Example Research Questions

Attachment A:

Example Research Questions:

Phase 1 (Opt-in)

1. Will the same content that maximizes survey response in a postal mailing work as effectively in an email?

   1. how the data are used

   2. survey due date

   3. cost savings associated with a self-response

   4. Can we personalize with physical address on an email? Name?

   5. Telling respondents topic of survey – demos vs. attitude questions?

   6. Research study vs. census test vs. actual census?

2. How should content of emails be formatted?

   1. Content

      1. Present all information in same format

      2. Call to action at top; details at bottom – small print

      3. Call to action at top; present supplemental information as links 

   2. Graphics

      1. Very small graphics vs. larger graphics

      2. Commerce seal vs. Census Logo

      3. Stationary vs. no stationary

3. What should the subject line be?

   1. Authority subject line

   2. Topic

4. Does the day of the week the email is sent or the time of day the email is sent have an effect on the click-through rates?

   1. Day of week

   2. Time of day

5. How should participants navigate to the form?

   1. Full URL

   2. Clickable text

   3. No hyperlink – instructions only

   4. If we have a hyperlink – presence or absence of alternative navigational instructions

6. How would bilingual materials be implemented in email vs. postal mail? In the same way, or in different ways?

   1. Bottom of message – links for different languages

   2. Targeted messages

7. How should reminders be designed in an email context? Should those messages be the same as postal or different? Should the timing be the same or different?

   1. Messages in reminders

   2. Subject line of reminders

   3. Timing of reminders

   4. Potentially customized based on viewed or not viewed indicator

Phase 2 (Cold-Contact) and Phase 3 (Field Test)

8. Validating most promising Phase 1 findings.

9. Will the same content that maximizes survey response in a postal mailing work as effectively in an email?

   1. mandatory nature of the survey request

   2. possible in-person visit by an interviewer

10. Generally, do people have privacy or confidentiality concerns related to email?

    1. For those who received a link by email, but do not click on it, was the reason for non-response privacy related or not? 

    2. Does this differ by content of message?

    3. Does this differ by format/characteristics of message? (e.g., subject/sender of an email; graphics in email or not)

    4. Does it differ by demographic group?

    5. Does it differ by geography (urban, rural, suburban)?

11. For those who have privacy or confidentiality concerns, was the primary concern that:

    1. The Census Bureau should not contact them in this way

    2. They thought the message was not legitimate

    3. They didn’t think the internet was a secure method of response

    4. Something else?

12. Does an electronic cold-contact method (email) need a paper mailing in advance to legitimize it?

    1. Does this differ by demographic group?

    2. Does this differ by geography (urban, rural, suburban)?

    3. Does a letter vs. postcard make a difference?

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