[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 99 (Friday, May 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29609-29614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12140]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: 2015 National Content Test
    OMB Control Number: 0607-XXXX.
    Form Number(s):

Questionnaire

DE-1A(E/S)
DE-1C(E/S)
DE-1D(E/S)
DE-1D2(E/S)
DE-1G(E/S)
DE-1H(E/S)
DE-1I(E/S)
DE-1W(E/S)
DE-1C(E/S)PR
DE-1I(E/S) PR

Instruction Card

DE-33
DE-33 PR

Questionnaire Cover Letters

DE-16(L1)
DE-16(L1)(FB)
DE-16(L1)(E/S)
DE-16(L1)(E/S)PR
DE-16(L2)
DE-16(L2)(F/B)
DE-16(L2)(E/S)
DE-16(L2)(E/S)PR
DE-17(L1)

[[Page 29610]]

DE-17(L1)(F/B)
DE-17(L1)(E/S)
DE-17(L2)
DE-17(L2)(F/B)
DE-17(L2)(E/S)
DE-17(L3)
DE-17(L3)(F/B)
DE-17(L3)(E/S)
DE-17(L4)
DE-17(L4)(F/B)
DE-17(L4)(E/S)
DE-17(L4)(E/S)PR
DE-17(L5)
DE-17(L5)(F/B)
DE-17(L5)(E/S)

Postcards

DE-9
DE-9(E/S)PR
DE-9(I)
DE-9(v2)
DE-9(v3)
DE-9(ES)(PR)
DE-9(v3)(E/S)(PR)
DE-9(2A)
DE-9(2A)(E/S)PR
DE-9(2B)
DE-9(2B)(E/S)PR
DE-9(2C)
DE-9(2D)

Envelopes

DE-6A(IN)
DE-6A(IN)(E/S)
DE-6A(1)(IN)
DE-6A(1)(IN)(E/S)
DE-8A
DE-8A(E/S)

Internet Instrument Spec
Reinterview Instrument Spec (Coverage)
Reinterview Instrument Spec (Race)
Wording for Emails and Text Messages

    Type of Request: New Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1.3 million households.
    Average Hours per Response: 0.2.
    Burden Hours: 216,667.


                              Estimated Burden Hours for 2015 National Content Test
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Estimated
                                                                   Total number    response time     Estimated
                                                                  of respondents     (minutes)     burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial Response................................................       1,200,000              10         200,000
Telephone Reinterview...........................................         100,000              10          16,667
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................       1,300,000  ..............         216,667
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Needs and Uses: During the years preceding the 2020 Census, the 
Census Bureau will pursue its commitment to reducing the cost of 
conducting the next decennial census while maintaining the highest data 
quality possible. A primary decennial census cost driver is the 
collection of data from members of the public for which the Census 
Bureau received no reply via initially offered response options. We 
refer to these cases as nonrespondents. Increasing the number of people 
who take advantage of self response options (such as completing a paper 
questionnaire and mailing it back to the Census Bureau, or responding 
via telephone or Internet alternatives) can contribute to a less costly 
census.
    The 2015 National Content Test (NCT) is part of the research and 
development cycle leading up to the 2020 Census.
    The first objective of this test is to evaluate and compare 
different versions of questions about such things as race and Hispanic 
origin, relationship, and within-household coverage. The 2015 NCT is 
the primary mid-decade opportunity to compare different versions of 
questions prior to making final decisions for the 2020 Census. The test 
will include a reinterview to further assess the accuracy and 
reliability of the question alternatives about race and origin and 
within-household coverage.
    For the decennial census, the Census Bureau adheres to the U.S. 
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) October 30, 1997 ``Revisions to 
the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and 
Ethnicity'' (see www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards) for 
classifying racial and ethnic responses. There are five broad 
categories for data on race: ``White,'' ``Black or African American,'' 
``American Indian or Alaska Native,'' ``Asian,'' and ``Native Hawaiian 
or Other Pacific Islander.'' There are two broad categories for data on 
ethnicity: ``Hispanic or Latino'' and ``Not Hispanic or Latino.'' The 
OMB standards advise that respondents shall be offered the option of 
selecting one or more racial designations. The OMB standards also 
advise that race and ethnicity are two distinct concepts; therefore, 
Hispanics or Latinos may be of any race.
    Additionally, the 1997 OMB standards permit the collection of more 
detailed information on population groups, provided that any additional 
groups can be aggregated into the standard broad set of categories. 
Currently, the Census Bureau collects additional detailed information 
on Hispanic or Latino groups, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, 
Asian groups, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander groups.
    For example, responses to the race question such as Navajo Nation, 
Nome Eskimo Community, and Mayan are collected and tabulated separately 
in Census Bureau censuses and surveys, but also are aggregated and 
tabulated into the total American Indian or Alaska Native population. 
Similarly, responses to the race question such as Chinese, Asian, 
Indian, and Vietnamese are collected and tabulated separately, but also 
aggregated and tabulated into the total Asian population, while 
responses such as Native Hawaiian, Chamorro, or Fijian are collected 
and tabulated separately, but also tabulated, and aggregated into the 
total Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population. Responses 
to the ethnicity question such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban are 
collected and tabulated separately, but also are tabulated and 
aggregated in Census Bureau censuses and surveys, but also tabulated 
and aggregated into the total Hispanic or Latino population.
    The 2015 NCT will test ways to collect and tabulate detailed 
information for the detailed groups, not just to the broad groups 
identified above. Detailed data for specific White population groups, 
such as German, Irish, and Polish, and Black population groups, such as 
African American, Jamaican, and Nigerian, will be collected and 
tabulated, and may be aggregated into the total ``White'' or ``Black or 
African American'' populations respectively.
    The 2015 NCT also includes testing of a separate ``Middle Eastern 
or North African'' (MENA) category and the collection of data on 
detailed MENA groups, such as Lebanese, Egyptian, and Iranian. 
Currently, following the 1997 OMB standards, Middle Eastern and North 
African responses are classified under the White racial category, per 
OMB's definition of ``White.''

