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The CEQ Worksheet: 

A Respondent Tool 

for Streamlining the Interview Experience 

and Improving Data Quality

Nhien To and Yezzi Angi Lee

Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys

2018 CE Survey Methods Symposium

July 17, 2018

Any opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the authors 

and do not constitute policy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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The CE Survey

 The CED (Diary Survey)

 The CEQ (Quarterly Survey)

Collects data on large and recurring expenditures

Conducted with a computer assisted personal interviewing 

(CAPI) instrument
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Background

 In 2010, the CE Materials team worked on designing a 

“worksheet” to accompany the CEQ survey

 Support from Field Representative (FR) Focus Groups

 Support from Gemini Project to redesign the Consumer 

Expenditure Survey
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Step 1: Information Gathering

 Selected Six FRs (one from each Regional Office) to 

participate in one-on-one telephone interviews for this 

project 

 Asked the FRs a series of questions based on an approved 

semi-structured interviewing protocol
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Step 1: Information Gathering

 The Worksheet: an optional tool that respondents can use in 

between, as well as during the interviews

 FR: “It would help streamline the process of the interview 

when it takes place; allows it to be efficient and less 

burdensome on the day of the interview.” 
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Major Recommendations from FRs

1. Use the worksheet only for Interviews 2-4 

Allow the FR to hand the worksheet to the respondent at the end of the prior 

interview after they have built a relationship with the respondent

2. Establish consistent guidelines as a starting point, but allow 

FRs flexibility in how they apply the worksheet

3. Ask that the worksheet be filled out only by the main 

respondent

4. “Pitch” the worksheet to respondents as a tool that will help 

them to streamline and shorten the interview time
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Major Recommendations from FRs

5. Include expenses that are asked by month and items that are 

difficult to recall without records

6. The worksheet should be no more than one page (front and 

back); should be simple with large text that is clear and easy 

to read

7. The worksheet should look professional and include a privacy 

statement, the FR’s contact information, a thank you, and the 

CE website so that the respondent can look up interesting 

statistical information

Proceed with development
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Benefits

 Shorten interview time

 Reduce respondent burden

 Reduce proxy reporting

 Encourage record use

 Improve the quality of the data reported

 Remind respondents with its tangible presence
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Step 2: Design and Evaluation

 Proposed a Design

 Asked FRs to evaluate and provide feedback via an online 

evaluation form 

 Obtained feedback from fifty-two FRs

 Revised the worksheet
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Initial Design
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FR Feedback

Regarding the Front of the CEQ Worksheet

Appearance

 83% Positive about the appearance

 63% of FRs felt respondents would 

have a positive reaction 

Content

 73% positive about the content

 21% negative about the content 

Concerned that the worksheet might 

scare busy respondents away
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Revised Design: Front

Changed “A Census 

field representative...” 

to “Your Census field 

representative...” to 

make it more personal.

Initial Revised
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Revised Design: Front

Initial Revised

Added the following 

sentence: The worksheet 

shows you some of the 

types of spending that I’ll 

be asking about, and if 

you note these expenses 

on the worksheet, the 

interview may be faster 

while also making it 

easier for you to give 

accurate amounts. 
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Revised Design: Front

Initial Revised

Deleted “Places to 

Look” for records 

and the associated 

examples. 
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Revised Design: Front

Initial Revised

Deleted the FR email 

line. Two FRs 

mentioned that they 

were afraid 

respondents may 

unknowingly send PII. 
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FR Feedback

Regarding the Back of the CEQ Worksheet

Appearance

 73% of FRs said they liked the 

appearance

Content

 40% of FRs said to add more 

categories

 38% of FRs said that some 

categories should be removed
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Revised Design: Back

Income, assets, 

and liabilities were 

removed from the 

worksheet.

Initial Revised
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Revised Design: Back

Changed the 

order of the 

utilities to match 

the Interview’s 

question order

Initial Revised
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Field Test

Test the feasibility and effectiveness of the CEQ Worksheet

 What is the effect of the CEQ Worksheet on response rates?

 What is the impact of the CEQ worksheet on data quality? 

 What is the feedback from respondents?

 What is the impact of the addition of the CEQ worksheet on production 

data collection and/or processing activities?
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Sample Design and Placement Period

 There will be an independent test group in the production sample with the 

remaining Quarterly Interview production sample as a control 

 200 cases per month (600 total) will be eligible for the Worksheet 

 Placement Period: 3

rd quarter of 2018 (Only households going into their 3rd

interview will be eligible)

2018 July August September

Test group

N=600

200 eligible for CEQW 200 eligible for CEQW 200 eligible for CEQW

Control Group

N=TBD

Remaining CEQ 

Production Sample

Remaining CEQ 

Production Sample

Remaining CEQ

Production Sample
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Methodology

At the end of the 3rd Interview:

 The FR will have the option to offer the respondent a Worksheet 

 If a Worksheet is offered, respondent will keep over the next 3 months 

At the 4th interview:

 The FRs would ask the respondents whether they used the Worksheet 

and if so, will have the respondent reference the Worksheet during the 

interview to help report their expenditures

 The FR will ask the respondent a few questions about the Worksheet
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FR Feedback

Following the test, debriefing will be conducted to obtain 

FRs feedback about the worksheet
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Next Steps

Recommend whether and/or how to implement the CEQ 

Worksheet in the CE redesign and/or current CE production
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Nhien To

Economist

Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys/

Office of Prices and Living Conditions

www.bls.gov/cex

202-691-6866

to.nhien@bls.gov

Contact Information