Cognitive Interview

2007 National Park Service Comprehensive Survey of the American Public

AttachG_CognitiveInterview_10-17-07

Cognitive Interview

OMB: 1024-0254

⚠️ Notice: This form may be outdated. More recent filings and information on OMB 1024-0254 can be found here:

Document [doc]

Download: doc | pdf

ATTACHMENT G: COGNITIVE INTERVIEW

Cognitive Interviewing Pre-testing for the National Park Service

Comprehensive Survey of the American Public 2007-2008

INTRO: We are so pleased that you are here today with us. This focus group has been organized to help the National Park Service develop the best questionnaire possible for an upcoming survey. My name is _______________________ and I am from the University of Wyoming, and we are joined by _____________________ who is also from the University of Wyoming. The purpose of the National Park Service Comprehensive Survey of the American Public is to find out what the American people think about the work of the NPS, and about some special programs of the park service.

To develop the best questions possible, we need your help pre-testing several of the new questions in the survey. The survey instrument you are being given includes many of the introductory questions, as well as the demographic questions. However, there are only four substantive questions from the Comprehensive Survey and their related parts for you to answer. After you answer each of the four questions, you will be asked to evaluate the difficulty of answering the question. After you answer all four of the substantive questions, you will then have a series of questions about the concepts in the questions.

There are no right or wrong answers – we really want to know whether you understand the questions; whether you all have the same understanding of the concepts in the questions; and whether the response choices are appropriate and complete.

One more thing you will notice: the number of each question is sequential but not consecutive. That is, we have retained the number of the question from the entire Comprehensive Survey, so the question numbers go from low to high, but not by increments of one. We start in fact with question #5.

Please read and answer the questions on the survey, and when you have finished, we will have time to talk about your responses.

5. The National Park System consists of all the units managed by the National Park Service, including national parks, historic and cultural sites, and national monuments. How many times in the past two years have you visited any units of the National Park System? (2000, #2)

5a. __________

5b. Have you ever visited a unit of the National Park System? (new)

Yes=1 → Go to #5c

No=2 → GO to #6

DK/NS=98 → GO to #6

Refused=99 → GO to #6

5c. How long ago was that? (new)

Record actual number of years _____________

Don’t know/no answer=98

Refused=99

5d. How old were you the first time you visited a unit of the National Park System? (new)

Record actual age __________

DK/NA=98

Refused=99

7. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statement: “I plan to visit a unit of the National Park System within the next 12 months.” (2000, revision of #5)

agree=4

somewhat agree=3

somewhat disagree=2

disagree=1

DK/NS = 98

refused = 99

Now you will have only four substantive questions to answer about our national parks. These questions are in the development stage for our survey, and remember – THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS.

To start, think about a large national park like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, or Great Smoky Mountains or even one of the Alaskan parks like Denali National Park. These parks have a variety of natural sounds, such as birds singing, water flowing in rivers, and sounds of wildlife, including wolves, elk, and frogs. These parks also have other sounds, such as vehicle and aircraft engines, the sounds of construction and maintenance equipment, and even elevators.

25. How important to you is hearing the sounds of nature to enjoying an experience in the wild or undeveloped areas of a large national park? Is it not important, somewhat important, very important, or extremely important? (new)

not important=1

somewhat important=2

very important=3

extremely important=4

DK/NS=98

refused=99

25a. Did you need to hear any part of the question again? If yes,

which part? ________________________________________________________

25b. Did you need to hear any of the possible answers again? If yes, which answers? _______________________________________________

26. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

I should be able to go a national park and not hear mechanized sounds like

engine noise and cell phones when I am out hiking in wild or undeveloped

areas. (new)

strongly agree=4

somewhat agree=3

somewhat disagree=2

strongly disagree=1

DK/NS=98

refused=99

26a. Did you need to hear any part of the question again? If yes,

which part? ________________________________________________________

26b. Did you need to hear any of the possible answers again? If yes, which answers? _______________________________________________

27. Think about an historical park, like Gettysburg National Military Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, or the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Parks like these commemorate historic events or preserve early lifestyles and cultures.

How important do you think hearing cultural and historical sounds, such as musket fire, folk songs, or Native American music, is to enjoying an experience in these kinds of parks? Is it not important, somewhat important, very important, or extremely important? (new)

not important=1

somewhat important=2

very important=3

extremely important=4

DK/NS=98

refused=99

27a. Did you need to hear any part of the question again? If yes,

which part? ________________________________________________________

27b. Did you need to hear any of the possible answers again? If yes, which answers? _______________________________________________

The large national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains are known for their natural resources. For example, they have plants, animals and fish, remote areas and wilderness, fresh air, lakes and rivers, and starry night skies. I’m going to read you some statements about these parks and ask you how much you personally agree or disagree with each statement. (new)

 (If needed: Would you say you “strongly agree,” “somewhat agree,” “somewhat

disagree,” or “strongly disagree” that the National Park Service should do this in our large national parks?) (8 = DK/NS; 9=NA/Ref for each item)

Non-native plants that do not occur naturally in these parks should be removed

Non-native animals or fish that do not occur naturally in these parks should be removed

Wild animals or fish that used to occur naturally in these parks should be restored

Aircraft flights over wild and undeveloped areas of these parks should be allowed

These national parks are places where there should be no air pollution from communities and industries

These national parks are places I should be able to go and see the night sky without interference of artificial lights from nearby communities.

