE ASKED ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING:

INT: In the interview you just completed, I asked you about two addresses. You told me which address you were currently at, and also told me that you recognized the other address. I’d like to ask you a few things about the questions I asked you.

1. What were you thinking when I asked you, “Have I reached ADDRESS 1 or ADDRESS 2?” For instance, did it seem normal to you, or odd, or did it not affect you in any way?

2. What if we said that we had this phone number associated with both ADDRESS 1 and ADDRESS 2? Would that clarify things for you, or would it make you concerned? What if both of those addresses were not yours – in that case, would it explain to you what the error was, or would it make you concerned?

3. I gave you a lot of options for the other address, including a house you moved from, a vacation or second home, a place for work, and other things. Were these options sufficient, or should there be something else listed there?

4. The next questions I asked were about how much time each person in your household spent at each address. What did you think about when you answered those questions?

5. When I asked you where your household was on April 1^st, were you thinking specifically about that day, or just generally? If generally, what period of time were you thinking of?

6. If someone from the Census Bureau called you on your cell phone and you were not at either address, do you think you would have answered the question – Where have I reached you? – any differently? That is, do you think it would be confusing to ask you about your address when you are not at home?

Everyone

INT: Thanks! Now we’re going to change gears a bit, and I’ll ask you some questions about other parts of the interview.

1. How often do you think you would have to stay somewhere else to mention it to these questions? Do you think if you stayed overnight once you would mention it? What if you stayed only on the weekends somewhere else? What if you stayed someplace for one week? One month? Three months?

2. Did you think of any other places, but not mention them, maybe because you didn’t stay there very often?

3. After you mentioned an address, did you ever think of it again, as it might relate to another question? For example, an address that you stayed at for a job might also have been an address with a relative – did this happen in your case?

EHC

We are interested in experimenting with a different way of doing the census. It is called an “Event History Calendar.” We would like you to tell us a story about the events that happened to you this year. In this method, we will complete a calendar that documents the significant events that happened in your life this year. Go to EHC.

If a new address is uncovered anytime during the interview:

Make sure you have the answers to these questions – you can verify if you already know.

1. Can you describe NAME’s living situation for me? Please tell me about how much time NAME spent at each of his/her addresses in the past year, that is, during 2009.

2. How often does NAME stay at the other place?

3. Where does NAME stay most of the time?

4. Where was NAME staying most of the time around April 1?

DEBRIEFING

INT: Finally, to wrap up, I have just a few last questions.

1. Who in your household usually completes things like census forms?

2. Do you know who completed your 2010 Census form? (Was it you or someone else?)

3. Do you think your answers to the survey would have been any different if we had called on the phone to ask these questions? If so, how would they be different?

4. Do you have anything else you would like to tell us that you haven’t had a chance to mention, yet?

Okay, that’s all. Thanks so much for helping us today! TURN OFF TAPE.

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