2011-5353. Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request; Questionnaire Cognitive Interviewing and Pretesting (NCI)

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2010 (75 FR 79009) and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Proposed Collection: Title: Questionnaire Cognitive Interview and Pretesting. Type of Information Collection Request: Extension. Need and Use of Information Collection: The purpose of the data collection is to conduct cognitive interviews, focus groups, Pilot household interviews, and experimental research in laboratory and field settings, both for applied questionnaire evaluation and more basic research on response errors in surveys. The most common evaluation method is the cognitive interview, in which a questionnaire design specialist interviews a volunteer participant. The interviewer administers the draft survey questions as written, but also probes the participant in depth about interpretations of questions, recall processes used to answer them, and adequacy of response categories to express answers, while noting points of confusion and errors in responding. Interviews are generally conducted in small rounds of 10-15 interviews. When possible, cognitive interviews are conducted in the survey's intended mode of administration. Cognitive interviewing provides useful information on questionnaire performance at minimal cost and respondent burden. Similar methodology has been adopted by other federal agencies, as well as by academic and commercial survey organizations. There are no costs to respondents other than their time. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected Public: Individuals and households, Private Sector (business or other for-profits, not-for-profit institutions) and possibly, State, Local or Tribal Governments. The table below represents the burden over a three-year data collection period, which is a typical request for a generic submission. The estimated total burden hours requested is 3,600 for the three-year clearance period. There are no annualized costs to respondents. The annualized costs to the Federal Government are estimated at $244,000 and include cost of NCI staff to plan, conduct, and analyze outcomes of questionnaire development, contracting for pretesting activities and research, travel costs, and additional materials needed to conduct and recruit participants for the research. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

Type of respondents	Number of respondents	Frequency of responses/ participant	Average hours per response	Burden hours
Physicians, Scientists, and similar Respondents	1,200	1	75/60 (1.25)	1,500.0
Experts in their Field	600	1	75/60 (1.25)	750.0
Administrators/Managers	600	1	75/60 (1.25)	750.0
General Public	1,200	1	30/60 (0.5)	600.0
Total	3,600			3,600.0

Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to the: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory Affairs, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for NIH. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact: Dr. Gordon Willis, PhD., Cognitive Psychologist, Applied Research Program, DCCPS, NCI/NIH, 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7344, EPN 4005, Bethesda, MD 20892 or call non-toll-free number 301-594-6652 or e-mail your request, including your address to: [e-mail].

Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of the date of this publication.

Dated: February 28, 2011.

Vivian Horovitch-Kelley,

NCI Project Clearance Liaison, National Institutes of Health.