Qualitative Research for the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED)

Attachment 6: Screener
1. What is the name of the institution at which you are employed?
[LIST OF SED INSTITUTIONS]
2. What is your current position at this institution?
Graduate school dean
Head of graduate department
Scholarship organization member
Data user (specify)
Other (specify)
ALTERNATIVE PHRASING FOR Q1 AND Q2: I would like to confirm that you are
[position] at [institution/organization.]
SKIP INSTRUCTIONS:
IF SCREENING GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN OR GRADUATE DEPARTMENT
HEAD, GO TO Q5.
IF SCREENING FOUNDATION OFFICIAL, GO TO Q6.
OTHERWISE CONTINUE.
3. [FOR DATA USERS: IF SCREENING AN SED DATA REQUESTER WHO MAY
NOT BE DIRECTING THE RESEARCH] Is there someone at your institution, such as a
designated institutional researcher, who is more closely involved in working directly with
SED data?
SKIP INSTRUCTIONS:
IF NO TO Q3, THANK RESPONDENT AND END SCREENING.
OTHERWISE CONTINUE.
4. [IF YES TO Q3] Could we contact this person to ask them to participate in a [focus
group/one-on-one interview] on expanding the SED to include a section on graduate
student experiences?
COLLECT CONTACT INFORMATION. THANK RESPONDENT FOR THEIR TIME,
END SCREENING.
5. [IF A UNIVERSITY CONTACT – DEAN OR HEAD OF DEPARTMENT] Does your
institution currently field a survey other than the Survey of Earned Doctorates to students
who have completed a doctoral degree? This would be a survey that covers topics other
than educational history, postdoctoral plans, and demographic background, such as

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campus climate, professional development experiences, or overall satisfaction with the
graduate program.
6. We would like to take notes during the discussion and record this [focus group
session/one-on-one interview]. The recording allows us to more carefully consider the
responses by the group during the focus group session. Recordings will only be listened
to by members of the project team. Would you be willing to be recorded during the
[focus group/one-on-one interview]?
7. Depending on the availability of participants, these are the dates/times we are considering
for scheduling the focus group. Are you available on these dates?
GRID OF DATES
IF FOCUS GROUP IS FULL OR RESPONDENT NOT AVAILABLE FOR FOCUS
GROUP, TELL POTENTIAL PARTICIPANT THAT WE WILL ALSO BE DOING
ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS AND WILL BE IN CONTACT LATER TO
DETERMINE AVAILABILITY AND INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN AN
INTERVIEW.

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