Decennial Language Research

Project 4.2

NRFU version

Project 4.2 Multilingual Focus Group

Moderator’s Guide

NRFU Version

Revision History

Date	Version Number & Purpose	Author	Submitted by
4/15/2015	_v1	Alisú Schoua-Glusberg Co-lead researcher	Not submitted
4/20/2015	_v2	Hyunjoo Park, Co-lead researcher	Not submitted
4/24/2015	_v3	Mandy Sha, project manager	Mandy Sha, project manager
5/5/2015	_v4.1	Hyunjoo Park, Mandy Sha, Alisú Schoua-Glusberg & Yuling Pan	Mandy Sha, project manager

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION - 15 minutes

Welcome! Thank you for coming to talk with us today. We know we all live busy lives so we really appreciate that you are taking a couple of hours of your day to help us review materials and messages that the Census Bureau has designed and would like to use in the 2015 National Census Test.

Every ten years the United States conducts a census, or count, of everyone who is living in this country. The next census will take place in the year 2020, but the Census Bureau spends several years preparing for it and doing research to improve the census. This year there will be a large national test in preparation for 2020. The Census Bureau has developed the census form in multiple languages, including <TARGET LANGUAGE>, to be mailed to people across the United States who request it during the 2015 National Test.

This focus group is part of a Census Bureau research project. My name is [MODERATOR NAME] and I will be guiding today's conversation. I work for [RTI International, a non-profit research organization/RSS, a research firm]. The Census Bureau has hired us to conduct this research. Today we will be looking with you at the Census form and other materials in <TARGET LANGUAGE>. We want your opinions about the language and the content of these materials. Your participation is very important because it will help the Census Bureau determine if these forms are translated well and are culturally appropriate.

Here is a consent form. It explains everything we will be doing and it asks for your authorization to audio and video record our conversation. It also explains that we will keep everything you say today confidential and will only use it for research purposes to improve the Census materials in [TARGET LANGUAGE]. Please read the consent form and let me know if you have any questions before signing it.

<DISTRIBUTE CONSENT FORM. ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. COLLECT SIGNED FORMS>

Thank you. Some of you may have taken part in focus groups before and for others this may be your first time. Let me mention a few basic rules.

• First, I will be asking a lot of questions. There are no right or wrong answers to my questions; we just want your honest opinions. We don't need to have everyone agree. In fact, if you have a view different from others it is especially important for us to hear it because you may be the only person who is representing a different point of view here today.

• Only one person speaks at a time and we’d like everyone to get a turn. We need to hear what everyone has to say. Please do not have a side conversation with the person sitting next to you or speak while somebody else is talking. Please speak up and let us know what you are thinking. If you are the type of person who always participates, please give a chance to others to talk.

• I may have to interrupt. Due to limited time, I must move the discussion along and may sometimes have to interrupt in order to do so. Please do not be offended – it is my job to cover a certain number of topics during the group period.

• We are in a focus group room with a one-way mirror. My colleagues who are working with me on this project can watch it from the other room without getting in our way. We are also doing a video and audio recording of the conversation to help us prepare a report.

• Please keep what everyone says here private. During the group conversation, we use first names only. We keep what you say entirely confidential and I ask that each of you treat confidentially what others say around the table. Your names are not used in any reports.

• Make yourselves comfortable. We will have a break about half-way through the session. You may leave your seat at any time to use the bathroom or to stretch your legs, but please do so quietly. If you need to leave your phones on, please have them on vibrate.

Does anyone have any questions before we start?

Let's go around the room and have each of you tell us your name, where you were born, and how long you have lived in the United States.

<GO ONE BY ONE AROUND THE ROOM.>

What do you like and dislike about living here?

