Form 1 Research Goals, Recruiting Requirements, Research Questi

Attachment A: American Community Survey (ACS) Cognitive Testing of American Community Survey Recipients during a Decennial Year

Research Goals, Recruiting Requirements, Research Questions and 2020 Modified Materials

November 21, 2019

1. Introduction

1. Research Objective: This round of cognitive testing will examine the experiences of 48 recipients of the American Community Survey (ACS) during the 2020 Census. This research will assess recipients’ (1) reaction to receiving both the ACS and the 2020 Census, and (2) impression of ACS mail materials with added messaging communicating that households need to complete both the ACS and the Decennial Census.

2. Background: Households in sample for the ACS in 2020 are legally required to complete both the ACS and the Decennial Census. Receiving two sets of mailings in one calendar year may be confusing to respondents. Also, being asked to complete both the Decennial Census and the ACS may be burdensome and may decrease the rate of self-response.
   
   During the 2010 Decennial Census, ACS response rates were higher than usual in the first few months of the year but were lower than usual in the spring and summer months (see Chesnut and Davis 2011, Baumgardner 2013). The increase early in the year may have occurred because the decennial census communications campaign brought attention to the U.S. Census Bureau. The decrease later in the year may be because recipients thought the ACS was the Decennial Census and disregarded the ACS questionnaire.
   
   To mitigate these issues in 2020, a set of modified mail materials have been developed with language that directly addresses the difference between the ACS and the 2020 Decennial Census. These materials will be used during the main response period for the 2020 Census, March through September. The 2020 ACS language modifications are based on an evaluation conducted by the Census Bureau in 2010 (see Chesnut and Davis 2011). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that address recipients’ questions on the difference between the ACS and the 2020 Census have been added to mail materials as well.

2. Recruitment and Interviews

   1. Recruitment Requirements:

• Participants have to be in the ACS sample for March, April or May panels.

  • One-third of participants must be in the March Panel.

  • One-third of participants must be in the April Panel.

  • One-third of participants must be in the May Panel.

• Participants must have received the ACS and the 2020 Decennial Census.

• Participant’s response to either or both requests are not required.

• At least six participants must live in a rural area.

  • The Census Bureau defines rural as any population, housing, or territory NOT in an urban area. The Census Bureau defines rural as any population, housing, or territory NOT in an urban area. The Census Bureau will define the areas and provide cases to Westat. urban areas" consist of two types of geographies: 

• "Urbanized Areas" have a population of 50,000 or more.

• "Urban Clusters" have a population of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000.Participants must handle the mail for their household, either alone or in combination with other household members.

• At least 10 participants should have less than a Bachelor’s degree.

• Participants should be diverse on demographic characteristics such as:

  • Race/ethnicity

  • Age

  • Sex

  • Household size

• Participants must not have participated in a Westat cognitive testing project in the past six months.

2. Recruitment Modules:

Table 1. Recruitment modules per interview and total number of participants

# of Modules	Interviews per Module	Total # of Participants
4	12	5

3. Interview Timeline:

Table 2. Recruitment and interview schedule by panel month and response type

Panel	Response type	Recruitment begins	Interviewing occurs
March	Self-Response households	April	April - May
	Non-Response households	May	May - June
April	Self-Response households	May	May - June
	Non-Response households	June	June - July
May	Self-Response households	June	June - July
	Non-Response households	July	July- August

• Self-respondents should be interviewed as soon as possible after they respond (Non-respondents prior to CAPI).

• Non-respondents should not be interviewed until they have been exposed to the full ACS and 2020 Census mailing strategies.

• The Census Bureau will provide Westat with a list of respondents and non-respondents.

1. Research Questions:

• What are participants’ general engagement with civic activities or community involvement (e.g. voting, Parent Teacher Association, Homeowner Association, volunteer work, other political activities)?

• How and how often is mail handled in participants’ households?

• What did participants remember about the ACS’s and the 2020 Census’ mailings and questionnaire?

• Did participants notice that they were asked to complete two different questionnaires?

  • How did participants know that they were being asked to complete two different questionnaires?

  • What did participants think were the differences between the ACS and the 2020 Census?

  • What aspects of the mailings, if any, helped participants understand that the ACS is different from the 2020 Census?

• How did participants decide to answer either or both questionnaires?

  • Were participants aware that their response was mandatory (to either or both)?

  • What aspects of the mailings influenced participants’ decision to participate (to either or both)?

