Various Demographic Area Pretesting Activities

GQ - Automated Protocol (Round 3)

INTERVIEW ID: ____________________

INTERVIEW DATE: ____/____/____ START TIME: ___________ AM / PM

Hello, my name is ___________. I work for RTI/RSS a research company that has been hired by the Census Bureau to conduct research on the census forms. Thanks for agreeing to help us today. Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be doing. Every ten years the United States conducts a census, or count, of everyone who is living in the United States.

At that time a census taker will come to your [FILL GQ LOCATION] to gather the information needed for the census. Today we’re going to play the part of census takers and ask you questions like those you may be asked for the census in 2020.

Permission to Record:

Because it would be hard to keep track of everything you say today, I would like to record this session. [HAND RESPONDENT THE CONSENT FORM IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY.] Please read over this consent form and let me know if you have any questions. When you are ready, please sign the form. I want you to know that your responses will be kept strictly confidential and will only be seen by members of the project team and the Census Bureau. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary and you can decline to answer any particular question. At the end of the study, we will delete any record of your responses from our machines. Your name will never be used in any reports.

Think-out-loud Instructions:

What I’ll ask you to do today is to fill the questionnaire out, just as you would if you accessed it online. But, so I can keep track of what you are doing, I’d like you to describe what you are doing and thinking as you go along. For example, I may ask you a question that seems relatively simple such as “How many cars do you have?” Instead of just providing a number, tell me what you were thinking when you answered it. For example, my response would be “Well I have an SUV that I drive every day and I also have an old truck. But the truck does not currently run. I assume that you mean working cars, so…one. I just have one car.” This kind of response will help me understand how you understood and interpreted the question so that we can see what each question means to you. I may remind you to think aloud as we go along. After some of the questions, I will ask you some additional questions about your answers to the Census. Some of these questions may sound may sound a little strange. For example, I might ask you what a certain word means to you or how you came up with your answer. Again, the reason for this is to see how people understand each question. Even though some of these questions may sound like I am giving you a test, there are no right or wrong answers. We are interested in how these questions work for you.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

IF CONSENT WAS GIVEN, START TAPE RECORDER AND DEVICE RECORDER.

Logon TO APP (PASSWORD: CSM##2012).

[administer scripted probes after respondent has answered all questions in the SURVEY; note usability issues as they occur. Administer debriefing probes after scripted probes.]

GQ Questions (1-5)
1. What is your full name? [3 Name Field – first middle last] Were you already counted in the 2013 Census? Yes No Don’t Know	Q1 USABILITY: NOTE WHETHER R SKIPS ANY PART OF THIS QUESTION BEFORE HITTING NEXT. WRITE DOWN R’S NAME SO THAT YOU CAN PROBE ON IT LATER. NOTE IF FULL NAME IS PROVIDED AND IF IT IS ENTERED CORRECTLY.
2. Are you male or female? Male Female What is your date of birth? [Date Field: mm-dd-yyyy] If date of birth is unknown –What is your age on June 1, 2013?	Q2 USABILITY: VERIFY FOR EACH PERSON THAT THE DATE PROVIDED VERBALLY MATCHES THE DATE ENTERED ON DEVICE.
3. Using the categories on the screen, what is your race or origin? White – For example, German Irish, Lebanese, Egyptcian, and so on.  Go to 3a Black or African Am. – For example, African American, Haitian, Nigerian, and so on.  Go to 3b Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin – For example, Mexican, Mexican Am., Puerto Rican, Cuban, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on.  Go to 3c American Indian or Alaska Native – For example, Navajo, Mayan, Tlingit, and so on.  Go to 3d Asian – For example, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.  Go to 3e Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – For example, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Somoan, Fijian, Tongan, and so on.  Go to 3f Some other race or origin.  Go to 3g	Q3 USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments: Did you notice the examples? IF YES: How helpful or unhelpful were they?
3a. You said you are white. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, German, Irish, Lebanese, Egyptian, and so on.	Q3a USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3b. You said you are black or African Am. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, African American, Haitian, Nigerian and so on.	Q3b USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3c. You said you are Hispanic, Latino or of Spanish origin. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, Mexican, Mexican Am., Puerto Rican, Cuban, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on.	Q3c USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3d. You said you are American Indian or Alaska Native. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, Navajo, Mayan, Tlingit and so on.	Q3d USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3e. You said you are Asian. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian and so on.	Q3e USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3f. You said you are / [NAME] is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Enter your specific origin(s) - For example, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Samoan, Fijian, Tongan and so on.	Q3f USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
3g. You said you have / [NAME] has some other race or origin. Enter your specific origin(s).	Q3g USABILITY: if they have an objection, let them comment. WRITE DOWN Verbatim any spontaneous comments:
4. Besides this facility at [Address], is there any other address where you sometimes live or stay? Yes- Go to 4a No- Go to Q5	Q4 USABILITY: What does “live or stay” mean to you as it was used in this question? What time period were you thinking about when you answered this question? IF YES: Can you tell me more about that? [Who did you stay with? When were you there last? How frequently do you stay there?]
4a. What is the address of the other place where you sometimes live or stay? Please provide as much information as you know. Address (# and Street Name): Apt #: City: State [select state picklist] Zip Name of facility: [placeholder for new addresses]		Q4a USABILITY: IF BLANK OR PARTIAL ADDRESS: Can you tell me why you chose not to write an address or left some fields blank here? NOTE: IF R ADDS INFORMATION OR CHANGES A RESPONSE DURING PROBING, FLAG WHICH INFORMATION IS ADDED OR CHANGED.
4b. When did you last stay there? [DATE: mm-dd-yyyy] Don’t know		Q4b USABILITY:
5. Where do you live or stay most of the time? [Facility sample address] – Go to 6 [ADDRESS: Fill all addresses as choices]- Go to 6 In above places about equally- Go to 6 Some other place -Go to 5a 5a. What is the address of the other place?		Q5 USABILITY: What time period were you thinking of? What does the phrase “most of the time” mean to you as it’s used in this question? IF ADD’L ADDRESSES PROVIDED: How did you determine where you live or stay most of the time? If I had only asked “where do you live most of the time” or “where do you stay most of the time,” would that have changed your answer? How so? Q5a USABILITY:
6. On June 1, 2013, where were you staying? [Facility sample address] – End Survey [ADDRESS: Fill all addresses as choices]- End Survey Some other place- Go to 6a 6a. What is the address of the other place? [ADDRESS] End Survey		Q6 USABILITY: What does “staying” mean to you as it is used in this question? IF ANSWER IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT: How did you come up with your answer to this question?

