Notice2024-28585
Agency Information Collection Proposed 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
December 6, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentEnergy Information Administration
Abstract
EIA invites public comment on the proposed three-year extension, with changes, to the Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research, as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 235 (Friday, December 6, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 235 (Friday, December 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96950-96951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28585]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Proposed Extension
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EIA invites public comment on the proposed three-year
extension, with changes, to the Generic Clearance for Questionnaire
Testing, Evaluation, and Research, as required under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995. 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: EIA must receive all comments on this proposed information
collection no later than February 4, 2025. If you anticipate any
difficulties in submitting your comments by the deadline, contact the
person listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice as soon as
possible.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OMB control number
1905-0186, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b3e323a563d2935181416161e150f083b1e121a551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ce8b878fe3889c80ada1a3a3aba0babd8eaba7afe0a9a1b8">[email protected]</span></a>. Include the OMB control
number listed in the subject line of the message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Pick, EIA Clearance Officer,
at (202) 586-5562.
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 are
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 EIA will continue to use for the coverage by
this clearance are described below.
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 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 they answer 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 personal 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 they review a survey
questionnaire, related materials, or website. The objective of
usability testing is to check that respondents can easily and
intuitively navigate survey questionnaires, related materials, and
websites to submit their data to EIA.
Focus Groups. Focus groups are a qualitative method used early in
questionnaire development to gather
[[Page 96951]]
information about a topic that can later be used to write survey
questions, such as specific terminology, definitions, sensitivity of
topics, organizational processes, and burden associated with reporting.
Information is collected by a moderator using a guided discussion with
small groups of people (e.g., 8-10).
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 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.
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.
(4a) Proposed Changes to Information Collection:
EIA proposes to collect personally identifiable information (PII)
only to the extent necessary to recruit participants for questionnaire
testing, evaluation, and research. This PII would not be retained, with
the exception of information needed to provide renumeration for
participants of questionnaire testing, evaluation, and research and
conduct associated data analysis.
(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;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
$683,700 (7,500 annual burden hours multiplied by $91.16 per hour). EIA
estimates that respondents will have no additional costs associated
with the surveys other than the burden hours and the maintenance of the
information during the normal course of business.
Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency
functions, including whether the information will have a practical
utility; (b) EIA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used, is accurate; (c) EIA can improve the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information it will collect; and (d) EIA can minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b) and 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on December 3, 2024.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods and Research, U.S. Energy
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-28585 Filed 12-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 6, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.