[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37783-37784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14982]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Bureau of the Census


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic 
Clearance for Internet Nonprobability Panel Pretesting

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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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)).

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before August 23, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instruments(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Jennifer Hunter Childs, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 
Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233-9150, (202) 603-4827 (or via the 
Internet at jennifer.hunter.childs@census.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request a new OMB generic clearance to 
conduct a variety of medium-scale iterative Internet research 
pretesting activities. A block of hours will be dedicated to these 
activities for each of the next three years. OMB will be informed in 
writing of the purpose and scope of each of these activities, as well 
as the time frame and number of burden hours used. The number of hours 
used will not exceed the number set aside for this purpose.
    The Census Bureau is committed to conducting research in a cost 
efficient manner. Currently, there are several stages of testing that 
occur in any research project the U.S. Census Bureau conducts. As a 
first stage of research, the Census Bureau pretests questions on 
surveys or censuses and evaluates the usability and ease of use of Web 
sites

[[Page 37784]]

using a small number of subjects during focus groups, usability and 
cognitive testing. These projects are in-person and labor intensive, 
but typically only target samples of 20 to 30 respondents. Often the 
second stage is a larger scale field test with a split panel design of 
a survey or a release of a Census Bureau data dissemination product 
with a feedback mechanism. These stages often involve a lot of 
preparatory work and often are limited in the number of panels tested 
due to the cost considerations. They are often targeted at very large 
sample sizes with over 10,000 respondents per panel.
    Cost efficiencies can occur by testing some research questions in a 
medium-scale test, using a smaller number of participants than what we 
typically use in a field test, yet a larger and more diverse set of 
participants than who we recruit for cognitive and usability tests. 
Using Internet nonprobability panel pretesting, we can answer some 
research questions more thoroughly than in the small-scale testing, but 
less expensively than in the large-scale test. This generic clearance 
seeks to establish a medium-scale (defined as having sample sizes from 
100-2000 per study), cost-efficient method of testing questions and 
contact strategies over the internet through a nonprobability sample.
    For example, email has been identified as a possible cost-effective 
notification strategy for online data collection. Email has not been 
used extensively as a notification mode for past censuses nor other 
government surveys. Prior to implementing an email strategy, the Census 
Bureau needs to determine the best email invitation in order to 
maximize click-through rates. The numerous email variations would be 
cost prohibitive in a large-scale test. Medium-scale testing of email 
variations is more efficient. This generic clearance will be used to 
answer some fundamental questions about how to optimize email (and 
possibly text message) contacts.
    This research program will be used by the Census Bureau and survey 
sponsors to test alternative contact methods, including emails and text 
messages (via an opt-in strategy), improve online questionnaires and 
procedures, reduce respondent burden, and ultimately increase the 
quality of data collected in the Census Bureau censuses and surveys. 
The clearance will be used to conduct pretesting of decennial and 
demographic census and survey questionnaires as well as communications 
and/or marketing strategies and data dissemination tools for the Census 
Bureau prior to fielding them. The primary method of identifying 
measurement problems with the questionnaire or survey procedure is 
split panel tests. This will encompass both methodological and subject 
matter research questions that can be tested on a medium-scale 
nonprobability panel.
    This research program will also be used by the Census Bureau for 
remote usability testing of electronic interfaces and to perform other 
qualitative analysis such as respondent debriefings. Advantages of 
using the remote, medium-scale testing is that participants can test 
products at their convenience using their own equipment, as opposed to 
using Census Bureau supplied computers. A diverse participant pool, 
whether that was geographically, demographically, or economically, is 
another advantage. Remote usability testing would use paradata, 
accuracy and satisfaction scores, and written qualitative comments to 
determine optimal interface designs and to obtain feedback from 
respondents.
    For the initial phase of this study, the public will be offered an 
opportunity to participate in this research remotely, by signing up for 
an online research panel. If a person opts-in, the Census Bureau will 
occasionally email (or text, if applicable) the person an invitation to 
complete a survey for one of our research projects. Invited respondents 
will be told the topic of the survey, and how long it will take to 
complete it.
    If the initial phase is successful, it will be followed by extended 
research, which will employ cold-contact emails to validate findings 
from the initial phase and expand the research.

II. Method of Collection

    The Internet will be the primary method of data collection. Mail or 
phone prenotice and/or telephone follow-up may be used in some cases.

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: Various.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 8,333.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: There is no cost to respondent, except 
for their time to complete the questionnaire.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

    Authority: 13 U.S.C. 131, 141, 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 house 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: June 19, 2013.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-14982 Filed 6-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P