Appendix B_Emails_Scripts

Appendix B: Recruitment Emails and Telephone Scripts

Exhibit B-1. Initial Recruitment Email

Subject: A Questionnaire to Evaluate FoodAPS

Dear [name of contact person]:

We are collecting feedback from researchers to evaluate the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS). USDA will use this feedback to improve the next round of FoodAPS. We are contacting you as the investigator for a project that has used FoodAPS.

Would you be willing to participate? We have some questions for the investigator and some questions for a data analyst or person most likely to have input on details about FoodAPS data and codebooks. As investigator, we ask two things:

• Would you please respond to the bigger-picture questions asked of the investigator?

• Would you please identify the correct person on your research team to respond to the questions for the data analyst? This may be yourself. We will contact the data analyst directly.

The survey assesses the dataset’s uses, strengths, and needs for improvement. We would like to hear your feedback. Participation is voluntary and confidential and entails completing the FoodAPS researcher questionnaire, either in writing or via telephone. We expect that completing the survey will take approximately 60 minutes for each respondent. This estimate includes 30 minutes for the survey itself and 30 minutes for reviewing instructions, corresponding with us via email, and answering questions, either via email or telephone.

Attached, please find the survey, an informed consent form, and a disclaimer about this study and information about confidentiality. If you are willing to complete the survey, please review and return the informed consent form via email (a typed signature is sufficient).

 

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Then: (1) let us know by email within about 2 days (by date) whether you will participate in this survey and (2) either return the completed survey or let us know that we may contact you to schedule a telephone call within about 2 weeks (before date).

Thank you for your consideration of this request!

Exhibit B-2. Follow-up Recruitment Email

Subject: Follow-up on Questionnaire to Evaluate FoodAPS

Dear [name of contact person]:

I am writing to follow-up on a recent email, inviting you to participate in an evaluation of the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS). Would you be willing to participate by completing a survey (either in writing or via telephone) about the dataset’s uses, strengths, and needs for improvement?

If yes, please send us a quick note (by date) to confirm your participation. Also, please let us know whom we may contact to respond to questions suited for the data analyst on your research team. This may be yourself. We will contact the data analyst directly.

I am re-sending the survey, an informed consent form, and a disclaimer about this study and information about confidentiality. If you are willing to complete the survey, please review and return the informed consent form via email (a typed signature is sufficient).

Your participation is voluntary and confidential. We expect that completing the survey will take approximately 60 minutes for each respondent. This estimate includes 30 minutes for the survey itself and 30 minutes for reviewing instructions, corresponding with us via email, and answering questions, either via email or telephone.

Thank you for your consideration of this request!

Exhibit B-3. Follow-up Recruitment Telephone Script

[Introduction for voicemail message and live call]

Hello, my name is [name of caller], and I am a [position title] at the Friedman School at Tufts University. I am calling to request your participation in an interview about your experience using the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, or FoodAPS.

We would like to hear about the data components you used, your experience using the data, and your recommendations for future data collection efforts.

Your participation in this interview would be voluntary and confidential. Should you choose to participate, your responses will inform a report to USDA Economic Research Service on potential improvements for the next round of FoodAPS.

[For voicemail message; skip to next section for live call]

Please give me a call at [caller’s phone number] if you would like to participate in an interview. We estimate that the interview will take 30 minutes, and that the total participation time (including reviewing materials and corresponding with us) will be 60 minutes. You also can reach me via email at [caller’s email address] to schedule a phone call.

[For live call]

We estimate that the interview will take 30 minutes, and that the total participation time (including reviewing materials and corresponding with us) will be 60 minutes. Would you like to participate in an interview? [If yes, proceed to (a). If no, proceed to (c).]

1. Thank you for your willingness to participate. Is this a convenient time to proceed with the interview? [If yes, proceed to survey. If no, proceed to (b).]

2. When would be a convenient time for me to call again to complete the interview?

3. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. If you should reconsider, please feel to reach out to me via email or at [caller’s phone number].

Exhibit B-4. Second Follow-up Recruitment Telephone Script

Hello, my name is [name of caller], and I am a [position title] at the Friedman School at Tufts University. I called on [date of voicemail message] regarding an interview request. I wanted to follow up to see if you would be willing to speak about your experience using the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, or FoodAPS.

Would you like to participate in an interview? [If yes, proceed to (a). If no, proceed to (c).]

1. Thank you for your willingness to participate. Is this a convenient time to proceed with the interview? [If yes, proceed to survey. If no, proceed to (b).]

2. When would be a convenient time for me to call again to complete the interview?

3. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. If you should reconsider, please feel to reach out to me via email or at [caller’s phone number].