<ENCOURAGE EACH PERSON TO SPEAK AND PROBE FOR AGREEMENT AND DIFFERENCE IN OPINION>

SECTION II. MATERIALS REVIEW

A. VERBAL MESSAGES - 45 minutes

Thank you. When it's time for the Census test later this year, the addresses randomly selected for the Test will receive a mailing that asks them to complete the census form on the internet. If no census form is completed for a specific address by a certain date, another mailing is sent. The second mailing offers two options for completing the census form: by Internet or by mail. The census form can be completed online only in English or Spanish. But speakers of <TARGET LANGUAGE> can find a census form online in <TARGET LANGUAGE> that they can print, complete, and mail back.

If no response from an address has been received by a certain date, a Census Bureau interviewer will be sent in person to that address to ask the census questions of the people who live there.

The Census Bureau will not know in advance what language is spoken at a particular address. However, if the address is in an area where a high percentage of <TARGET LANGUAGE>-speaking immigrants live, it is likely that they will send a <TARGET LANGUAGE>-speaking interviewer. To train the interviewers well, the Census Bureau has designed some examples of situations the interviewer may encounter and will use those examples to train the interviewers.

We will show you an interaction between an interviewer and a household member.

<SHOW VIDEO 1, EXAMPLE OF INTERVIEWER ARRIVING AND DOING INTRODUCTION WITH R WHO HAS HEARD OF THE CENSUS. EXAMPLE SCRIPT:

• Enumerator: Hello, I'm (your name) from the U.S. Census Bureau. I'm here to complete a Census questionnaire for <PARTIAL ADDRESS>.

• Respondent: Oh, okay. How long will this take?

• Enumerator: It should only take about 10 minutes of your time.

• Respondent: Well, what kinds of questions will you be asking me?

• Enumerator: The questions I have are about your household. All the information you provide is confidential. This notice explains how your information is protected.

A1_1. What did you think of what the interviewer said?

A1_2. Is there anything you particularly liked? Anything you did not like? Anything that you think could be offensive for some people?

A1_3. Is there anything you think the interviewer should do differently? What would that be?

A1_4. Let's look at it once more. <SHOW VIDEO AGAIN.> This time please focus on the wording. Are there any words that you don't think are right for this message? Anything not clear? Anything that would worry a person or could discourage from participation?

A2. EXAMPLE SCRIPT SHOWING R HAS NOT HEARD OF THE CENSUS. EXAMPLE SCRIPT:

• Enumerator: Hello, I'm (your name) from the U.S. Census Bureau. I'm here to complete a Census questionnaire for <PARTIAL ADDRESS>. This is for the 2015 Census Test.

• Respondent: What is the 2015 Census Test? As far as I know the census is done every 10 years so the next one is not until 2020.

• Enumerator: We mailed two letters to your address explaining that your address was randomly selected for a test of the census questionnaire. The purpose of the test is to improve the census form for 2020.

• Respondent: Ah, ok. Sounds cool that my address was selected. You can start with the questions.>

A2_1. What did you think of what the interviewer said?

A2_2. Is there anything you particularly liked? Anything you did not like? Anything that you think could be offensive for some people?

A2_3. Is there anything you think the interviewer should do differently? What would that be?

A2_4. Let's look at it once more. <SHOW VIDEO AGAIN.> This time please focus on the wording. Are there any words that you don't think are right for this message? Anything not clear? Anything that would worry a person or could discourage from participation?

A3…. <EACH LANGUAGE SHOULD INCLUDE HERE MORE VIDEO EXAMPLES ) AND REPEAT THE SAME PROBES. IN TOTAL, 10 MINUTES SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO DISCUSSION OF EACH VIDEO.

B. NOTICE OF VISIT - 15 minutes

If the Census Bureau is not aware that many <TARGET LANGUAGE> speakers live in an area, they may send an interviewer who only speaks English. When the interviewer rings the bell or knocks on the door, s/he may be face to face with a <TARGET LANGUAGE> speaker who does not speak English.

For this type of situation, the interviewer will have two documents with him/her. First, to learn the language of the household, the interviewer has a card to show the person at the door. <DISTRIBUTE THE LANGUAGE IDENTIFICATION CARD> Once the person points at the language they speak, the interviewer can give the person a Notice of Visit in <TARGET LANGUAGE>. If no one is home, the interviewer can also leave this Notice of Visit at the doorstep.

