Form Attachment B Attachment B Interview Protocol

Attachment B: Cognitive Interviewing Protocol

• Hi! Thank you for coming in today.

• I am …... [This is my colleague ( ) who will be taking notes for us today]

• Have you participated in any of our studies before?

• Consent Form/Permission to audiotape

• Explanation:

  • We are going to be working with some questions from the Current Population Survey, an ongoing survey that provides a continuous flow of information about the characteristics of the American workforce.

  • What we are going to do today is go through a few questions from the survey and get your reactions to them.

  • The purpose of today’s session is to help us find out more about how people respond to these questions. Basically, we’re trying to find out what you think a question is asking and how hard it is to answer. We are not here to evaluate you, we are looking to improve the questions, so there are no wrong answers. All the information you give us will be kept completely confidential, and will be used to improve the survey questions.

• Any questions before we begin?

Question Number	Questions	Response Options	Who Receives Question
Roster1	Please tell me the names and ages of everyone who lives in your household	Open ended	Everyone
Roster 2	Is (name) employed?	Yes No	Everyone
Demographic Questions, ask as a block for each HH member
EDUCA	What is the highest level of school (name/you) (has/have) completed or the highest degree (name/you) (has/have) received?	(31) Less than 1st grade (32) 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th grade (For example: BA, AB, BS) (33) 5th or 6th grade (34) 7th or 8th grade (35) 9th grade (36) 10th grade (37) 11th grade (38) 12th grade NO DIPLOMA (39) HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE- high school DIPLOMA or the equivalent (For example: GED) (40) Some college but no degree (41) Associate degree in college - Occupational/vocational program (42) Associate degree in college -- Academic program (43) Bachelor's degree (44) Master's degree (For example: MA, MS, MEng, MEd, MSW, MBA) (45) Professional School Degree (For example: MD,DDS,DVM,LLB,JD) (46) Doctorate degree (For example: PhD, EdD)	Everyone
DIPGED	People can get a High-School diploma in a variety of ways, such as graduating from High School or by getting a GED or other equivalent. How did (you/name) get (your/his/her) High-School diploma?	Graduation from High School GED or other equivalent	39 in EDUCA
HGCINO	What was the highest grade of regular school (you/name) completed before receiving (your/his/her) GED?	(1) Less than 1st grade (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade (3) 5th or 6th grade (4) 7th or 8th grade (5) 9th grade (6) 10th grade (7) 11th grade (8) 12th grade NO DIPLOMA	2 in DIPGED
CYC	(Including any time that may have been spent getting an Associate’s Degree,) How many years of college CREDIT (have/has) (name/you) completed? (Have/has) (name/you) completed	(1) Less than 1 year (include 0 years completed)? (2) The first, or FRESHMAN year? (3) The second, or SOPHOMORE year? (4) The third, or JUNIOR year? (5) Four or more years?	EDUCA=40, 41 or 42
EDUCA7	Since completing (your/his/her) Bachelor's degree (have/has) (you/name) taken any GRADUATE or PROFESSIONAL school courses for credit?	(1) Yes (2) No	Proposed for removal
EDUCA8	Did (you/name) complete SIX or MORE graduate or professional school courses?	(1) Yes (2) No	Proposed for removal
EDUCA9	Was (your/name's) Master's Degree program a 1-year, 2-year, or 3-year program?	(1) 1-year program (2) 2-year program (3) 3-year program (or longer)	Proposed for removal
CERT1	(Does/do) (name/you) have a currently active professional certification or a state or industry license?  Do not include business licenses, such as a liquor license or vending license. (Read if necessary:  a professional certification or license shows you are qualified to perform a specific job. Examples include a realtor license, a medical assistant certification, a Teacher’s License or an IT certification. Only include certifications or licenses obtained by an individual.)	(1) Yes (2) No	Everyone
CERT2	Were any of (your/his/her) certifications or licenses issued by the federal, state, or local government?	(1) Yes (2) No	CERT1 = 1
HSPNON	(Are / Is) (name/you) of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?	(1) Yes (2) No	Everyone
