Instruments

[DATE]

Dear [PANEL PARTICIPANT NAME]:

First, I wish to thank you for your recent participation in a national study sponsored by the U.S Department of Commerce, Bureaus of the Census. Your responses have contributed to establishing a better understanding of individuals’ attitudes toward government programs and influences on participation in community activities.

I am also writing to ask for your continued help with this important research study being conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. In the next few weeks, an interviewer from NORC will contact your household and request another appointment to interview you.

The survey is administered in a similar format and will ask about your current awareness of government programs and the means through which individuals might learn more about such programs. Questions will deal with media use, community activities, and on-going advertisement campaigns. The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete. Your participation in this study is voluntary and you may refuse to answer any question.

If you would like to take part in this study, there are multiple ways to contact us.

By Phone: If you would like to take part in the study now, please call the NORC project hotline toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. You can also call this number to learn more about the study and what you will be asked.

Additional Resources: For more information contact me via e-mail at [PROJECT EMAIL DOMAIN@norc.uchicago.edu] or visit our website at: http://www.norc.org.

If you have any questions about this research study or about your role in it you may contact Kathleen Parks, NORC’s Internal Review Board administrator, at 1-866-309-0542.

We are grateful for your continuing participation and we look forward to speaking with you again soon.

Sincerely,

Chet Bowie

Project Director

National Opinion Research Center

Why are you doing this study?

This study will help the Census Bureau to determine the effectiveness of ongoing campaigns and better tailor future programs to the realities of changing American communities. NORC was brought on as a trusted, independent evaluation agency.

Does this study apply to me?

We are interested in talking to all selected households, though there may be certain cases of ineligibility. It will only take a few minutes on the phone with an NORC interviewer to determine whether or not you are eligible.

Who sees my answers?

Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other personal information that could identify you. Everyone who works on the study and comes into contact with your personal information must receive special sworn status and sign an oath under the penalty of law that promises they will not give out personal information. Your personal identifying information such as your name, address and phone number are never publicly released and are only accessible to a limited number of trained and certified project staff.

How do you protect my information?

Your answers will be used in statistical form only. Your name and identifying information will never be released to the public. We conduct this survey under Title 13 of the U.S. Code. Title 13, along with other strict U.S. privacy laws, require that we protect your information and maintain confidentiality. Each project team member is required to complete Title 13 Confidentiality Training and have taken a sworn oath to protect confidentiality.

If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call Kathleen Parks, the NORC Institutional Review Board Administrator, toll free, at 866-309-0542.

Can I call you to participate?

Yes, if you would like to take part in the study now, please call NORC toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. You can also call this number to learn more about the study, what you will be asked, and how we protect your privacy and the confidentiality of your answers.