SED Nonrespondent Follow-Up Contact Materials

ATTACHMENT 8: SED Nonrespondent Contact Materials
EMAIL #1A—1ST PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED
Subject: Survey Invitation from the National Science Foundation
Dear Dr. ,
Congratulations on earning your doctoral degree! As a recent graduate of , you are
invited to participate in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), a census of all new U.S. research doctorate
recipients that has been conducted every year since 1958. The SED is sponsored by the National Science
Foundation and other federal agencies.
Your response contributes to valuable data that are used to analyze the characteristics of doctorate
cohorts, assess investments in graduate student support, and make improvements to the doctorate
education system.
To complete the SED, please go to https://sed-ncses.org and use the credentials provided below:
PIN:

Password:
Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregate data are publicly reported. If you have
any questions, please visit the SED information website at https://sedsurvey.org/ or contact the SED help
desk at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Your participation would be greatly appreciated. Congratulations again on your achievement!
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
To learn more about the SED and how the results are used, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #1B—1ST PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS WHO HAVE REGISTERED BUT NOT COMPLETED
Subject: A reminder from the National Science Foundation
Dear Dr. ,
Congratulations on earning your doctoral degree! I am sending you a friendly reminder to please complete
the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). As a recent doctoral graduate of , your
participation in this year’s SED is very important.
Your response contributes to valuable data that are used to analyze the characteristics of doctorate
cohorts, assess investments in graduate student support, and make improvements to the doctorate
education system.
To access the survey, please go to https://sed-ncses.org and use your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
If you do not remember the password that you set when you registered for the SED, click the
“Reset My Password” link on the login page or contact our Help Desk at [email protected].
The survey asks about your educational history and post-graduation plans, and should only take about 20
minutes to complete. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregate data are publicly
reported.
If you have any questions, please visit the SED information website at https://sedsurvey.org/ or contact the
SED help desk or (877) 256-8167.
Thank you in advance for your participation, and we look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
To learn more about the SED and how the results are used, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #2A—2nd PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS WHO STILL HAVE NOT REGISTERED
Subject: Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
We recently reached out to you with instructions for completing the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). As
a recent doctoral graduate of , your participation in this year’s SED is essential. By
completing the survey, you provide valuable information that is used by policymakers and universities to
analyze changes in the characteristics of doctorate recipients, assess investments in graduate student
support, and make improvements to the U.S. doctoral education system.
Please complete the SED online at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential, and only
aggregate data will be publicly reported. More information about the SED and how your information is
protected is attached: https://sedsurvey.org/content/pdf/Student_Brochure.pdf.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Thank you for your participation, and congratulations on your achievement!
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
To learn more about the SED and how the results are used, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization.

EMAIL#2B—2nd PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS WHO HAVE REGISTERED, BREAKOFF CASES
Subject: Please complete your Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
Our records show that you have started the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) but haven’t yet completed
it. Your timely participation helps to ensure that the data are accurate and useful to policymakers and
universities across the country.
You can pick up where you left off at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
If you do not remember the password you set when you last accessed the SED, click the
“Reset My Password” link on the login page or contact our Help Desk at [email protected].
If you have any questions or need assistance completing the survey, please contact the SED Help Desk or
(877) 256-8167.
Thank you for your participation, and congratulations on your achievement!
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
To learn more about the SED and how the results are used, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization

EMAIL #3—3rd PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Participation in the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
This is a friendly reminder that we are still waiting for your response to the Survey of Earned Doctorates
(SED), an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities sponsored by the National
Science Foundation and other federal agencies.
It is very important that the survey data are representative of all research doctorate earners from July 1,
2022 to June 30, 2022.
Any information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. Only data aggregated to levels that do not
allow for the identification of individual respondents are released for publication. The SED results are
published in an annual report; the reports from earlier surveys are available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed.
Please complete the SED online at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #4—4th PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: National Science Foundation – Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
A few weeks ago, we sent you a reminder to respond to participate in the Survey of Earned Doctorates
(SED), an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities sponsored by the National
Science Foundation and other federal agencies.
Please consider completing the SED – we would like to include your answers with those of approximately
55,000 other research doctorate earners from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
The SED is used to make important policy decisions about graduate education, and it is important that the
survey data are representative of all research doctorates in the United States. All information you provide
will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregated data are used in the publications. The SED results are
available in an annual report, as well as in the two Congregationally mandated reports - Science and
Engineering Indicators, and Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering.
Please complete the SED online at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Congratulations again, on completing your doctorate!
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #5—5th PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Survey of Earned Doctorates – we need your help
Dear Dr. ,
You are one of only approximately 55,000 research doctorates who earned their degree from July 1, 2021 –
June 30, 2022. Considering this accomplishment, we ask for your help in completing the Survey of Earned
Doctorates (SED), an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities sponsored by the
National Science Foundation and other federal agencies.
By completing the survey, you provide valuable information used by policymakers and universities to
analyze changes in the characteristics of doctorate recipients, assess investments in graduate student
support, and make improvements to the U.S. doctoral education system.
Please complete the SED online at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #6—6th PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Please remember to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
This is just a friendly reminder to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) at your earliest
convenience.
Data collected from the SED helps federal agencies, policymakers and universities analyze changes in the
characteristics of doctorate recipients, assess investments in graduate student support, and make
improvements to the U.S. doctoral education system.
You can find out more about the survey results from previous rounds of the SED at
https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf20301.
The online survey only takes about 20 minutes, and can be completed at https://sed-ncses.org
using your credential below:
PIN:

