Research Reports

Cognitive Pretesting the 2011 Computer and Internet Use Supplement for the Current Population Survey: Final Report

Elizabeth Nichols, Nathan Jurgenson, and Katherine Drom

KEY WORDS:

cognitive interviews, pretesting, Computer use, Internet use

ABSTRACT

At the request of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Demographic Surveys Division, staff from the Center for Survey Measurement cognitively pretested the July 2011 Current Population Computer and Internet Use supplement. Results of 20 cognitive interviews conducted from December 2010 through April 2011, include the following: 1) respondents had difficulty estimating Internet use on mobile devices in addition to their Internet use on traditional computers; 2) respondents had difficulty estimating how much time they spend on the Internet doing various tasks; and 3) respondents did not know what type of Internet service (e.g., DSL, FIOS, etc.) they had at home. The question the supplement used to measure the type of Internet service is the same question the American Community Survey (ACS) currently uses. We recommend further testing of this question in order to redesign the question for the ACS and any other questionnaire, like this supplement, that uses this question.

CITATION:

Elizabeth Nichols, Nathan Jurgenson, and Katherine Drom . (2011). Cognitive Pretesting the 2011 Computer and Internet Use Supplement for the Current Population Survey: Final Report . Center for Survey Measurement,Research and Methodology Directorate (Survey Methodology #2011-07). U.S. Census Bureau. Available online at <http://www.census.gov/srd/papers/pdf/ssm2011-07.pdf>.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Statistical Research & Methodology

Published online: August 17, 2011
Last revised: August 17, 2011