[[Page 29611]]

    The second objective of the NCT is to test different contact 
strategies for optimizing self-response. The Census Bureau has 
committed to using the Internet as a primary response option in the 
2020 Census. The 2015 NCT includes nine different approaches to 
encouraging households to respond and, specifically, to respond using 
the less costly and more efficient Internet response option. These 
approaches include altering the timing of the first reminder, use of 
email as a reminder, altering the timing for sending the mail 
questionnaire, use of a third reminder, and sending a reminder letter 
in place of a paper questionnaire to non-respondents.
    One benefit of the Internet response mode is that it allows for 
more functionality and greater flexibility in designing questions 
compared to paper, which is constrained by space availability. The 2015 
NCT will utilize web-based technology, such as the Internet, smart 
phones, and tablets to improve question designs, and to optimize 
reporting of detailed racial and ethnic groups (e.g., Samoan, Iranian, 
Blackfeet Tribe, Filipino, Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Irish, etc.).
    Web-based designs also provide much more utility and flexibility 
for using detailed checkboxes and write-in spaces to elicit and collect 
data for detailed groups than traditional paper questionnaires, and 
will help collect data for both the broader OMB categories, as well as 
more detailed responses across all groups.

Components of the Test

Race and Origin Content

    The 2015 NCT builds on extensive research previously conducted by 
the Census Bureau as part of the 2010 Census. One major study was the 
2010 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Alternative Questionnaire 
Experiment (AQE) (for details, see www.census.gov/2010census/news/press-kits/aqe/aqe.html). The 2010 AQE examined alternative strategies 
for improving the collection of data on a race and Hispanic origin, 
with four goals in mind:
    1. Increasing reporting in the standard race and ethnic categories 
as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget;
    2. Decreasing item non-response for these questions;
    3. Increasing the accuracy and reliability of the results for this 
question; and
    4. Eliciting detailed responses for all racial and ethnic 
communities (e.g., Chinese, Mexican, Jamaican, etc.).
    Some of the findings from this research include:
     Combining race and ethnicity into one question did not 
change the proportion of people who reported as Hispanics, Blacks, 
Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians and 
Other Pacific Islanders.
     The combined question yielded higher item response rates, 
compared with separate question approaches.
     The combined question increased reporting of detailed 
responses for most groups, but decreased reporting for others.
    The successful strategies from the AQE research have been employed 
in the design of the Census Bureau's 2020 Census research. Four key 
dimensions of the questions on race and Hispanic origin are being 
tested in the 2015 NCT. These include question format, response 
categories, wording of the instructions, and question terminology.

