[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26835-26836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10403]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting renewal of 
the Generic Clearance of the National Center for Science & Engineering 
Statistics' Survey Improvement Projects (3145-0174), and has submitted 
an information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance. 
In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), this is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register at 81 FR 7833; no comments were received. NSF is forwarding 
the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second 
notice. The full submission may be found at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the NSF, including whether the information shall have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, use, and clarity of the information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured 
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification. Comments received after that date will be considered to 
the extent practicable.

For Additional Information Or Comments: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-
7556; or send email to [email protected]. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including federal 
holidays). You also may obtain a copy of the data collection instrument 
and instructions from Ms. Plimpton.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Generic Clearance of the National Center for 
Science & Engineering Statistics Improvement Projects.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0174.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract. Established within the National Science Foundation by the 
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec.  505, codified in the 
National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, the National 
Center for Science & Engineering Statistics (NCSES) serves as a central 
Federal clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, analysis, and 
dissemination of objective data on science, engineering, technology, 
research and development for use by practitioners, researchers, 
policymakers, and the public. NCSES conducts about a dozen nationally 
representative surveys to obtain the data for these purposes. The 
Generic Clearance will be used to ensure that the highest quality data 
are obtained from these surveys. State of the art methodology will be 
used to develop, evaluate, and test questionnaires and survey concepts 
as well as to improve survey methodology. This may include field or 
pilot tests of questions for future large scale surveys, as needed. The 
Generic Clearance will also be used to test and evaluate data 
dissemination tools and methods, in an effort to improve access for 
data users.
    Use of the Information. The purpose of these studies is to use the 
latest and most appropriate methodology to improve NCSES surveys, 
evaluate new data collection efforts, and evaluate data dissemination 
tools and mechanisms. Methodological findings may be presented 
externally in technical papers at conferences, published in the 
proceedings of conferences, or in journals. Improved NCSES surveys, 
data collections, and data dissemination will help policymakers in 
decisions on research and development funding, graduate education, and 
the scientific and technical workforce, as well as contributing to 
reduced survey costs.
    Expected Respondents. The respondents will be from industry, 
academia, nonprofit organizations, members of the public, and State, 
local, and Federal governments. Respondents will be either individuals 
or institutions, depending on the topic under investigation. 
Qualitative procedures will generally be conducted in person, online 
(using Skype, Webex, or other conferencing tools), or over the phone. 
Quantitative procedures may be conducted using mail, web, email, or 
phone modes, depending on the topic under investigation. Up to 8,680 
respondents will be contacted across all projects. No respondent will 
be contacted more than twice in one year under this generic clearance. 
Every effort will be made to use technology to limit the burden on 
respondents from small entitites.
    Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to improve

[[Page 26836]]

NCSES's current data collection instruments and processes and to reduce 
respondent burden, as well as to develop new surveys and new or 
improved data dissemination tools. Qualitative methods include, but are 
not limited to expert review; exploratory, cognitive, and usability 
interviews; focus groups; and respondent debriefings. Cognitive and 
usability interviews may include the use of scenarios, paraphrasing, 
card sorts, vignette classifications, and rating tasks. Quantitative 
methods include, but are not limited to, telephone surveys; behavior 
coding, split panel tests, and field tests.
    Estimate of Burden. NCSES estimates that a total reporting and 
recordkeeping burden of 11,180 hours will result from activities to 
improve its surveys. The calculation is shown in Table 1.

 Table 1--Potential Surveys for Improvement Projects, With the Number of
                      Respondents and Burden Hours
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                                             Number of       Number of
                                            respondents        hours
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Graduate Student Survey.................           2,000           2,500
SESTAT Surveys (National Survey of                 1,000             500
 College Graduates; Survey of Doctorate
 Recipients)............................
Early Career Doctorate Survey...........             500           1,000
Survey of Earned Doctorates.............             600             600
Higher Education Research & Development              300             540
 Survey.................................
State Government Research & Development              150             300
 Survey.................................
Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities.             230             415
Business Research & Development and                   50             150
 Innovation Survey......................
Microbusiness Survey....................             250             500
Survey of Scientific & Engineering                   400             400
 Facilities.............................
Innovation Survey.......................           1,500           3,000
Public Understanding of Science &                    550             125
 Engineering Survey.....................
Data dissemination tools and mechanisms.             150             150
Other surveys and projects not specified           1,000           1,000
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total...............................           8,680          11,180
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    Dated: April 29, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-10403 Filed 5-3-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P