OMB Memo

Generic Information Collection Request

Request: The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for the collection of focus group data (OMB number 0690-0030). A total of 42 focus groups will be conducted across seven languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, and Arabic. Six focus groups will be carried out in each language. For each language, three groups will be composed of monolingual respondents and three groups will be composed of target-language-dominant bilingual respondents. Each group will be comprised of 8 respondents for a total of 336 respondents.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to tailor and improve messages for use with non-English speakers in order to increase response from these populations in general and self-response in particular.

Population of Interest: bilingual and monolingual speakers of English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, and Arabic.

Timeline: Testing will be conducted between February 2017 and September 2017.

Language: The focus groups will be conducted in English and in the top 6 more frequently spoken non-English languages in the U.S.: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian and Arabic. Focus groups will be conducted in Chicago, IL; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Pasadena, CA; Garden Grove, CA; Westminster, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Detroit, MI; and Washington, DC.

Method: The Census Bureau is testing materials, designed to encourage and assist respondents with filling out their Census Forms, and looking at responses of monolingual v. bilingual respondents. The messages will be tested in a focus group format with either English and target-language respondents that are monolingual and bilingual.

Sample: Respondents will be recruited through flyers, advertisement, or community contacts, therefore the sample is not a representative sample. Nonetheless we will attempt to make the sample as representative of the population as possible by using targeted recruitment.

Recruitment: Recruitment screening will begin when someone responds to an advertisement, flyer, or community contact. Potential participants will call a number where a bilingual recruiter will screen the caller for eligibility for the project. The 3- to 5-minute screener, completed only on paper, will include a brief description of the project, the purpose of the interview, and the confidential nature of the study. The total number of respondents required for each language is 48 (eight per each of the 6 groups). We will overrecruit respondents to ensure that the number of respondents for each focus group can be a minimum of eight, even in the case of no-shows. The details of the recruitment plan can be found in the document “AttachmentC_recruitment and consent.”

Protocol: Participants will be asked to participate in a Focus Group. During the groups participants will be asked to view 4 videos that contain Census Bureau messages. Each video addresses a different type of situation that respondents may encounter. The scripts for the videos can be found in the document “AttachmentB_videoscripts.” After viewing the videos respondents will be asked to provide input on two research vignettes. The moderator’s guide, the text of the vignettes, and other materials that will be used during the focus groups discussion can be found in the document “AttachmentA_Guides.”

Use of Incentive: Respondents will receive a $75 incentive for participation in a 90-minute focus group discussion.

Below is a list of materials to be used in the current study.

1. Moderator guide

2. Handouts or other materials to be used in the focus groups

   1. Handout Language flash card

   2. Proxy message fill-in form

   3. Section D personal information form

3. Video Scripts

4. Recruitment plan – Census has a version of the plan

   1. Flyers

   2. Other advertising

Length of interview: We estimate the focus groups will take 90 minutes.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is listed below:

Anna Sandoval Girón

Center for Survey Measurement

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-3575

Anna.b.sandoval.giron@census.gov

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