• How did participants feel when they received the ACS and the 2020 Census? What thought processes did participants go through when they received the ACS and 2020 Census?

• What were participants’ general reaction to the mailings?

• What were participants’ perceptions of the usefulness of the 2020 FAQs?

  • Did participants notice the FAQs on the mailings?

  • Did it answer questions that they had?

  • Did it help differentiate the ACS from the 2020 Census?

• What action, if any, did participants take to get additional information about the ACS or 2020 Census?

3. Appendix A – Interaction between ACS and 2020 Census

ACS Panel	Census Cohort	Contact 1	Contact 2	Contact 3	Contact 4	Contact 5	Contact 6	Contact 7	Contact 8	Contact 9	Contact 10
March	Internet Push Cohort 1&2	March 2 ACS Initial Mailing	March 9 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	March 12 Decennial letter	March 16 Decennial letter	March 23 ACS Qnaire package	March 26 ACS postcard	March 26 Decennial postcard	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 17 ACS Final Pressure Seal	April 20 Decennial postcard
March	Internet Push Cohort 3&4	March 2 ACS Initial Mailing	March 9 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	March 19 Decennial letter	March 23 ACS Qnaire package	March 23 Decennial letter	March 26 ACS postcard	April 2 Decennial postcard	April 15 Decennial qnaire	April 17 ACS Final Pressure Seal	April 27 Decennial postcard
March	Internet Choice	March 2 ACS Initial Mailing	March 9 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	March 12 Decennial qnaire	March 16 Decennial letter	March 23 ACS Qnaire package	March 26 ACS postcard	March 26 Decennial postcard	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 17 ACS Final Pressure Seal	April 20 Decennial postcard
April	Internet Push Cohort 1&2	March 12 Decennial letter	March 16 Decennial letter	March 26 Decennial postcard	March 30 ACS Initial Mailing	April 6 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 20 ACS Qnaire package	April 20 Decennial postcard	April 23 ACS postcard	May 15 ACS Final Pressure Seal
April	Internet Push Cohort 3&4	March 19 Decennial letter	March 23 Decennial letter	March 30 ACS Initial Mailing	April 2 Decennial postcard	April 6 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	April 15 Decennial qnaire	April 20 ACS Qnaire package	April 23 ACS postcard	April 27 Decennial postcard	May 15 ACS Final Pressure Seal
April	Internet Choice	March 12 Decennial qnaire	March 16 Decennial letter	March 26 Decennial postcard	March 30 ACS Initial Mailing	April 6 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 20 ACS Qnaire package	April 20 Decennial postcard	April 23 ACS postcard	May 15 ACS Final Pressure Seal
May	Internet Push Cohort 1&2	March 12 Decennial letter	March 16 Decennial letter	March 26 Decennial postcard	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 20 Decennial postcard	May 4 ACS Initial Mailing	May 11 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	May 26 ACS Qnaire package	May 29 ACS postcard	June 19 ACS Final Pressure Seal
May	Internet Push Cohort 3&4	March 19 Decennial letter	March 23 Decennial letter	April 2 Decennial postcard	April 15 Decennial qnaire	April 27 Decennial postcard	May 4 ACS Initial Mailing	May 11 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	May 26 ACS Qnaire package	May 29 ACS postcard	June 19 ACS Final Pressure Seal
May	Internet Choice	March 12 Decennial qnaire	March 16 Decennial letter	March 26 Decennial postcard	April 8 Decennial qnaire	April 20 Decennial postcard	May 4 ACS Initial Mailing	May 11 ACS Pressure Seal Reminder	May 26 ACS Qnaire package	May 29 ACS postcard	June 19 ACS Final Pressure Seal

4. Appendix B – ACS 2020 Mail Materials

ACS 2020 Mail Materials with 2020 Census-specific language include:

Initial Mailing – Letter (front)

The second paragraph contains two sentences with 2020 Census-specific language.

Initial Mailing – Letter (back)

The first two FAQs discuss the 2020 Census.

2^nd Mailing – Pressure Seal Mailer (address side)

The address side of the pressure seal mailer mentions the American Community Survey.

2^nd Mailing – Pressure Seal Mailer (letter side)

2020 Census-specific language is in the second paragraph.

3^rd Mailing – Letter (front)

The paragraph below the response options contains 2020 Census-specific language.

3^rd Mailing – Letter (back)

The first two FAQs contain 2020 Census-specific language.