[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15380-15381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8438]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Pretesting Research

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).


[[Page 15381]]


DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Department 
Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instruction 
should be directed to Theresa J. DeMaio, U. S. Bureau of the Census, 
Room 3127, FOB 4, Washington, DC 20233-9150, (301) 457-4894.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This research program is used by the Census Bureau and survey 
sponsors to improve questionnaires and procedures, reduce respondent 
burden, and ultimately increase the quality of data collected in the 
Census Bureau censuses and surveys. The clearance is used to conduct 
pretesting of decennial, demographic, and economic census and survey 
questionnaires prior to fielding them. Pretesting activities are 
generally small-scale and involve one of the following methods for 
identifying measurement problems with the questionnaire or survey 
procedure: cognitive interviews (that is, intensive, one-on-one 
interviews in which the respondent is typically asked to think aloud as 
he or she answers survey questions), focus groups (that is, group 
sessions guided by a moderator that are focused on a particular issue), 
respondent debriefing (that is, standardized debriefing questionnaires 
administered to respondents who have participated in a field test), 
behavior coding of respondent/interviewer interaction (that is, 
systematic coding of of the question/answer exchange process to 
identify situations that reflect problems with the questionnaire), and 
split sample experiments (that is, testing alternative versions of 
questionnaires).
    This clearance has been in existence since 1991, and many valuable 
pretesting activities have been conducted. For example, cognitive 
interviews and respondent debriefing questionnaires have been vital 
components of the development and pretesting of the Survey of Program 
Dynamics; a split sample experiment was used to evaluate proposed 
questionnaire revisions for the Survey of Minority Owned Business 
Enterprises; focus groups have been used to gather important 
information as input to the Census Bureau's plans for enumerating 
American Indians and migrant workers in Census 2000; respondent 
debriefings have provided valuable data for understanding how 
respondents understand the concept of residence and interpret the 
residence rules for the decennial census; behavior coding provided 
useful information in revising the questionnaire for the Current 
Population Survey Food Security Supplement.
    The clearance operates in the following manner: A block of hours is 
reserved at the beginning of each year, and the particular activities 
that will be conducted under the clearance are not specified in 
advance. The Census Bureau provides information to OMB about the 
specific pretesting activities on a flow basis throughout the year. OMB 
is notified of each pretesting activity in a letter that gives specific 
details about the activity, rather than by means of individual 
clearance packages. At the end of each year, a report is submitted to 
OMB that summarizes the number of hours used as well as the nature and 
results of the activities completed under the clearance.
    Some modifications of the clearance from previous years are 
planned. The number of hours is expanded from 4,500 per year to 10,000 
per year to allow for larger-scale questionnaire experiments with 
increased analytical power. In addition, incentives as a survey 
procedure may also be the subject of research under the clearance.

II. Method of Collection

    Mail, telephone, face-to-face; paper-and-pencil, CATI, CAPI

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0725.
    Form Number: Various.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, farms, business or 
other for-profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: There is no cost to respondents, 
except for their time to complete the questionnaire.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 USC, Sections 131, 141, 142, 161, 181, 
182, 193, and 301.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 25, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 98-8438 Filed 3-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P