Password:
You may also call (877) 256-8167 to complete a brief version of the survey over the telephone if you prefer.
Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregate data are publicly reported. If you have
any questions, please visit the SED information website at https://sedsurvey.org or contact the SED Help
Desk.
We look forward to learning about your experiences since earning your doctorate. Congratulations again on
your achievement!
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #7—7th PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Please complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
We are still conducting the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), sponsored by the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and three other federal agencies but time is running out and we need your help. As a
recent doctoral graduate of , your participation in the SED is very important. The SED
asks about your educational history and post-graduation plans.
I hope you will take advantage of this unique opportunity to contribute to research that provides valuable
data that are used by policymakers and universities. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and
only aggregate data are publicly reported.
The online survey only takes about 20 minutes, and can be completed at https://sed-ncses.org
using your credential below:
PIN:

Password:
If you would prefer to complete a brief version of the survey over the phone, please call 877-256-8167
and reference your Study ID [PIN].
If you have any questions, please visit the SED information website at https://sedsurvey.org/ or contact the
SED help desk at [email protected]. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL #8—FINAL PROMPT TO NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Importance of Your Participation in the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Dear Dr. ,
The 2022 Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) will soon be closing, and we are reluctant to close this year's
survey without your response.
Your information on the 2022 SED will be combined with that of approximately 55,000 other research
doctorate recipients from the academic year 2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022). The SED data are used to
help inform governmental policy, evaluate graduate education programs, and make doctorate labor force
projections.
To complete the survey, please register at https://sed-ncses.org to obtain the web survey access
information.
Please rest assured that only aggregated data will be in published reports. To learn more about the SED and
how the results are used, please visit https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates.
If you have questions, or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] or toll-free at (877) 256-8167.
Thank you for your assistance in this important research effort.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

NONRESPONSE MAILING #1 – 1st HARDCOPY LETTER/BROCHURE MAILING TO NONRESPONDENTS

Dear Dr. :
We would like to extend our congratulations on completing your doctorate! In light of this achievement, I
invite you to participate in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), conducted by the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies. SED data are being collected under contract by RTI
International, a nonprofit research organization for NSF.
Because the SED is used to make important policy decisions about graduate education, it is important that
the survey data are representative of all research doctorates in the United States. Your response will be
combined with that of approximately 50,000 other research doctorate earners from your academic year.
These aggregated data are used to help inform governmental policy, evaluate graduate programs, and
make doctorate labor force projections.
We greatly value your doctoral education experiences and request you complete the SED online at:
URL:
https://sed-ncses.org
PIN:

Password:
Your responses will be kept strictly confidential, and only aggregate data will be in published reports.
The SED results are available at www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed.
You can view a reference copy of the SED questionnaire at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the SED Help Desk at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Congratulations again on this monumental accomplishment.
Sincerely,

Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation

SED RESPONDENT BROCHURE

NONRESPONSE MAILING #2 –PRESSURE SEALED POSTCARD REMINDER TO NONRESPONDENTS

NONRESPONSE MAILING #3—2nd HARDCOPY LETTER MAILING TO NONRESPONDENTS

Dear Dr. :
A few weeks ago, we asked for your participation in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), an annual census
of research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities sponsored by the National Science Foundation and
other federal agencies.
We would greatly appreciate your participation as the efficacy and accuracy of this survey rely on a high
response rate. Any information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. Only data aggregated to levels
that do not allow the identification of individual respondents are released for publication.
You can complete the survey online by going to https://sed-ncses.org using the credential below:
Your PIN:

Your Password:
You can view a reference copy of the SED questionnaire at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates.
If you have already completed the survey, we thank you for your response. The SED results will be published
in an annual report; the annual reports on earlier surveys are available at: http://nsf.gov/statistics/sed/.
This survey is conducted under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Congratulations on completing your doctorate.
Sincerely,

Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation

NONRESPONSE MAILING INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSES

Dear Dr. :
We would like to extend our congratulations on completing your doctorate. In light of this achievement,
I invite you to participate in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), conducted by the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies. SED data are being collected under contract by RTI
International, a nonprofit research organization for NSF.
Because the SED is used to make policy decisions about graduate education, it is important that the
survey data are representative of all research doctorates in the United States. Your response will be
combined with that of approximately 50,000 other research doctorate earners from your academic
year. These aggregated data are used to help inform governmental policy, evaluate graduate programs,
and make doctorate labor force projections.
We greatly value your doctoral education experiences and request you complete the SED online at:
URL:
https://sed-ncses.org
PIN:

Password:
Your responses will be kept strictly confidential, and only aggregate data will be in published reports.
The SED results are available at: www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed.
You can view a reference copy of the SED questionnaire at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Congratulations again on this monumental accomplishment.
Sincerely,

Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation

EMAIL TO FACULTY ADVISORS OF NONRESPONDENTS
Subject: Request from the National Science Foundation
Dear Dr. :
I would like to ask for your assistance with the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), sponsored by the National
Science Foundation and other federal agencies. We need to find the contact information for one of your
former students, , so we can send an invitation to
complete the SED.
As you may know, the SED is an annual census of all research doctorate recipients in the U.S., conducted
since 1958. The aggregated survey data are used to help inform government policy, in evaluation of
graduate programs, and projection of the doctorate workforce, among many important data uses.
Information and data from the SED can be found online at: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates.
We will soon be closing the SED data collection for the AY2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022) graduates
and would like to ensure Dr. ’s responses are included
in this important national census.
If you have any contact information for Dr. , please let us know at [email protected] or
(877) 256-8167.
We greatly appreciate your assistance with this important effort.
Sincerely,
Kelly H. Kang
Project Officer
Survey of Earned Doctorates
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

SURVEY LOGIN INFORMATION EMAIL SENT TO NONRESPONDENTS UPON REQUEST DURING CATI CALL
Subject: SED Survey Login Information
Dear Dr. ,
We greatly appreciate your participation in the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Please complete the SED online at https://sed-ncses.org using your credentials below:
PIN:

Password:
Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and only aggregate data will be publicly reported.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or (877) 256-8167.
Thank you for your participation, and congratulations on your achievement!
Sincerely,
The SED Project Team
For information on how your information is protected, see
https://sedsurvey.org/content/pdf/Student_Brochure.pdf
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL FOLLOW-UP SENT TO NONRESPONDENTS FOLLOWING CATI CALL VOICEMAIL
Subject: We left you a voicemail message on behalf of NSF
Dear Dr. ,
A member of our survey team called you and left a voicemail message regarding the Survey of Earned
Doctorates. The SED is conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies and
the survey data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization.
The SED survey will soon come to a close, so we hope you will take just 10 minutes to complete it over the
phone or complete it online at your convenience.
The SED is an annual census that gathers information from new research doctorate graduates from U.S.
universities about their educational histories, funding sources, and post-doctoral plans. We do not want
you to miss out on providing valuable input that will be used to inform governmental policy, evaluate
graduate education programs, and make labor force projections. Your responses will be kept strictly
confidential, and only aggregate data will be publicly reported.
To complete the survey online, use the secure login credentials to access the survey at https://sedncses.org:
PIN:

Password:
If you would like to complete the survey over the phone with one of our interviewers, please call 877-2568167 and reference ID number .
Thank you in advance for your participation, and congratulations on your achievement!
Dr. Patricia Green,
SED Project Director
RTI International
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF

EMAIL FOLLOW-UP SENT TO NONRESPONDENTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 10 CATI CALLS
WITHOUT CONTACT
Subject line – A message on behalf of NSF
Dear Dr. ,
We have tried to contact you several times regarding the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) but have been
unsuccessful. We know that receiving unwanted phone calls can be annoying, so we want to reach out to
explain the purpose of our calls.
The SED is an annual census that gathers information from new research doctorate graduates from U.S.
universities about their educational histories, funding sources, and post-doctoral plans. We don't want you
to miss out on providing valuable input that will be used to inform governmental policy, evaluate graduate
education programs, and make labor force projections. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential, and
only aggregate data will be publicly reported.
To complete the survey online, use the secure login credentials to access the survey at https://sedncses.org:
PIN:

Password:
To complete a short version of the survey by phone, please call 877-256-8167 and reference ID number
[CASEID].
Thank you in advance for your participation, and congratulations on your achievement!
Dr. Patricia Green,
SED Project Director
RTI International
For information on the SED, please visit https://ncses.nsf.gov/sed
SED data are being collected under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization, for NSF