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Welcome to the CE Survey 

Methods Symposium

Parvati Krishnamurty

Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys 

July 18, 2017
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Welcome to the Survey Methods 

Symposium

We are here to:

1. Share CE research findings with stakeholders, survey 

researchers, and data users.

2. Promote a discussion about common challenges and 

solutions facing CE and other surveys as we try to 

produce high quality data in a time of declining 

response rates, changing respondent behavior, and 

rising costs of data collection.
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Outline

 Gemini Project 

Overview

Recent research and field 

tests

Upcoming field tests

 CE Symposium

Topics

Agenda
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Gemini Project 
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What is the Gemini Project?

“...aims to redesign the Consumer Expenditure 

(CE) survey to improve data quality through a 

verifiable reduction in measurement error—

particularly error caused by underreporting.”
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Objectives

 Verifiable reduction in measurement error, 

with a particular focus on underreporting

 No harmful effect on response rates

 Neutral impact on budget

 Secondary objective: Reduction in burden 
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Current CE Design

Interview

Consumer Expenditure 

Survey Estimates

Diary

- 4 waves of personal interviews

- 3 month recall

- Large or recurring expenditures

- 2 one-week household paper diaries

- Contemporaneous recall

- Small, frequently purchased items
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CE Redesign Protocol

Post Wave

Non-monetary Incentive:

Spending Summary Report

Respondent 

engagement 

mailings

Diary Week

& Records Collection

Advance Mailing

Wave 1

Visit 1: Recall Interview

Visit 2: Records Interview

Wave 2

12 months 

between waves

Advance Mailing

Visit 1: Recall Interview

Diary Week

& Records Collection

Visit 2: Records Interview
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Recent Research and Field Tests

 Proof of Concept Test

 Incentives Test

 Questionnaire cognitive testing

 Online diary development and usability 

testing

 Data quality profile
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Upcoming Field Tests 

 Large Scale Feasibility Test

 Online Diaries Implementation Test

 Spending Summary Report Field Test
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CE Symposium 
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Symposium Topics

 Incentives

 Record Use

 Online and Personal Diaries

 Data Quality Efforts
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Symposium Agenda 

 Four sessions on the symposium topics with 

presentations by CE staff and outside 

researchers

 After each session there will be time for 

questions for the panelists

 Short breaks between sessions and a lunch 

break from 11:45 am to 1 pm
Contact Information

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Parvati Krishnamurty

Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys

www.bls.gov/cex

202-691-5727

krishnamurty.parvati@bls.gov