Question Format

    The 2015 NCT will evaluate the use of two alternative question 
approaches for collecting detailed data on race and ethnicity. One 
approach uses two separate questions: The first about Hispanic origin, 
and the second about race. The other approach combines the two items 
into one question about race and origin. The 2015 NCT research will 
test both approaches with new data collection methods, including 
Internet, telephone, and in-person response. Each approach is described 
below, with its associated data collection modes.
1. Separate Race and Origin Questions (Paper and Internet)
    This is a modified version of the race and Hispanic origin approach 
used in the 2010 Census. Updates since the 2010 Census include added 
write-in spaces and examples for the White response category and the 
Black or African American response category, removal of the term 
``Negro,'' and the addition of an instruction to allow for multiple 
responses in the Hispanic origin question.
2. Combined Question With Checkboxes and Write-Ins Visible at Same Time 
(Paper)
    This is a modified version of the combined question approaches 
found to be successful in the 2010 AQE research. Checkboxes are 
provided for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) broad 
categories (per the 1997 Standards for the Classification of Federal 
Data on Race and Ethnicity), with a corresponding write-in space for 
detailed response to each checkbox category. In this version, all 
checkboxes and write-in spaces are visible at all times. Each response 
category contains six example groups, which represent the diversity of 
the geographic definitions of the OMB category. For instance, the Asian 
category examples of Chinese, Filipino, Asian, Indian, Vietnamese, 
Korean, and Japanese represent the six largest detailed Asian groups in 
the United States, reflecting OMB's definition of Asian (``A person 
having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, 
Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.''). Respondents do not 
have to select an OMB checkbox, but may enter a detailed response in 
the write-in space without checking a category.
3. Combined Question With Major Checkboxes, Detailed Checkboxes, and 
Write-Ins (Paper)
    This is a modified version of the combined question approaches 
found to be successful in the 2010 AQE. Checkboxes are provided for the 
OMB categories, along with a series of detailed checkboxes under each 
major category, and a corresponding write-in space and examples to 
elicit and collect all other detailed responses within the major 
category. In this version, all checkboxes and write-in spaces are 
visible at all times. Again, the detailed response categories represent 
the diversity of the geographic definitions of the OMB category.
    For instance, under the Asian category (and major checkbox), a 
series of detailed checkboxes is presented for Chinese, Filipino, Asian 
Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese, which represent the six 
largest detailed Asian groups in the United States. Then, instructions 
to enter additional detailed groups (with the examples of ``Pakistani, 
Thai, Hmong, etc.'') precede a dedicated write-in area to collect other 
detailed responses. Again, these detailed groups reflect OMB's 
definition of Asian (``A person having origins in any of the original 
peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian 
subcontinent.''). Respondents do not have to select an OMB checkbox, 
but may enter a detailed response in the write-in space without 
checking a category.
4. Combined Question With Major Checkboxes and Write-Ins on Separate 
Screens (Internet)
    In this version, the detailed origin groups are solicited on 
subsequent screens after the OMB response categories have been 
selected. On the first screen, the OMB checkbox categories are shown 
along with their six representative example groups. Once

[[Page 29612]]

the OMB categories have been selected, one at a time, subsequent 
screens solicit further detail for each category that was chosen (e.g., 
Asian), using a write-in space, with examples, to collect the detailed 
groups (e.g., Korean and Japanese). The intent is to separate mouse 
click tasks (checkbox categories) and typing tasks (write-ins) in an 
attempt to elicit responses that are more detailed. This approach was 
used as one of three race and origin Internet panels in the 2014 Census 
Test.
5. Combined Question Branching With Detailed Checkbox Screens 
(Internet)
    This version is an alternative method of soliciting detailed origin 
groups using separate screens, detailed checkboxes, and write-in 
spaces. On the first screen, the OMB checkbox categories are shown 
along with their six representative example groups. Once the OMB 
categories have been selected, one at a time, subsequent screens 
solicit further detail for each category, this time using a series of 
additional checkboxes for the six largest detailed groups (e.g., 
Chinese, Filipino, Asian, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese) 
with a write-in space also provided to collect additional groups.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN22MY15.007

Race Response Categories

    The 2015 NCT will also evaluate the use of a ``Middle Eastern or 
North African'' (``MENA'') response category. There will be two 
treatments for testing this dimension:
    1. Use of a MENA category: This treatment tests the addition of a 
MENA checkbox category to the race question. The MENA category is 
placed within the current category lineup, based on estimates of 
population size, between the category for American Indians and Alaska 
Natives and the category for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific 
Islanders. With the addition of this new category, the ``White'' 
example groups are revised. The Middle Eastern and North African 
examples of Lebanese and Egyptian are replaced with the European 
examples of Polish and French. The MENA checkbox category will have the 
examples of Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Moroccan, and 
Algerian. All other checkbox categories and write-in spaces remain the 
same.
    2. No separate MENA category: This treatment tests approaches 
without a separate MENA checkbox category, and represents the current 
OMB definition of White (``A person having origins in any of the 
original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.''). Here 
the category will provide examples of Middle Eastern and North African 
origins (e.g., Lebanese; Egyptian) along with examples of European 
origins (e.g., German; Irish) as part of the ``White'' racial category.

