2018 Data Slide Test

The Census Bureau continually evaluates how the ACS mail materials and methodology might be improved to increase survey participation and reduce survey costs. To that end, the Census Bureau designed an interactive infographic tool (a “data slide”) and mailed it to a sample of ACS housing unit addresses as a possible way to increase self-response. The addresses that received a data slide would need to respond at a higher rate than other addresses in order to offset the cost of producing the data slide and potentially reduce overall survey costs. Analysis from this test included (1) the unit response (the number of sample addresses for which responses were received), (2) the item response (the quantity and quality of survey questions that were answered),and (3) the estimated survey costs if implemented in a full year.