[Federal Register: December 13, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 238)]
[Notices]
[Page 72164-72165]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13de04-25]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
2005 National Census Test Coverage Follow Up
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)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 11,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at Dhynek@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instruments and instructions
should be directed to Frank Vitrano, U.S. Census Bureau, Building 2,
Room 2012, Washington, DC 20233-9200, 301-763-3961.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
I. Abstract
Improved coverage (See Definition of Terms) is one of the four
major goals for Census 2010. In preparation for the 2010 Census, the
U.S. Census Bureau plans to conduct a series of tests. In September
2005, the Census Bureau will conduct the 2005 National Census Test
(NCT) to evaluate a variety of short form questionnaire content and
design modifications, and the effect of a bilingual questionnaire on
response rates and data quality. The results of this test will help
guide the Census Bureau as it develops the final short form
questionnaire design and content for the 2010 Census.
In support of the 2005 NCT, the Coverage Followup (CFU) is intended
to develop and evaluate new procedures to improve coverage and reduce
duplication. We want to determine whether respondents included all the
appropriate persons on their form and excluded persons who should have
been counted elsewhere. The CFU will collect data to evaluate different
versions of the coverage questions and
[[Page 72165]]
different presentations of the residence rules instructions (See
Definition of Terms) included on the 2005 NCT questionnaire. We also
will create, test and analyze an automated version of the paper
coverage followup questionnaire used in the 2004 Census Test.
The Census Bureau will conduct the CFU operation from November 1,
2005 through March 6, 2006.
II. Method of Collection
Approximately 60,000 households will be included in the followup
sample for this operation. The sample is broken down into five
categories:
Households that responded ``yes'' to either coverage
question;
A sample of households that responded ``no'' to both
coverage questions;
Households that contain at least one match between the
StARS database (see Definition of Terms) and 2005 NCT data and at least
one nonmatch in StARS. This will identify households with potentially
missed people.
Households containing more than six persons; and
Households that were not asked any coverage questions.
The coverage questions for the 2005 CFU operation will be chosen
based on the results of cognitive tests using four revised versions of
the 2004 Census Test undercount question (Question 2) and overcount
question (Question 10). These questions are designed to ensure that
each individual is counted once and only once and in the right place.
The CFU interviewers will attempt to contact, via telephone, all
the households that fall in the CFU sample. The followup interview will
be conducted at the Census Bureau telephone call centers by U.S. Census
Bureau staff. These questions will be conducted using computer-assisted
telephone interviewing (CATI). The results will be used to further
improve and enhance the questionnaire for the 2010 Census. For this
operation, there will be no field followup (i.e personal visits by
enumerators) for those households that refuse to give information over
the telephone and those households that telephone interviewers are
unable to reach.
The purpose of the CFU telephone contact is to identify those
persons who may have been counted in more than one household or
erroneously excluded from any household. The items included in the 2005
CFU questionnaire are probes that are intended to indicate whether
respondents understood and properly applied the residence rules
instructions on the 2005 NCT questionnaire.
Definition of Terms
Coverage--How well the Census Bureau counts people and housing
units in the census.
Residence Rules Instructions--Instructions that respondents use to
determine who should be counted in that household. They are meant to
insure that everyone is counted once and in the right place for the
primary purposes of apportionment and redistricting.
StARS--The Statistical Administrative Records System (StARS) is an
administrative records database built from six national level data
files.
III. Data
OMB Number: Not available.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular.
Affected Public: Individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 60,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,000 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: There is no cost to respondents except
for their time to respond.
Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Title 13 of the United States Code, Sections 141
and 193.
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: December 7, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-27205 Filed 12-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P