I want us to take a look at the Notice of Visit. <DISTRIBUTE COPIES.>

Please take 5 minutes to read it. As you read, please use your [POSITIVE_COLOR] marker to highlight anything that catches your attention in a positive way, anything that you particularly like. It can be something in the content, the language, or the graphic layout. We want to hear about all aspects.

<GIVE GROUP 5 MINUTES>

Now I would like you to look at it again, and mark with your [NEGATIVE_COLOR] marker anything you do NOT like.

< GIVE GROUP 5 MINUTES>

Before I ask you about what you highlighted, I have a few questions:

B1. What do you think the main message is here?

B2. Is there anything you particularly like about the content? What did you highlight in [POSITIVE_COLOR]?

B3. Is there anything you particularly dislike about the content? What did you highlight in [NEGATIVE_COLOR]?

B4. What do you think about the way it looks? PROBE FOR LIKES AND DISLIKES.

Let’s review each paragraph of this material together.

<MODERATOR:

• Use flipchart or poster to highlight messages being discussed in each paragraph.

• If needed, encourage participants to indicate agreement or disagreement via the voting cards in front of them.>

B5. FIRST & SECOND 1^ST & 2^ND PARAGRAPHS. (I stopped by……)

First, I’d like you to take a look at the first two paragraphs. What do you think these paragraphs are trying to say?

The purpose of these two paragraphs is to let households know that (SHOW 1^ST BULLET SET FROM NOV SUMMARY POSTER):

• an interviewer came to complete the census form for you and your family

• Census is asking for your survey participation

• the purpose of census test survey

Probe if needed:

• B5-1. How well does the notice transmit these messages in <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Is the message not clear? What part or parts of the message are not clear?

• B5-2 What do you think about the way the information is presented here?

• B5-3. What about the words used? Do you think any words will be difficult to understand for some speakers of <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Are there any sentences that some people may find confusing or difficult to understand?

B6. THIRD 3^rd PARAGRAPH & box.

What about the next paragraph (Please use…..) and the box right below it?

The purpose of this paragraph and the box is to let households know that (SHOW 2^ND BULLET SET FROM NOV SUMMARY POSTER):

• there are two options to complete the census form:

• census can be completed online in English in the two days after the visit happened

• the person can call a toll free number to answer the census questions in <TARGET LANGUAGE>

PROBE IF NEEDED:

• B6-1. How well does the notice transmit these messages in <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Is the message not clear? What part or parts of the message are not clear?

• B6-2. What do you think about the way the information is presented here?

• B6-3. What about the words used? Do you think any words will be difficult to understand for some speakers of <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Are there any sentences that some people may find confusing or difficult to understand?

B7. LAST THREE PARAGRAPHS. (Your answers are confidential….).

Let’s take a look at the last three paragraphs What do you think they are saying?

The purpose of these paragraphs is to let households know that:

• answers to the census are confidential and protected by law

• responding to the census is mandatory, by law

• where to get additional information

Probe if needed:

• B7-1. How well does the notice transmit this messages in <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Is the message not clear? What part or parts of the message are not clear?

• B7-2. What do you think about the way the information is presented here?

• B7-3. What about the words used? Do you think any words will be difficult to understand for some speakers of <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Are there any sentences that some people may find confusing or difficult to understand?

C. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE - 15 minutes

Here is another card that the <TARGET LANGUAGE>-speaking interviewer can give a person if s/he thinks the person may be worried about giving out information.

<DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE>

Please take 5 minutes to read it. As you read, please use your [POSITIVE_COLOR] marker to highlight anything that catches your attention in a positive way, anything that you particularly like. It can be something in the content, the language, or the graphic layout. We want to hear about all aspects.

<GIVE GROUP 5 MINUTES>

Now I would like you to look at it again, and mark with your [NEGATIVE_COLOR] marker anything you do NOT like.

