Skip to main content

Preparing For the 2000 Census Interim Report II (1997) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

Improved Survey Methods: Making It Easier to Respond
Pages 24-29

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 24...
... Evaluations in the early tests estimated that the prenotice letter and postmailing postcard increased the mail response rate by about 12.7 percent, and the replacement questionnaire produced an additional gain of about 10 percentage points. If both effects persist in the actual census, they would produce a cost savings of about half a billion dollars (Edmonston and Schultz, 1995)
Read the entire page →
From page 25...
... At higher response rates, every additional percentage point of improvement is more costly to achieve. There would also be considerable operational complexity in sending replacement questionnaires to nonresponding households over the entire United States, as would be required in 2000.
Read the entire page →
From page 26...
... A simpler procedure would be to include either none or all of the addresses in the nonresponse follow-up universe: if none, it would leave unreported people in households with a "Be Counted" person to be estimated by integrated coverage measurement; if all, it would increase the nonresponse follow-up workload, but not by much because of the small number of forms. Either approach would require careful thought about sample design and estimation issues.
Read the entire page →
From page 27...
... However, the households that completed the Spanish questionnaire showed significantly higher item nonresponse rates than the households that completed an English questionnaire, thus appearing to reduce progress towards the stated goal of improving data quality. In addition, the majority of Hispanic households that returned a questionnaire returned an English form.
Read the entire page →
From page 28...
... The major change is that geographic areas and demographic subgroups will be targeted with different publicity and outreach campaigns, rather than the uniform approach used in previous censuses. The goal of this approach is to reduce the differential undercount.
Read the entire page →
From page 29...
... Both the dual-system estimator and the multiplicity estimator rely on several assumptions that are questionable in this application. These coverage measurement methods were examined further in the 1996 test, but results from it were not available for this report.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • census test
  • response rates
  • mail response
  • design method
  • usual residence

  • nonresponse rates
  • total design
  • response rate
  • traditionally undercounted
  • english ones

  • integrated coverage
  • enumerate clients
  • coverage measurement
  • promotional campaigns
  • data quality

  • census form
  • targeted promotional
  • forms distribution
  • previous censuses
  • replacement questionnaires

  • item nonresponse
  • census questionnaire
  • survey questionnaire
  • respondent burden
  • service locations

  • constraint proves
  • households include
  • form increased
  • obtain experimental
  • unreported people


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.