These national parks are places where there should be no water pollution from communities, industries, and agriculture

Basic visitor facilities in these parks, such as roads, trails, restrooms, and water fountains, should be provided

Developed visitor facilities in these parks, such as lodges, restaurants, and stores, should be provided

The number of private vehicles in these parks during the busiest periods should be limited

All types of transportation should be allowed in these parks, including jet-skiing and snowmobiling

(DK/NS option for each item)

28a. Did you need to hear any part of the question again? If yes,

which part? ________________________________________________________

28b. Did you need to hear any of the possible answers again? If yes, which answers? _______________________________________________

Now, we need you to answer questions on the questions.

The first question you answered was, “How important is hearing the sounds of nature to enjoying an experience in the wild or undeveloped areas of a large national park?”

25c. First, how hard was it for you to answer this question?

Was it: 5 = very easy to answer?

4 = pretty easy to answer?

3 = a little difficult to answer?

2 = somewhat difficult to answer?

1 = very difficult to answer?

25d. When the question asked, “How important is hearing the sounds of nature?”, what do you consider to be “sounds of nature”? (circle all that apply)

Some/

Yes maybe No DK/NA

Were these animal sounds? 3 2 1 99

Sounds of wind in the trees? 3 2 1 99

Sounds of running water? 3 2 1 99

Just peace and quiet? 3 2 1 99

Sounds of people talking while hiking? 3 2 1 99

The sound of crunching snow? 3 2 1 99

The sound of rainfall? 3 2 1 99

Anything else? ______________________________

25e. Or were there no specific sounds, just the idea that in general there were natural sounds? ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

25f. Did you realize that the question was asking about the wild areas of a national park, and not the areas around the restaurants or lodging or visitor centers? If no, what areas did you imagine this question referred to?

___________________________________________________________

The second question asked, How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? I should be able to go a national park and not hear mechanized sounds like engine noise and cell phones when I am out hiking in wild or undeveloped areas.

26c. First, can you tell me, how hard was it for you to answer this question? Was it: 5 = very easy to answer?

4 = pretty easy to answer?

3 = a little difficult to answer?

2 = somewhat difficult to answer?

1 = very difficult to answer?

When you heard the original question, did you …

26d. …understand that it would be the National Park Service managing the sounds in the environment?

yes no not certain DK/NA

26e. Second, did you understand that this question was asking about managing sounds that are produced both by visitors and the National Park Service?

yes no not certain DK/NA

26f. And the third part of the question, did you understand that this question asked about the wild and undeveloped areas of a national park, not necessarily all campgrounds or parking lots or visitor centers, for example?

26g. What comes to mind for you when you think of “wild or

undeveloped areas” of the parks? Is this…

all areas of any national park?

all areas of the parks located in rural areas, and not the urban parks?

areas of the parks at least a quarter of a mile from a road way?

only areas designated as “backcountry”?

Is there some other way you would describe “wild and undeveloped”? ______________________________________

The third question went like this. “Think about an historical park, like Gettysburg National Military Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, or the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Parks like these commemorate historic events or preserve early lifestyles and cultures. How important do you think hearing cultural and historical sounds, such as musket fire, folk songs, or Native American music, is to enjoying an experience in these kinds of parks?”

27c. First, can you tell me, how hard was it for you to answer this question? Was it: 5 = very easy to answer?

4 = pretty easy to answer?

3 = a little difficult to answer?

2 = somewhat difficult to answer?

1 = very difficult to answer?

27d. When you were asked to think about historical parks, what kind of parks did you think about? ______________________________________________________

27e. When the question asked “How important do you think hearing cultural and historical sounds is to enjoying an experience in the parks?” what did you think about in terms of enjoyment? Is enjoyment for you –

aa. a satisfying experience ee. a recreational experience, or

bb. a learning experience ff. a diverting experience?

cc. a happy experience gg. other? _________________

dd. an amusing experience __________________________

27f. When you thought about hearing sounds related to past cultures and history, did you imagine that these sounds…

would be part of a re-enactment?

or from a recording of some kind?

or just someone demonstrating an instrument or weapon?

And now for the last question which we are developing for this national survey.

That question went like this.

28. The large national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains are known for their natural resources. For example, they have plants, animals and fish, remote areas and wilderness, fresh air, lakes and rivers, and starry night skies. I’m going to read you some statements about these parks and ask you how much you personally agree or disagree with each statement.