Testing the Salary Question Format and Confidentiality Pledge wording in NCSES surveys

Attachment 1: Questionnaire

Page 1

Introduction

This survey is conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF). This survey is being collected by NCSES under OMB No. 3145-0174. This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your participation is voluntary and you have the right to stop at any time.

We are looking for information about how respondents answer our surveys. Please take your time as you answer these questions. The information you provide will contribute to valuable research at NCSES, one of the principal Federal statistical agencies.

This survey is being administered by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. and resides on a server outside of the NCSES domain. NCSES cannot guarantee the protection of survey responses and advises against the inclusion of sensitive personal information in any response. By proceeding, you give your consent to participate in this survey.

Page 2

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), within the National Science Foundation, is a principal Federal statistical agency, and is the nation’s leading provider of statistical data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. NCSES is responsible for statistical data on the following topics:

• Research and development (R&D)

• The science and engineering workforce

• U.S competitiveness in science, engineering, technology, and R&D

• The condition and progress of STEM education in the United States.

As an independent statistical agency, NCSES serves its diverse user communities by providing products and services that are objective, timely, accurate, and relevant.

1. Prior to today, had you heard of the National Science Foundation?

   1. Yes

   2. No

2. Prior to today, had you heard of the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics?

   1. Yes

   2. No

3. Have you ever completed a survey for the U.S. Federal Government?

   1. Yes

   2. No

4. For the last U.S. Federal Government survey that you completed, did you complete the survey online, in person, or on the phone?

   1. Online

   2. In person

   3. On the phone

5. Prior to today, how much have you thought about how survey companies (the government or otherwise) protect the information you provide?

   1. A lot of thought

   2. Some thought

   3. Never thought about it

6. Generally speaking, do you think the U.S. Federal Government keeps survey data secure?

a. Yes

b. No

7. Generally speaking, do you think the U.S. Federal Government sells survey data to third parties (for example, companies, contractors)?

a. Yes

b. No

Page 3

8. Please read the pledge below about confidentiality at the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES):

(Insert one of following pledge versions, randomly assigned:)

Version A

This information is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, Federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data. The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your response will be kept confidential. Your response is voluntary and failure to provide some or all of the requested information will not in any way adversely affect you.

Please click to indicate that you’ve read the above information about confidentiality at NCSES.

(I have read about confidentiality at NCSES)

Version B

This information is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data. The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your response will be kept confidential. Your response is voluntary and failure to provide some or all of the requested information will not in any way adversely affect you.

Please click to indicate that you’ve read the above information about confidentiality at NCSES.

(I have read about confidentiality at NCSES)

Version C

This information is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the Federal information systems that transmit your data. The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your response will be kept confidential. Your response is voluntary and failure to provide some or all of the requested information will not in any way adversely affect you.

Please click to indicate that you’ve read the above information about confidentiality at NCSES.

(I have read about confidentiality at NCSES)

Page 4

Now we’ll ask you a few questions about yourself.

9. What is your age?

10. Are you living in the United States or Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory, or are you living in another country?

    1. United States or Puerto Rico

    2. Another U.S. territory

    3. Another country

11. Are you…

    1. Male

    2. Female

12. Do you have a degree at the bachelor’s level or higher?

    1. Yes

    2. No

13. What type of degree is the most recent degree you received?

    1. Bachelor’s degree (e.g., BS, BA, AB)

    2. Master’s degree (e.g., MS, MA, MBA)

    3. Doctorate (e.g., PhD, DSc, EdD)

    4. Other professional degree (e.g., JD, LLB, MD, DDS, DVM)

14. For your principal job, what is the easiest way for you to report your total earnings BEFORE taxes or other deductions?

1. Hourly

2. Weekly

3. Bi-weekly

4. Twice monthly

5. Monthly

6. Annually

7. Other (specify)

15. What is your best estimate of how much you usually earn on the basis indicated in Question 14?

Do not include bonuses, overtime, or additional compensation for summertime teaching or research.

16. Are you a…

    1. U.S. citizen (if selected, go to Page 5A)

    2. Non-U.S. citizen (if selected, go to Page 5B)

Page 5A

17. Are you a U.S. citizen…

    1. Born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or another U.S. territory

    2. Born abroad of U.S. citizen parent(s)

    3. By naturalization

18. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

    1. No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin

    2. Yes

19. What is your race?

Mark one or more.