ORISPN	(Are / Is) (name/you) Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano; Puerto Rican; Cuban, Cuban American, or of another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin; for example, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on? If multiple answer, Probe: Which group (do/does) (you/he/she) most closely identify with?	Mexican Mexican American Chicano Puerto Rican Cuban Cuban-American Other	Everyone
S_OROTSP	What is that origin?		ORISPN=7
RACE	I am going to read you a list of race categories. You may choose one or more races. For this survey, Hispanic origin is not a race. Are you: White; Black or African American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; OR Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander? Do not probe unless response is Hispanic or a Hispanic origin. Enter all that apply, separate with commas	White Black or African American American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Other - DO NOT READ	Everyone
RACEAS	You may choose one or more Asian groups. (Are / Is) (you/name) Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, or another Asian group, for example, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on? Read each item. Enter all that apply, separate with commas	Asian Indian Chinese Filipino Japanese Korean Vietnamese Other Asian	RACE = 4
RACEPI	You may choose one or more Pacific Islander groups. (Are / Is) (you/name) Native Hawaiian; Guamanian or Chamorro; Samoan; or another Pacific Islander group, for example, Fijian, Tongan, and so on? Read each item. Enter all that apply, separate with commas	Native Hawaiian Guamanian or Chamorro Samoan Other Pacific Islander	RACE = 5
Labor Force Questions, for up to 3 HH employed members, identified during screening
LABOR	Next, I am going to ask a few questions about work related activities LAST WEEK. By last week, I mean the week beginning on Sunday, ____ and ending on Saturday, ___		Everyone
PUWK	LAST WEEK, did you do ANY work for pay?	Yes, go to PUMJ No, go to PUABS Don't Know Refused	Everyone
PUABS	LAST WEEK, did you have a job either full or part time? Include any job from which you were temporarily absent.	Yes No Don't Know Refused	Employed, PUWK = 1
PUMJ	LAST WEEK, did you have more than one job (or business), including part-time, evening or weekend work?	Yes, No, Don't Know Refused	Employed, PUABS = 1 PUMJ = 1
PUHRUSL1	How many hours per week do you USUALLY work at your (main) job? (If PUMJ is "yes") By main job we mean the one at which you USUALLY work the most hours.	If pumj=1 ask puhrusl2 else go to puio1int	All employed, fill based on more than one job, PUMJ=1
PUHRUSL2	How many hours per week do you USUALLY work at your other job(s)?		All employed, fill based on more than one job, PUMJ=1
PUIO1INT	Now I have a few questions about the (main) job - (a) (at which you worked LAST WEEK.) (b) (from which you were absent LAST WEEK.) (Was.../Were you) employed by government, by a private company, a non-profit organization, or (was.../were you) self employed (or working in a family business)?	Government Private company Non-profit organization incl. tax exempt and charitable organizations Self-employed Working in family business	All employed, fill based on more than one job, PUMJ=1
PUIO1INC	What is the name of the (company) (non-profit organization) (business) for which ... (works) (at your/his/her Main job)?	Open-ended	All employed, fill based on more than one job, PUMJ=1
PUIO2INC	"What kind of business or industry is this?" READ IF NECESSARY What do they make or do where you work?	Open-ended	All employed
PUIO1OCC	What kind of work (do) you do, that is, what (is) your occupation? (For example: plumber, typist, farmer)	Open-ended	All employed
PUIO1DT	What (are) your usual activities or duties at this job? (For example: typing, keeping account books, filing, selling cars, operating printing press, laying brick)	Open-ended	All employed
CERT3	Earlier you told me (you/name) had a currently active professional certification or license.  Is (your/his/her) certification or license required for (your/his/her) main job?	(1) Yes (2) No	All employed CERT1=1
PUSCHENR	LAST WEEK, were you enrolled in a high school, college, or university? (Mark "Yes" if currently on holiday or seasonal vacation. Mark "No" for summer vacation.)	(1) Yes (2) No	Everyone
SCHLVL	(if necessary) Would that be high school, college, or university?	High school College or University Don't Know Refused	Everyone