Final Debriefing

INTERVIEWER: BEFORE PROCEEDING, CHECK FOR SIGNS OF R FATIGUE (SIGHS, COMMENTS). PLEASE NOTE ANY COMMENTS PROVIDED BY THE PARTICIPANT OR SIGNS OF FATIGUE BELOW THEN RESUME THE INTERVIEW AND COMPLETE THE FINAL SECTION.

Thanks, we’re almost finished. I have a few more questions for you.

C1. Was there anything in these questions that you found sensitive or uncomfortable to answer?

C2. Was there any information that you would be hesitant to provide on the census form?

C3. Aside from the things we’ve talked about, were there any questions or instructions that you find confusing or difficult to answer?

C4. Did you find parts of the interview repetitive? If so, what parts?

B7. IF ANY RESPONSES TO THE CENSUS QUESTIONS ARE INCONSISTENT, UNEXPECTED, OR COMPLICATED, ASK: I need to make sure I understand where you would have been counted. Please describe in your own words you your living situation and how much time you spend at each place you have told me about?

DO NOT READ:

Example 1: If the R says that he was at their usual residence around June 1, but had told

you previously that he was traveling then.

Example 2: If the R says that he/she sometimes stayed somewhere in Q13 & Q14, but

then did not provide addresses to the follow-up questions.

Example 3 (Be Counted only): If R said in Q2 about experiencing homelessness in a

shelter but did not report staying.

A3. I see that you typed ________________ as your name. Is that your full name or a nickname? NOTE DIFFERENCES WITHOUT USING PII.

A4. Would you ever use a different version of your name on a form like this?

1. IF YES: How else might you list your name? NOTE DIFFERENCES WITHOUT USING PII.

2. IF YES: How do you decide which way to write it on different forms?

3. IF HISPANIC: Do you have two surnames? IF YES, ASK: How did you decide which surname to provide on the Census form?

A5. IF MIDDLE NAME BLANK OR JUST INITIAL: Did you see that you were supposed to provide your middle name? Do you have a middle name? How did you decide to leave it blank?

C5. If you were going to answer your census questionnaire on your own, without an interviewer, how would you prefer to do it: CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

Yes No On a smartphone? (What kind:____________________________________________)

Yes No On a tablet? (What kind:____________________________________________)

Yes No On a laptop or desktop?

Yes No On a paper form?

FOR EACH “Yes” ANSWER CHOSEN, ASK: Why?

C6. If you don’t answer the census on your own, an interviewer might be sent to your home to get your census information. How would you feel about the interviewer using….. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

• a smartphone to do the interview?

• a tablet, like an iPad?

• a laptop computer?

• a paper form?

Which do you prefer and why?

C7. Now, thinking of an interviewer using a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop computer, would it make a difference to you if the interviewer used her own device or a government-issued device?

IF R SHOWED CONCERN WITH PERSONAL DEVICE: The information people give will not be saved in the personal machines. Instead, they will be encrypted through a secure internet server and the machine is just used to get to the secure server. Would this explanation assure you? (IF NOT: What should the Census Bureau say to assure you that interviewers’ personal devices work the same as government-issued devices?

C8. Do you own or have access to…

____ A smartphone? (What kind:____________________________________________)

____ A tablet? (What kind:____________________________________________)

____ A laptop or desktop?

I have one more question about technology that might be used to improve the next Census. Please look at the following. HAND R THE PRINTOUT WITH THIS QUESTION: In order to count people in the right place, the Census Bureau must collect detailed geographic information about each person's place of residence. If you were at home completing your census on a smartphone or tablet, we could determine your location easily and accurately using GPS technology. Would you allow the Census Bureau to collect GPS coordinates on a one-time-only basis to determine where to count you in the census?

C9. Tell me why/why not? [IF NECESSARY: What additional information would you want to know?]

C10. What does geographic information mean to you in this question?

End Time:________

R3 GQ Automated Protocol 7