The Use of Moderated and 

Unmoderated Cognitive Testing to 

Evaluate Revised Race & Ethnicity 

Questions by Proxy Reporting in 

Establishment Surveys

Krysten Mesner, Amy Anderson Riemer, Jessica White, and Patrice Hall

U.S. Census Bureau 

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Disclaimer: Any views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau has 

reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance applied. 

(Approval ID: CBDRB-FY23-ESMD010-020)
About the Annual Business Survey (ABS)

• Conducted jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the 

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 

(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Measures research and development (for 

microbusinesses), new business topics such as innovation 

and technology, as well as other business characteristics

• Provides information on selected economic and 

demographic characteristics for businesses and business 

owners

• Owner Characteristics section collects data for up to four 

owners with 10 or more percent ownership in the business

• Response to ABS, including to the demographic questions, 

is by proxy, self-reporter/owner, or owner/proxy

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Demographics Collected 

in Owner Characteristics 

Section

Sex

Ethnicity

Race

Veteran Status

Level of Education

Age

Citizenship Status

Disability Status
Current Ethnicity and Race Questions on ABS

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Race/Ethnicity (R/E) 

Questions Tested

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Research Objectives

• Document how respondents comprehend the proposed detailed and 

minimum version of the revised R/E question

• Identify respondents’ use of records or other response strategies for 

answering the detailed and minimum versions of the revised R/E question

• Assess respondents’ ability to answer the detailed and minimum versions 

of the revised R/E question

• Identify difficulties in completing the detailed and minimum versions of 

the revised R/E question

• Identify the prevalence of proxy reporting within the business 

establishment and its effect on responding to the revised R/E question

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Cognitive Testing Methodology

• Moderated and Unmoderated Testing Conducted in May 2023

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Moderated Unmoderated

Proxy 16 64

SelfReporter/ 

Owner

16 50

Owner/Proxy 13 43

Total 45 157
Respondents Understood the Proposed Questions

• Overall, respondents understood the proposed questions

• Some respondents noticed the “Select all that apply” instructions

• For the Minimum version, respondents expressed familiarity with the 

response categories

• Some respondents pointed out that they had not seen “Middle Eastern or 

North African” as a response category on previous surveys

• For the Detailed version, respondents expressed familiarity with most 

of the response categories and subcategories

• Some respondents expressed a lack of familiarity with subcategories such as 

Chamorro or Marshallese

• Many respondents wondered if this item was asking about national origin or 

genetic ancestry

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Availability of Race or Ethnicity Data in Records

Does this business have records containing information about the race or 

ethnicity of the owner(s)?

• For respondents indicating that the business has R/E data in records, the 

information in their files is not as detailed as what is being requested in the 

Detailed question tested

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Moderated Unmoderated

Yes 14 52

No 30 72

Don’t Know -- 31

No response 1 2

Total 45 157
Can ABS Respondents Answer the Proposed R/E Questions?

• Owners (self-reporters) could answer the Minimum and Detailed 

versions of the R/E questions 

• For owner/proxy respondents, in which an owner was responding to 

the R/E questions on behalf of other owner(s):

• Respondents could usually answer the Minimum R/E question

• Respondents could sometimes answer the Detailed R/E question

• Proxy respondents’ ability to answer proposed R/E questions can 

depend on records but more so on their personal/professional 

relationship with the owner(s)

• Expressed more confidence in responding to the Minimum R/E question

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Overall Preference for the Minimum or 

Detailed Version of the R/E Question 

Moderated Unmoderated

Minimum 23 58

Detailed 15 29

No preference 7 51

Missing --- 19

Total 45 157

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Other Findings

• Using “and/or” in the question wording

• Order of arrangement of response categories

• Response options for Don’t know and Declined to answer

• Perceived sensitivity in collecting and/or reporting

• Race/Ethnicity Topics

• MENA

• Iranian

• Hispanic/Latino

• Afro-Caribbean

• Southeast Asian

• What is being requested – culture, national origin, ancestry, color of 

skin, etc.? And why?

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Questions?

Krysten Mesner

krysten.mesner@census.gov

Amy Anderson Riemer

amy.e.anderson.riemer@census.gov

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