Wording of the Instructions

    The 2015 NCT will evaluate the use of different approaches for 
wording the instructions used to collect data on race and ethnicity. 
The 2010 AQE research found that respondents frequently overlook the 
instruction to ``Mark [X] one or more boxes'' and have difficulty 
understanding the instructions. From the 2010 AQE qualitative research 
we learned that some respondents stop reading the instruction after 
noticing the visual cue [X] and proceed directly to do just that--mark 
a box--overlooking the remainder of the instruction. The new 
instruction being tested in the 2015 NCT (``Mark all boxes that 
apply'') is an attempt to improve the clarity of the question and make 
it more apparent that more than one group may be selected. The 
following options will be tested in the 2015 NCT.
    1. ``Mark [X] one or more'': One version (old instructions) will 
advise respondents to, ``Mark [X] one or more boxes AND print [origins/
ethnicities/details].''
    2. ``Mark all that apply'': An alternative version (new 
instructions), will advise respondents to, ``Mark all boxes that apply 
AND print [origins/ethnicities/details] in the spaces below. Note, you 
may report more than one group.''

Instructions for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Write-In Area

    The 2015 NCT will also examine different instructions to optimize 
detailed reporting within the AIAN write-in area. From the 2010 AQE 
research and recent 2014 qualitative research that the Census Bureau 
conducted with American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Central and South 
American Indian respondents, we know the instruction to ``Print 
enrolled or principal tribe'' causes confusion for many AIAN 
respondents and means

[[Page 29613]]

different things to different people. The research found that AIAN 
respondents were confused by the use of different terms and concepts 
(e.g., ``enrolled'', ``affiliated,'' ``villages,'' ``race,'' 
``origin,'' ``tribe,'' etc.) and there was disagreement among focus 
group participants as to what ``affiliated tribe'' or ``enrolled'' or 
``villages'' meant.
    The overwhelming sentiment from 2014 AIAN focus group participants 
was that they want to be treated equally with other race/ethnic groups, 
and this was accomplished by not using different terminology (i.e., 
enrolled, affiliated, villages, etc.). Asking ``What is your race or 
origin?'' in conjunction with ``Print, for example, . . .'' (along with 
AIAN example groups) allowed the respondents to understand what the 
question asked them to report (their race or origin) and did not limit 
their write-in response by confounding the instructions with terms that 
mean different things to different people (e.g., tribes, villages, 
etc.). Therefore, the instruction to, ``Print, for example, . . .'' 
presented a viable alternative for further exploration in 2015 NCT 
research.
    Based on the findings and recommendations from this research, the 
2015 NCT will test variations of the instructions for the AIAN write-in 
area. We plan to test the instruction, ``Print enrolled or principal 
tribe, for example . . .'' on control versions, and the instruction, 
``Print, for example . . .'' on experimental versions, to see how they 
perform.

Question Terms

    The 2015 NCT will evaluate the use of different conceptual terms 
(e.g., origin, ethnicity, or no terms) in the wording of questions for 
collecting data on race and ethnicity. Recent qualitative focus groups 
and qualitative research (e.g., 2010 AQE research; 2013 Census Test 
research; cognitive pre-testing for the 2016 American Community Survey 
(ACS) Content Test) found that the terms ``race,'' ``ethnicity,'' and 
``origin'' are confusing or misleading to many respondents, and mean 
different things to different people. The 2010 AQE research tested the 
removal of the term ``race'' from the question, and showed no evidence 
that removal of the term had any effect on either unit or item response 
rates. Recent cognitive research for the 2016 ACS Content Test tested 
an open-ended instruction (``Which categories describe you?'') and 
found that respondents did not have issues with understanding what the 
question was asking. The following options will be tested in the 2015 
NCT.
    1. ``Origin'' term: The current version of the race and Hispanic 
origin questions, and the combined question, use the terms ``race'' 
and/or ``origin'' to describe the concepts and groups in the question 
stem and/or instructions. For instance, in the combined race and 
Hispanic origin approach, the question stem is ``What is Person 1's 
race or origin?''
    2. ``Ethnicity'' term: One alternative option being explored tests 
the use of both the terms ``ethnicity'' along with ``race'' in the 
question stem and/or instructions (e.g., ``What is Person 1's race or 
ethnicity?'').
    3. NO terms: A second alternative option being explored tests the 
removal of the terms ``race,'' ``origin,'' and ``ethnicity'' from the 
question stem and instructions. Instead, a general approach asks, 
``Which categories describe Person 1?''