< GIVE GROUP 5 MINUTES>

Before I ask you about what you highlighted, I have a few questions:

C1. What do you think the main message is here?

C2. Is there anything you particularly like about the content? What did you highlight in [POSITIVE_COLOR]?

C3. Is there anything you particularly dislike about the content? What did you highlight in [NEGATIVE_COLOR]?

C4. What do you think about the way it looks? PROBE FOR LIKES AND DISLIKES.

C5. What do you think the message inside the box is saying?

The purpose of this card is to let households know that:

• that answers to the census are confidential and protected by law

• that the answers can only be used for statistical purposes

• that responding to the census is mandatory, by law

C6. How well does the notice transmit these messages in <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Are any of these messages not clear?

C7. What do you think about the way the information is presented? How well does it work for <TARGET LANGUAGE>-speakers?

C8. What about the words used? Do you think any words will be difficult to understand for some speakers of <TARGET LANGUAGE>? Are there any sentences that some people may find confusing or difficult to understand?

D. CENSUS-FORM SPECIFIC ITEMS - 30 minutes

The last document I want you to look at is the census form. But I only want to ask you about a few specific questions.

<SPANISH & ENGLISH GROUPS: SHOW “CT4B” VERSION>

<CHINESE, KOREAN, VIETNAMESE, RUSSIAN & ARABIC GROUPS: SHOW (FILLABLE) FORM “DY2N” VERSION>

Form design

S1. [SPANISH, DIRECT PARTICIPANTS TO PAGE 3 OF THE GREEN SECTION, Q.11] One of the options to answer this question reads, “La dirección que aparece al dorso de este cuestionario.” What do you think they are saying here? IF NECESSARY: What does the term “el dorso” mean to you in this sentence?

Tenure question

D4. What does the term “home equity loans” [IN TARGET LANGUAGE] mean to you?

Relationship question

D5. This question lists ways in which a person can be related to someone else in the household. What do you think they mean here by “foster child” [IN TARGET LANGUAGE]?

Race question

S3. [SPANISH, DIRECT PARTICIPANTS TO PAGE 2 OF THE GREEN SECTION, Q.8.] What are these instructions asking you to do? IF NOT ALREADY DISCUSSED: What does the term “categorías” mean to you in this question?

S4. [SPANISH, DIRECT PARTICIPANTS TO THE EXAMPLES LISTED UNDER AIAN IN Q.8.] (POINT TO EXAMPLE “azteca”) Who do you think would write in 'azteca' here? In particular, those of you originally from Mexico, would you ever write this in? Tell me why. How does it relate to your individual ancestry?

3. CLOSING AND FILL PERSONAL INFO FORM - 10 minutes

We have finished with our group discussion. Does anyone have any questions for me before the meeting ends?

On behalf of the Census Bureau, I want to thank everyone for your participation. By talking to groups like this one we are able to improve census forms and materials and make them better for immigrant populations.

There is one final thing I need from you before you leave. Here is a brief form with just a few questions. Please complete it and give it to me. Once you are done, you are free to go. Thanks again and good bye.

TO09 Information Sheet

Focus Group _______

Thank you for participating in today’s focus group. Please complete the following information sheet so we may better understand your household characteristics.

1. How many people are living or staying in your household including yourself? ______________

2. For each person who lives in your house, please tell me their relationship to you and their age and in which country they were born and their race or origin. You don’t have to write their names, just their relationship to you. If there are more than five persons, just complete the information for 5.

For example if you live with your husband, you might write: Husband, 43, male, USA

	What is their relationship to you?	What is their age in years?	Are they Male or Female	In what country were they born?
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Person 4
Person 5

3. Do you or someone in your household rent or own your home?

a. Own ______

b. Rent ______ Does your landlord live in the same [residence] as you? Yes/No

4. Is there anyone else who stays at your home sometimes, a child with shared custody, someone who lives in a nursing or residential home or a friend who crashes on the couch or stays part time?

Yes—What is their relationship to you? _______________

No

5. What is the ID assigned to you during today’s session? ___________________________________________

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