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Factors to consider for web-based 

collection of time diary data in the 

ATUS

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Rose A. Woods

Economist

American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

July 16, 2019
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Why is ATUS considering web-based data 

collection?

 Response to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) is falling

 Tight budgets

 Might the addition of an online collection mode boost survey 

response and reduce costs?

 Concerns

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Outline

 Brief overview of the ATUS

 Research

 General concerns

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ATUS Overview
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ATUS Interview

 15- to 20-minute CATI interview

 Household composition, labor force questions are asked

 Time-use diary is collected

What did you do yesterday?

Where were you while you were ______?

Who was in the room with you while you were _______?

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ATUS Interview
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ATUS Interview

 Additional questions after time diary

Summary questions to clearly identify work, income-generating, 

and volunteer activities

Secondary childcare

Eldercare

 Modules on special topics

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ATUS Interview

Were there any activities that you were paid for or will be paid for?
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17 Major activity categories of the ATUS 

lexicon

Personal Care

Household activities

Caring for and helping household members

Caring for and helping nonhousehold members

Work and work-related activities

Education

Consumer purchases

Professional and personal care services

Household services

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17 Major activity categories of the ATUS 

lexicon

Government services and civic obligations

Eating and drinking

Socializing, relaxing, and leisure

Sports, exercise, and recreation

Religious and spiritual activities

Volunteer activities

Telephone calls

Traveling

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ATUS Products

 Data series

 Tables

 Public use 

data files and 

documentation

 News releases

 Data series

 Tables

 Public use 

data files and 

documentation

 News releases

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Web collection
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Westat study

 Research Question: Should ATUS move from CATI to selfadministered web and CATI mixed-mode data collection?

What would the effect be on response rates?

What would the effect be on measurement error?

Would the data be comparable between modes?

 Literature review

 Design Proposal

 Comparability report

 Mock-up of an instrument for collecting time diary info via 

the web

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Literature review

Little research on web-collected diaries

Many of the studies they identified:

Are pilot studies

Are mixed-mode

Use light diaries 

Use incentives

 Time-use data collected online is of similar 

quality to data collected by phone and 

paper

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Literature review

Literature on web collection

Online surveys achieve lower response than other modes

Web has higher breakoff rates than CATI, especially for complex 

surveys

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Survey design proposal

 Allocation of sample to mode

 Contact procedures

 Diary design

Survey questions and layout

Summary of diary day

Other summary questions

Probes/data quality checks

Changes to activity classification

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Survey design proposal– allocation of sample 

to the mode
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Survey design proposal - layout
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Survey design proposal – summary of the day
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Survey design proposal – summary questions
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Survey design proposal – probing & activity 

classification

Probing

Follow-ups can be asked in two locations

–As the respondent completes the diary

–On the summary screen

Changes to activity classification

Drop boxes or search fields can be used

Analyzed data to identify most prevalent activities
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Research question: How much detail to 

collect in a Web diary?

 Collect activities as open-ended responses?

 Ask respondents to identify their activities from a list?

 Continue to ask “Who?” and “Where?” for activities?

 Continue to ask about secondary childcare?

 Include clarifying probes within the diary?

 To minimize breakoffs, we need to reduce the complexity 

of the diary

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How might ATUS be impacted?

 ATUS products: Negative impact

Potential breaks in thousands of data series

Potential loss in comparability within a given year and compared 

to previous years

Less data for research

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Final thoughts

 Current situation

Declining response rates

Increasing costs

 Future is online data collection

Web-based

Mobile apps

 Transition

Understand limitations & possibilities

Identify priorities
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Rose A. Woods

American Time Use Survey

www.bls.gov/tus

woods.rose@bls.gov

Contact Information