NCSES - Testing for Coronavirus Pandemic Questions for the 2022 Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED)

Attachment 1: Test Participant Recruitment Plan

Participant Recruitment

The cognitive test participants will be recruited from the current research doctoral students who plan to graduate between July 2021 and June 2022. A short screening survey will be used to identify the doctoral students and to recruit participants that represent the SED respondent profile to the extent possible (see Attachment 3).

SED institutional coordinators (ICs) at a selected number of doctorate institutions will be contacted by email (see the first email below) to assist in recruiting the test participants from PhD candidates at their institutions. In addition, researchers from the SED data collection contractor (RTI international) will distribute the second email to PhD candidates in their networks.

Recruitment Email to Institutional Coordinators

Subject: COVID-19 Survey Question Testing for the National Science Foundation

Dear [Ms/Mr] [LAST NAME]:

Thank you for your school’s participation in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). The National Science Foundation is looking for PhD students to test the survey questions about the impact of coronavirus pandemic on their graduate studies, which will be added in the 2022 SED.

RTI International will conduct a short participant eligiblity screening survey, and an interview with eligible PhD students. Those completing the interview will be provided a $30 cash incentive for their time.

All you will need to do is to distribute an email message (below) to PhD candidates who plan to graduate between July 2021 and June 2022 at your institution.

Please let me know if you can help with this effort or any questions you may have.

Thank you,

Ms. Jamie Friedman

Assistant Project Director, SED

RTI International

312-456-5262

Recruitment Email to PhD Students

Subject: Assist NSF with review of survey questions

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is looking for current PhD candidates to provide feedback on survey questions about the impact of coronavirus pandemic on students’ graduate experience and postgraduation plans.

RTI International will conduct a short participant eligiblity screening survey and an interview with eligible PhD students. Upon completion of a interview that lasts about 45 minutes, the participant will receive a $30 cash incentive. The online screening survey and interviews will take place in January and February 2021.

To see if you are eligible for the interview, please complete a short screening survey at www.XXXXXXXX.rti.org

For more information about the study, please email surveyresearch@rti.org.

Thank you for your time and consideration.