Verfification Questionnaire Description

Attachment L1

Description of Verification Questionnaires for 2017+

Overview of Procedures

The NSFG selects a random ten percent sub-sample of the cases completed by each interviewer (both screener and main) to be rechecked using a brief interview to verify the completeness and accuracy of the interviewer’s work. To describe the results of this effort, an Interview Verification Report is constructed on a daily basis.

Verifications are conducted by the Field Quality Control Coordinator using our field sample management system, WebTrak. WebTrak is programmed to automatically flag a random ten percent of completed cases for verification. Project management staff members can hand-flag additional cases for verification as necessary. Verifications are conducted promptly after the cases have been finalized. WebTrak preloads the questionnaire responses from the informant/respondent and allows the verifier to enter the answers to the verification questions into the system in order to check for accuracy.

Verification of Screener Interviews

Screener verification is completed on a random ten percent of completed screener interviews in which no eligible respondent was found (households in which no member is age 15 –49, result code of 8010). All cases determined to be ineligible without a screener interview being completed (result code of 8080) are flagged for verification.

Screener Verification Questionnaire

1. Hello, my name is [NAME] with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Our records show that one of our interviewers recently contacted you/your household regarding the National Survey of Family Growth. I'm calling to verify that one or our interviewers, [IWER NAME], spoke with someone at your household on [DATE OF INTERVIEW] for the National Survey of Family Growth. Do you remember [IWER NAME] contacting you?

2. According to our interviewer, your household includes no one between the ages of 15 and 49. Is this correct?

3. In your opinion, did the interviewer conduct herself in a professional manner?

4. Are there any additional comments that you want to share about the interview or the interviewer?

Those are all the questions that I have. Thank you very much for your help with this study.

Outcomes of screener verification are:

• VERIFIED (all verification data match)

• VERIFIED WITH DISCREPANCY(one piece of verification data does not match)

• FAILS VERIFICATION (more than one piece of verification data does not match)

• UNABLE TO VERIFY (screener informant is contacted, but unwilling to participate in verification OR the verifier is unable to reach the informant)

Verification of Main Interviews

Main interview verification includes two different situations:

• Each NSFG interviewer will have her first two completed interviews verified. WebTrak automatically flags the first two completed interviews.

• Ten percent of all completed interviews thereafter are randomly and automatically flagged and verified throughout the course of production. Flagging occurs daily.

Main Verification Questionnaire

1. Hello, my name is [NAME] with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Our records show that one of our interviewers recently contacted you/your household regarding the National Survey of Family Growth. I’m calling to verify that one of our interviewers, [IWER NAME], spoke with someone at your household on [DATE OF IW] for the National Survey of Family Growth. Do you remember [IWER NAME] contacting you?

2. [IWER NAME] would have asked you about child bearing, contraceptive use, sexual activity, marriage and divorce, and your attitudes about marriage, children and family life. Do you remember a visit where someone asked you questions about such things?

3. How long did the interview take?

4. Was the interview conducted over the phone or in person?

5. To verify our records, what is your date of birth?

6. For MINOR Rs: Did you sign a form on the computer agreeing to participate in the survey?

For ADULT Rs: Did you sign a receipt on the computer for the token of appreciation you received to participate in the survey?

7. Did you receive a token of appreciation for completing the interview?

8. Did you enter some of your responses into the computer yourself?

9. In your opinion, did the interviewer conduct herself in a professional manner?

10. Are there any additional comments that you want to share about the interview or the interviewer?

These are all the questions I have. Thank you very much for your help with this study.

Outcomes of main interview verification are:

• VERIFIED (all verification data match)

• VERIFIED WITH DISCREPANCY (one or two pieces of verification data do not match)

• FAILS VERIFICATION (more than two pieces of verification data do not match)

• UNABLE TO VERIFY (respondent is contacted, but unwilling to participate in verification OR the verifier is unable to reach the respondent)

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