1. American Indian or Alaska Native

2. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

3. Asian

4. Black or African American

5. White

1. What is your basic annual earned income on your principal job, before deductions?

Do not include bonuses, overtime, or additional compensation for summertime teaching or research.

If you are not salaried, please estimate your earned income, excluding business expenses.

ANNUAL EARNED INCOME

$ , , .00

(Go to Page 6)

Page 5B

21. Are you a non-U.S. citizen…

    1. With a Permanent U.S. Resident Visa (Green Card)

    2. With a Temporary U.S. Resident Visa

22. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

    1. No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin

    2. Yes

23. What is your race?

Mark one or more.

1. American Indian or Alaska Native

2. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

3. Asian

4. Black or African American

5. White

1. What is your basic annual earned income on your principal job, before deductions?

Do not include bonuses, overtime, or additional compensation for summertime teaching or research.

If you are not salaried, please estimate your earned income, excluding business expenses.

ANNUAL EARNED INCOME

$ , , .00

(Go to Page 6)

Page 6

25. Earlier in this survey, you were shown information about confidentiality at the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). Do you remember seeing that?

1. Yes

2. No (skip to top of Page 8)

26. Please list as many words or phrases as you can from that information.

Page 7

27. Please check the words that were part of the information about confidentiality:

    1. National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

    2. National Science Foundation (NSF)

    3. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

    4. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

    5. Systems

    6. Federal information systems

    7. Your data

    8. Cybersecurity

    9. Protect

    10. Phishing

    11. Threat

    12. Risk

    13. Terrorist

    14. Mandatory

    15. Voluntary

    16. Hackers

    17. Scam

    18. Malicious

    19. Law

    20. Statistical

    21. Security

    22. Firewall

    23. Malware

    24. Consent

    25. Confidential

(Note: The first four response options will be randomly ordered for each respondent and will appear at the top of the response options section for this questionnaire item. In addition, the remaining response options will be sorted separately from the first four response options, but will be randomly ordered for each respondent.)

Page 8

Here is the text about how your information is kept confidential at the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) again:

(show same version that was provided earlier)

28. Now that you see the text again, please rephrase it using your own words.

29. Do you have any concerns about how NCSES would keep your information confidential?

    1. Yes

    2. No

30. Would NCSES’s approach to keeping your information confidential influence your decision to participate in an NCSES survey?

    1. Yes

    2. No

31. According to this pledge, who would have access to the information you provided on an NCSES survey?

Mark all that apply.

1. National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)

2. National Science Foundation (NSF)

3. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

4. Social Security Administration (SSA)

5. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

6. The U.S. Census Bureau

7. Congress

8. The White House

9. All government agencies

10. Contractors working with the federal government

11. Other, please specify:

1. According to this pledge, what could be done with the information you provided on an NCSES survey?

Mark all that apply.

1. It could be combined with other respondents’ survey answers to create statistics

2. It could be given to other statistical agencies for policy making

3. It could be given to other federal agencies for law enforcement

4. It could be given to the IRS for tax enforcement

5. It could be given to private companies for telemarketing

6. Other

Page 9

Next, we’d like to give you more background information for the following task.

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) collects a wide variety of data from individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and colleges and universities to create important national statistics. In order to earn and keep the trust of our respondents we work hard to keep all the information they give us safe and protected. We are actually required by law to protect the data.

Recent changes in laws require us to make some changes in the way we explain how we keep data protected to our respondents. To ensure that the changes we make are clear and easy to understand, we’d like to get your feedback.

In the statement below, two different words could be used. Please read the statement and answer the questions below.

Per the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through cybersecurity [monitoring – OR – screening] of the systems that transmit your data.

33. Which should we use?

    1. Monitoring

    2. Screening

34. Which is easier to understand?

    1. Monitoring

    2. Screening

35. Which sounds least threatening?

    1. Monitoring

    2. Screening

36. Who owns the systems that the statement refers to?

    1. Foreign government

    2. U.S. government

    3. State or local government

    4. Private company or companies

5. Private citizen(s)

6. Don't know

37. Please explain your responses.

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38. Do you have any final comments or thoughts about confidentiality at NCSES?