We conducted this experiment to test ways to improve our mail materials and contact strategies. Our goals were to reduce the number of mailings we send to sample addresses by removing the prenotice letter; allow additional time for Internet response by sending the initial mailing earlier; strengthening the mail materials by replacing the reminder postcard with a letter highlighting the User ID; and, increasing self-response by sending the additional reminder postcard to additional addresses. We evaluated self-response return rates to assess the impact of the changes on respondent behavior and performed a cost analysis to assess impacts from a cost perspective. Our findings are documented in this report.

Others in Series

Working Paper

ACS: Sample Representivity for American Indian Areas

December 13, 2013

Report gives indication of how representative the interviewed housing units in the ACS are of ACS nonrespondents and sampling frame in American Indian areas.

Working Paper

Simulated Effects: Changing Calling Parameters & Workload Size on CATI

December 14, 2016

Learn more about ways to make the telephone calling centers more efficient.

Working Paper

Cognitive Pretesting of the ACS Respondent Comment/Feedback Item

December 17, 2019

Testing to develop wording that would allow ACS respondents to provide feedback at the end of the survey rather than having to contact the Census Bureau.

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