Relationship Content

    Two versions of the relationship question will be tested. Both 
versions are the same as those used in a split-sample in the 2014 
Census Test, with no changes. These relationship categories were 
previously tested in other Census Bureau surveys including the American 
Housing Survey, American Community Survey, and the Survey of Income and 
Program Participation (currently used in production). Although research 
to date has been informative, leading to the development of the revised 
relationship question, additional quantitative testing is needed. 
Because the incidence of some household relationships--such as same-sex 
couples--is relatively low in the general population, the revised 
question needs to be tested with large, nationally representative 
samples prior to a final decision to include them in the 2020 Census 
questionnaire.
    The first version uses the 2010 Census relationship question 
response options, but in a new order, starting with ``husband or wife'' 
and then the ``unmarried partner'' category. This version also re-
introduces the foster child category, which was removed from the 2010 
Census form due to space issues.
    The second version includes the same basic response options as the 
2010 Census version, but modifies/expands the ``husband or wife'' and 
``unmarried partner'' categories to distinguish between same-sex and 
opposite-sex relationships.

Coverage Content (Internet Only)

    The 2012 NCT experimented with several methods to improve within-
household coverage for Internet respondents. One benefit of the online 
response mode is that it allows for more functionality and greater 
flexibility in designing questions compared to paper, which is 
constrained by space availability. The 2012 NCT included a coverage 
follow-up reinterview to evaluate the different Internet design 
options, but some results were inconclusive. In the 2015 NCT, two 
designs will be tested to compare different approaches for helping 
respondents provide a more accurate roster of household residents.
    The first approach is the ``Rules-Based'' approach, and will allow 
us to see whether the presence of a question asking the number of 
people in the household, along with the residence rule instructions, 
helps respondents create an accurate roster. This is similar to the 
approach used across all modes in Census 2000 and the 2010 Census, 
where the respondent was expected to understand various applications of 
our residence rules and apply them to their household. The roster 
creation is followed by a household-level question that probes to 
determine if any additional people not listed originally should be 
included for consideration as residents of the household (several types 
of people and living situations are shown in a list).
    The ``Question-Based'' approach allows us to ask guided questions 
to help improve resident responses. Respondents are not shown the 
residence rule instructions and are only asked to create an initial 
roster of people they consider to be living or staying at their address 
on Census Day. This is followed by several short household-level 
questions about types of people and living situations that might apply 
to people in the household that were not listed originally.
    The materials mailed to the respondents will inform them that the 
survey is mandatory in accordance with Title 13, United States Code, 
Sections 141 and 193. This information also will be available via a 
hyperlink from within the Internet Instrument.
    The results of the 2015 NCT will help guide the design of 
additional 2020 Census testing later this decade. The 2015 NCT will be 
the only opportunity to test content with a nationally representative 
sample prior to the 2020 Census. Testing in 2015 is necessary to 
establish recommendations for contact strategies, response options, and 
content options that can be further refined and tested in later tests. 
At this point in the decade, the Census Bureau needs to acquire 
evidence showing whether the strategies being tested can reduce the 
cost per housing unit during a decennial census, while providing high 
quality and accuracy of the census data. The nationally-representative 
sample is

[[Page 29614]]

designed to ensure that the unbiased estimates from this test 
accurately reflect the nation as a whole, across a variety of 
demographic characteristics.
    Along with other results, the response rates to paper and Internet 
collection will be used to help inform 2020 Decennial program planning 
and cost estimation metrics values. In addition, several demographic 
questions and coverage probes are included in this test to achieve 
improved coverage by future decennial censuses and surveys.
    Information quality is an integral part of the pre-dissemination 
review of the information disseminated by the Census Bureau (fully 
described in the Census Bureau's Information Quality Guidelines). 
Information quality is also integral to the information collections 
conducted by the Census Bureau and is incorporated into the clearance 
process required by the Paperwork Reduction Act.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Frequency: One Time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 141 and 193.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce 
collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: May 14, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-12140 Filed 5-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P