Notice2022-00736
Agency Information Collection Extension
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 18, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentEnergy Information Administration
Abstract
EIA submitted an information collection request for extension as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with changes of its Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research, OMB Control Number 1905-0186. EIA-882T, Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research, provides EIA with the authority to utilize qualitative and quantitative methodologies to pretest questionnaires and validate the quality of data collected on EIA's surveys. EIA uses EIA-882T to meet its obligation to publish, and otherwise make available independent, high-quality statistical data to federal government agencies, state and local governments, the energy industry, researchers, and the general public.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2602-2603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00736]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Extension
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EIA submitted an information collection request for extension
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information
collection requests a three-year extension with changes of its Generic
Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research, OMB
Control Number 1905-0186. EIA-882T, Generic Clearance for Questionnaire
Testing, Evaluation, and Research, provides EIA with the authority to
utilize qualitative and quantitative methodologies to pretest
questionnaires and validate the quality of data collected on EIA's
surveys. EIA uses EIA-882T to meet its obligation to publish, and
otherwise make available independent, high-quality statistical data to
federal government agencies, state and local governments, the energy
industry, researchers, and the general public.
DATES: Comments on this information collection must be received no
later than February 17, 2022. Written comments and recommendations for
the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of
publication of this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find
this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under
30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search
function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you need additional information,
contact Gerson Morales, U.S. Energy Information Administration,
telephone (202) 586-7077, or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#34735146475b5a1a795b465558514774515d551a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91d6f4e3e2feffbfdcfee3f0fdf4e2d1f4f8f0bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request
contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1905-0186;
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Generic Clearance for
Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research;
(3) Type of Request: Three-year extension with changes;
(4) Purpose: The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is
requesting a three-year approval from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) to utilize qualitative and quantitative methodologies to
pretest questionnaires and validate the quality of the data that is
collected on EIA and DOE survey forms. Through the use of these
methodologies, EIA will conduct research studies to improve the quality
of energy data being collected, reduce or minimize survey respondent
burden, and increase agency efficiency. This authority would also allow
EIA to improve data collection in order to meet the needs of EIA's
customers while also staying current in the evolving nature of the
energy industry.
The specific methods proposed for the coverage by this clearance
are described below. Also outlined is the legal authority for these
voluntary information gathering activities.
The following methods are proposed:
Pilot Surveys. Pilot surveys conducted under this clearance will
generally be methodological studies, and will always employ
statistically representative samples. The pilot surveys will replicate
all components of the methodological design, sampling procedures (where
possible), and questionnaires of the full scale survey. Pilot surveys
will normally be utilized when EIA undertakes a complete redesign of a
particular data collection methodology or when EIA undertakes data
collection in new energy areas, such as HGL production, alternative
fueled motor vehicles, and other emerging areas of the energy sector
where data collection would provide utility to EIA.
Cognitive Interviews. Cognitive interviews are typically one-on-one
interviews in which the respondent is usually asked to ``think aloud''
or is asked ``retrospective questions'' as he or she answers questions,
reads survey materials, defines terminology, or completes other
activities as part of a typical survey process. A number of different
techniques may be involved including, asking respondents what specific
words or phrases mean or asking respondents probing questions to
determine how they estimate, calculate, or determine specific data
elements on a survey. The objectives of these cognitive interviews are
to identify problems of ambiguity or misunderstanding, examine the
process that respondents follow for reporting information, assess
survey respondents' ability to report new information, or identify
other difficulties respondents have answering survey questions in order
to reduce measurement error from estimates based on a survey.
Respondent Debriefings. Respondent debriefings conducted under this
clearance will generally be methodological or cognitive research
studies. The debriefing form is administered after a respondent
completes a questionnaire either in paper format, electronically, or
through in-person interviews. The debriefings contain probing questions
to determine how respondents interpret the survey questions, how much
time and effort was spent completing the questionnaire, and whether
they have problems in completing the survey/questionnaire. Respondent
debriefings also are useful in determining potential issues with data
quality and in estimating respondent burden.
Usability Testing. Usability tests are similar to cognitive
interviews in which a respondent is typically asked to ``think aloud''
or asked ``retrospective questions'' as he or she reviews an electronic
questionnaire, website, visual aid, or hard copy survey form. The
objective of usability testing is to check that respondents can easily
and intuitively navigate electronic survey collection programs,
websites, and other survey instruments to submit their data to EIA.
Focus Groups. Focus groups, in person, online, or by phone, involve
group sessions guided by a moderator who follows a topic guide
containing questions or subjects focused on a particular issue rather
than adhering to a standardized cognitive interview protocol. Focus
groups are useful for exploring issues concerning the design of a form
and the meaning of terms from a specific group of respondents, data
users, or other stakeholders of EIA data. Focus groups may also be used
to explore respondents' general opinions about data collection
technologies or survey materials other than questionnaires.
(4a) Changes to Information Collection: EIA proposes to add several
other methodologies or techniques to improve survey design, pretest
questionnaires and validate the quality of the data that is collected
on EIA and DOE survey forms.
Field Techniques. Field techniques described in survey research and
survey methodology literature will be employed as appropriate. These
include follow-up probing, memory cue tasks, paraphrasing, confidence
rating, response latency measurements, free
[[Page 2603]]
and dimensional sort classification tasks, and vignette
classifications. The objective of all of these techniques is to aid in
the development of surveys that work with respondents' thought
processes, thus reducing response error and burden. These techniques
have also proven useful for studying and revising pre-existing
questionnaires.
Behavior Coding. Behavior coding is a quantitative technique in
which a standard set of codes is systematically applied to respondent/
interviewer interactions in interviewer-administered surveys or
respondent/questionnaire interactions in self-administered surveys. The
advantage of this technique is that it can identify and quantify
problems with the wording or ordering of questions, but the
disadvantage is that it does not necessarily illuminate the underlying
causes.
Split Panel Test. Split panel tests refer to controlled
experimental testing of alternative hypotheses. Thus, they allow one to
choose from among competing questions, questionnaires, definitions,
error messages or survey improvement methodologies with greater
confidence than any of the other methods. Split panel tests conducted
during the fielding of the survey are superior in that they can support
both internal validity (controlled comparisons of the variable(s) under
investigation) and external validity (represent the population under
study). Most of the previously mentioned survey improvement methods can
be strengthened when teamed with this method.
Research reports, research publications, peer-reviewed journal
articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers:
From the collected data, EIA will have the ability to write research
papers, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-
reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers. Summarized
results may be released or discussed as experimental research in the
types of publications. However, the information collected from these
methodologies will not be released as official statistics and will
explicitly note the experimental nature of the information.
Professional conferences: EIA may present data collected from this
research at various professional conferences. Professional conferences
provide great opportunities to communicate EIA's research to the
broader energy, statistical and survey methodology communities and get
feedback on completed research. This will help innovate not only EIA's
research and survey practices, but also that of these broader
communities.
Audio and Video Recordings: For qualitative interviews, EIA will
ask potential respondents if they would be willing to be audio or video
recorded. If potential respondents agree, EIA will provide them with an
informed consent form, which respondents will sign to signify
compliance. A copy of the signed consent will be given to the potential
respondents and kept on file at EIA. Audio or video recording will only
be used for data analysis, and only those researchers at EIA that are
involved in the research will have access to these recordings. If
potential respondents are not willing to be audio/video recorded,
interviewer will bypass recording and take notes.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,500;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 7,500;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 7,500.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b), 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 11, 2022.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods and Research, U.S. Energy
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-00736 Filed 1-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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