How Do People Answer Income Questions?
How Do People Answer Income Questions?
SM97-03
Introduction
This paper describes the results of a small-scale, exploratory research project investigating how survey respondents answer income questions in a demographic survey conducted by telephone. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) served as the vehicle for the research. The ACS, which is currently in the field testing stage, is being designed as a likely replacement for the decennial census long form II. METHODS questionnaire for the year 2010 census. It is scheduled to be in the field as a national survey starting in 1999. [For a more detailed description of the ACS and the Census Bureau’s “continuous measurement” program, see Alexander and Davis (1997).
Others in Series
Working Paper
Improving the Navigational Qualities of the Decennial Short Form
This research is part of the Census' continuing effort to design decennial short forms that are respondent friendly, machine imagable, and cost efficient.
Working Paper
Better Formatting for Lower Response Burden
This paper will present a modest qualitative effort to look at the implications of varying the instruction design.
Working Paper
Plant-Capture Method for Estimating the Size of the Street Population
In 1990, the Census Bureau conducted two operations designed to include homeless persons in the census.
Related Information
Page Last Revised - February 11, 2025