[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 57 (Monday, March 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15240-15241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05937]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Establish an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
seek approval for the Survey of Public Attitudes Toward and 
Understanding of Science and Technology, an existing collection in use 
without an OMB Control Number. In accordance with the requirement set 
forth in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing 
opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and 
considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting 
that OMB approve clearance of this collection for three years.
    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 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.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by May 26, 2017 
to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, NSF 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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: Survey of Public Attitudes Toward and 
Understanding of Science and Technology.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145--NEW.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval for an existing collection 
in use without an OMB control number.
    1. Abstract: Established within the NSF by the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec.  [thinsp]505, codified in the National 
Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, the National Center for 
Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) serves as a central Federal 
clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, analysis, and 
dissemination of objective data on science, engineering, technology, 
and research and development for use by practitioners, researchers, 
policymakers, and the public. The Survey of Public Attitudes Toward and 
Understanding of Science and Technology (henceforth ``S&T Attitudes 
Survey'') will be part of this data collection system, focused on 
public support for, understanding of, and attitudes toward science and 
technology.
    The S&T Attitudes Survey has been collected as a module within the 
General Social Survey (GSS), an investigator-initiated grant survey 
conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the 
University of Chicago, since 2006. The module is funded by the National 
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within NSF. NSF 
recognizes that this data collection is not currently cleared by the 
Office of Management and Budget, and seeks to bring it into compliance.
    The S&T Attitudes Survey contains questions measuring a wide 
variety of topics, including following science in the media, attendance 
at informal science institutions such as museums, interest in science, 
knowledge of

[[Page 15241]]

science facts, understanding of the scientific process, support for 
spending for scientific research, confidence in scientists, and 
attitudes toward particular science and technology issues such as 
nanotechnology and genetically engineered foods.
    Data collection is expected to begin in Spring 2018. In recent data 
collection cycles, the GSS has attained a response rate of 
approximately 70%. Data is collected primarily by face-to-face 
interviews, though there is an option for phone interviews. The survey 
will be collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act 
(CIPSEA). Responses from individuals are voluntary. All individually 
identifiable information collected will be kept strictly confidential 
and will be used for research or statistical purposes, analyzing data, 
and preparing scientific reports and articles.
    2. Use of the Information: The S&T Attitudes Survey was established 
to gather high-quality data on public attitudes toward and 
understanding of science for the NCSES biennial publication, Science 
and Engineering Indicators (SEI). SEI is a congressionally mandated 
report on the status of the science and engineering enterprise in the 
United States, including comparisons with other countries. The 
``Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding'' chapter 
of the report is dedicated to public understanding of and attitudes 
toward science and technology. These attitudes and understandings may 
influence students' decisions to pursue STEM careers, public support 
for funding scientific research, what technologies are adopted and how, 
and what public policies are put in place. Thus, public attitudes and 
understandings matter for the status of the science and engineering 
enterprise in the United States.
    The NSF will publish statistics from the survey in NCSES' SEI 
report and possibly in InfoBriefs that focus on particular research 
topics. These reports will be made available in print and 
electronically on the NSF Web site. Public use data files will also be 
developed and made freely available via the Internet.
    3. Expected Respondents: General Social Survey respondents are a 
probability sample of all noninstitutionalized English and Spanish 
speaking persons 18 years of age or older, living in the United States.
    The sample is a multi-stage area probability sample to the block or 
segment level. The Primary Sampling Units employed are Standard 
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) or non-metropolitan counties. 
These are stratified by region, age, and race/ethnicity before 
selection. Smaller geographical units such as segments (which include, 
for example, city blocks) are further selected, stratified according to 
race/ethnicity and income. The average cluster size is about 6 to 7 
respondents per segment. In a given segment, addresses are selected at 
random from a list of addresses, and one person is sought to 
participate from each address. There is, of course, the chance of 
sample biases due to not-at-homes. To reduce this potential bias, the 
interviewers are given instructions to canvass and interview usually 
after 3:00 p.m. on weekdays or during the weekend or holidays. The S&T 
Attitudes Survey forms a module on the GSS, and only a randomly-
selected portion of GSS respondents take the module. To accomplish 
this, addresses are randomly assigned to take the module. The random 
assignment of addresses to the module is carried out within segments.
    4. Estimate of Burden: In the 2014 GSS data collection cycle, 
respondents took an average of 20 minutes to respond to the S&T 
Attitudes Survey module. This is not expected to change. In addition, 
while the target number of participants is 1,250, this can vary 
depending on the execution of the GSS. No more than 1,313 participants 
are expected for the 2018 GSS. Thus, the total number of person-hours 
expected for the 2018 GSS is at most (20/60)*1,313 or 438 hours.

    Dated: March 21, 2017.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2017-05937 Filed 3-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P