[Federal Register: June 5, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 107)]
[Notices]
[Page 27013-27014]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jn09-32]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2010-2012
American Community Survey Methods Panel Testing
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 4, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 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 instrument(s) and instructions
should be directed to Susan Schechter, U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey Office, Washington, DC 20233, by FAX to (301) 763-8620
or e-mail at susan.schechter.bortner@census.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
Given the rapid demographic changes experienced in recent years and
the strong expectation that such changes will continue and accelerate,
the once-a-decade data collection approach of a census is no longer
acceptable as a source for the housing and socio-economic data
collected on the census long form. To meet the needs and expectations
of the country, the Census Bureau developed the American Community
Survey (ACS). This survey collects detailed socioeconomic data every
month and provides tabulations of these data on a yearly basis. The ACS
allows the Census Bureau to provide more timely and relevant housing
and socio-economic data while also reducing operational risks in the
census by eliminating the long form historically given to one in every
six addresses.
Full implementation of the ACS includes an annual sample of
approximately three million residential addresses a year in the 50
States and the District of Columbia, and another 36,000 addresses in
Puerto Rico. A sample this large allows for annual production and
release of single-year estimates for areas with a population of 65,000
or more. Lower levels of geography require aggregates of three and five
years' worth of data in order to produce estimates of comparable
quality to the census long form. An ongoing data collection effort with
an annual sample of this magnitude requires that the ACS continue
research, testing and evaluations aimed at improving overall ACS data
quality, achieving survey cost efficiencies, and developing and
improving ACS questionnaire content and related data collection
materials. The ACS Methods Panel during the 2010-2012 period may
include testing methods for increasing survey and operational
efficiencies; alternative methods or procedures may be developed and
evaluated that could potentially reduce the overall survey cost, lessen
respondent burden, and improve response rates. At this time, specific
plans are in place to propose three methods panel tests: a content
reinterview study, 2010 ACS Content Test, and an Internet Test. Since
the ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging issues, we may
conduct additional testing as needed. Testing would focus on methods
for reducing data collection costs or testing new questions that have
an urgent need to be included on the ACS.
During the decennial census year, a content reinterview study (CRS)
was conducted in conjunction with the long form, which the ACS now
replaces. The decennial CRS was an evaluation of the quality of the
data collected in the census, focusing on response bias and simple
response variance (reliability). The Census Bureau proposes to design
and implement a continuous CRS to look at the current ACS production
questions on an ongoing basis. This will allow for the identification
of problems with reliability. Results from the CRS will provide data
users with concrete data quality measures (such as reliability or bias
measures) for each ACS item.
The ACS CRS will allow the Census Bureau to continuously monitor
the data quality of the ACS and identify questions that are currently
unreliable or that may become unreliable due to changes in the survey
climate (e.g., changes in policy that change the definition of what the
ACS is trying to measure). The results from the CRS, generated on a
yearly basis, would identify which questions require modifications and
future testing via a content test, thus providing a more scientific
approach to determining the need for content testing of current ACS
items. The CRS will be conducted by telephone only with a small sample
of cases that responded during production.
Second, in response to Federal agencies' requests for new and
revised ACS questions, the Census Bureau plans to conduct the 2010 ACS
Content Test. Changes to the current ACS content and the addition of
new content were identified through the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Interagency Committee for the ACS and through recent or
anticipated legislative action. The primary objective of the ACS 2010
Content Test is to test whether changes to question wording, response
categories, and redefinition of underlying constructs improve the
quality of data collected. The Census Bureau proposes to evaluate
changes to the questions by comparing the revised questions to the
current ACS questions, or for new questions, to compare the performance
of question versions to each other as well as to other well-known
sources of such information. The proposed topics for content testing
are new questions to measure computer and Internet access and usage, as
well as parental place of birth and revisions to veteran's
identification and period of service, cash public assistance, wages
income and property income, and the Food Stamps program name.
A third test, the ACS Internet Test, is planned to determine the
best methods for informing sample households about an ACS Internet
response option and encouraging them to respond. By offering an
Internet response option in the ACS, the Census Bureau is taking
further steps to comply with the e-gov initiative and potentially
reduce data collection costs. The objectives of the Internet Test
include: potential improvement in self-response rates; potential cost
savings if we can change the distribution of responses by mode (i.e.,
obtain more responses by Internet); and potential improvement in data
quality including a potential reduction in item nonresponse.
[[Page 27014]]
II. Method of Collection
Continuous ACS CRS--Cases that responded to production ACS from all
three ACS response modes (mail, telephone, and personal visit) will be
included. Reinterview modules containing a subset of the questions will
be created so that the entire ACS questionnaire can be tested over
several months. Each question set or module of the CRS will require
multiple data collection months to provide enough sample for analysis
purposes. Reinterviews will be conducted within 2 to 4 weeks of the
original data collection. It is important that the reinterview is close
enough timing-wise to the original data collection to minimize the
possibility of changes in what is being measured, but far enough away
so respondents do not exactly remember previous responses.
2010 Content Test--The field test portion of the ACS content test
will be largely based on the data collection methods currently used in
the production ACS. Sampled addresses will be mailed a pre-notice
letter, a self-administered paper questionnaire, and a reminder
postcard. Households that do not return their initial questionnaire in
a timely manner will also be mailed a replacement questionnaire. For
households that do not return their mailed questionnaire, we will
attempt to collect their data through Computer Assisted Telephone
Interviewing or Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing.
There will also be a Content Follow-up reinterview as part of the
content test. That is, we will attempt a follow-up CATI reinterview
with all households that responded in the field test and for whom we
have a telephone number. This reinterview will focus on the particular
questions that we are evaluating in the field test, and will not
include every question asked in the original interview.
Internet Test--Currently, the ACS and the Puerto Rico Community
Survey (PRCS) collect data using three modes: mailout/mailback of a
paper questionnaire, telephone, and personal visit. In the proposed
test we will offer a fourth response mode--an Internet self-response
option--to respondents in the ACS and the PRCS during the mail data
collection phase.
Different strategies will be used to inform respondents of the
Internet response option. In all strategies, the URL for the secure ACS
Internet site and instructions for completing the survey online will be
provided to respondents by mail.
The Census Bureau plans to design four versions of the ACS Internet
instrument--an English version and a Spanish version for both the ACS
and the PRCS. Households that do not respond by mail or Internet will
be contacted for a telephone interview, similar to ACS production,
since a voice message could encourage a household to respond by mail or
Internet. This test will not include a personal visit operation like
ACS production.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0607-0936.
Form Number: ACS-1, ACS1(SP), ACS-1(PR), ACS-1(PR)SP, ACS CATI(HU),
and ACS RI(HU).
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Individuals and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: We plan to contact the following
number of respondents: Content Reinterview Study, 71,520 responding
addresses per year; 2010 Content Test, 70,000 residential addresses
during the field test and 40,000 responding addresses during the
content follow-up conducted by telephone; Internet Test, 90,000
residential addresses. Other potential content test: 70,000 residential
addresses during the field test and 40,000 responding addresses during
the content follow-up conducted by telephone. Other potential test of
new methods: 30,000 residential addresses.
Estimated Time per Response: Estimates are: Content Test field
test, 38 minutes, content test follow-up, 15 minutes; Internet Test, 38
minutes; Content Reinterview Study, 15 minutes; other potential test of
new methods, 38 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 67,515.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: Except for their time, there is no
cost to respondents.
Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 182.
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: June 2, 2009.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-13130 Filed 6-4-09; 8:45 am]
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