Debriefing

I’d like to begin by asking you about your general reactions to the survey.

1. What was it like for you to participate in this survey?

1. Were there any questions you found difficult or confusing?

2. What were the main topics that survey asked about?

CERT1. Now I’d like to talk about some of the specific questions you answered. The first one asked about

CERT1

(Does/do) (name/you) have a currently active professional certification or a state or industry license? Do not include business licenses, such as liquor license or vending license. (Read if necessary, if participant shows any confusion or hesitation before answering:  a professional certification or license shows you are qualified to perform a specific job. Examples include a realtor license, a medical assistance certification, a Teacher’s License or an IT certification. Only include certifications or licenses obtained by an individual.)

(1) Yes (2) No

Everyone

1. What did this question mean to you?

2. (if 1) You answered “Yes” to this question. Can you tell me about that? What type of certification or license do you have?

3. (if 2) You answered “No” to this question. Have you ever had a certification or license?

   1. (if yes) Can you tell me about that? What type is it?

4. What types of things did you think of when you heard “professional certification or a state or industry license?”

5. The questions that came before the question about certifications and licenses asked about how much education you (and others in your household had). Do you think the questions about certification or license fit in with those questions?

   1. Do you consider a certification or license a type of education?

   2. (if they are a type of education) Are there any types of certifications or licenses that are not educational?

   3. (if they are not a type of education) Are there some types of certifications and licenses that you would include when answering the question about what is the highest level of education you received?

   4. (if something else) what term would you use to classify certification or licenses?

6. There were also some questions about the highest level of education you’ve received, do you consider your certification/license as part of your education?

   1. (if no) How are they different? Is there another category you would put certifications in?

   2. (if yes) Do you consider your certification as your highest level of education? Does it go above your high school/college/graduate degree?

   3. Did the questions make sense to you, to ask about education and then certifications and licenses?

FOR PROXY

7. (if yes for proxy) You said that (name) has a license or certification. What type?

   1. Is it currently active? How do you know its current status?

8. (if no for proxy) You said that (name) didn’t have a license or certification. Has (name) ever had a certification or license?

   1. (if yes) Can you tell me about that? What type is it? Is it currently active?

9. How sure are you of your answers?

   1. Do you feel like you have a strong knowledge of the certifications/licenses of other people in your household?

CERT2 (if received). Another question asked

CERT2

Were any of (your/his/her) certifications or licenses issued by the federal, state or local government?

(1) Yes (2) No

CERT1 = 1

NOTE: be sure to probe able all certifications and licenses if the P has more than one

1. What did this question mean to you?

2. (if 1) You answered “Yes” to this question. Who awarded your certificate or license?

3. (if 2) You answered “No” to this question. Who awarded your certificate or license?

   1. How sure are you of the __ that awarded your certificate or license?

4. (if only one) The question asked about ANY certifications/licenses. Did you think this question applied to you, even though you only had one certification /license ?

5. (if more than one) The question asked about “Any of your certifications…” Which certifications/licenses were you thinking about?

FOR PROXY

6. You said that (name’s) license/certification was/was not awarded by the federal, state or local government. Who awarded it?

   1. How sure are you of the __ that awarded your certificate or license?

7. How sure are you of your answers?

CERT3 (if received) After asking a series of questions about your job, we asked:

CERT3

Earlier you told me (you/name) had a currently active professional certification or license.  Is (your/his/her) certification or license required for (your/his/her) main job?

(1) Yes (2) No

CERT1=1

NOTE: be sure to probe able all certifications and licenses if the P has more than one

NOTE: be sure to probe able all jobs if the P has more than one

1. What did this question mean to you?

2. What was I referring to when I said “earlier you told me you had a currently active certification or license?”

   1. When did you give that information?

   2. Was it clear to you what the question was referring to?

3. (if 1) You answered “Yes” to this question. Can you explain that to me?

   1. Who requires that you have the certification or license?

   2. How do you know that it is required?

   3. (if more than one job) What job were you thinking about in this question?

   4. (if more than one job) (Does/Do) your other job(s) require a certification or license?

4. (if 2) You answered “No” to this question. Can you explain that to me?

   1. (if more than one job) What job were you thinking about in this question?

   2. (if more than one job) (Does/Do) your other job(s) require a certification or license?

FOR PROXY

1. What was I referring to when I said “earlier you told me [NAME] had a currently active certification or license”?

   1. When did you give that information?

   2. Was it clear to you what the question was referring to?

2. (if proxy was yes) You said that (name’s) certification/license is required for their job. Can you explain that to me?

   1. Who requires that they have the certification or license?

   2. How do you know that it is required?

3. (if proxy was no) You said that (name’s) certification/license is not required for their job. Can you explain that to me?

   1. Are there any types of certifications or licenses required for your job?

   2. Can you think of any types of jobs that require a certification or license?

4. (if more than one job) What job were you thinking about in this question?

5. How sure are you of your answers?

The last set of questions asked about current school enrollment:

PUSCHENR

LAST WEEK, were you enrolled in a high school, college, or university? (Mark "Yes" if currently on holiday or seasonal vacation. Mark "No" for summer vacation.)

(1) Yes (2) No

Everyone

1. There were also questions about school enrollment, if you are currently enrolled in school. What type of school did you think about for those questions?

2. If you were currently working on getting a new certification or license, would you say you were currently enrolled in school?

3. What type of schools do you think should be included in this question?

Closing

• (If participant exhibited uncertainty for any of the educational attainment/school enrollment questions, probe those)

• Thank you for your help with this, do you have anything else to add?