[Federal Register: June 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 122)]
[Notices]
[Page 37866-37867]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jn03-88]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), and as part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this information collection.
DATES: Written comments should be received by August 25, 2003 to be
assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the information collection and
requests for copies of the proposed information collection request
should be addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer,
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 295, Arlington, VA
22230, or by e-mail to splimpto@nsf,gov.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne Plimpton, the
NSF Reports Clearance Officer, phone (703) 292-7556, or send e-mail to
splimptod@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance of the Science Resources Statistics Survey
Improvement Projects.
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0174.
Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 2003.
Abstract. Generic Clearance of the Science Resources Statistics
Survey Improvement Projects. The National Science Foundation's (NSF)
Division of Science Resources Statistics (SRS) needs
[[Page 37867]]
to collect timely data on constant changes in the science and
technology sector and to provide the most complete and accurate
information possible to policy makers in Congress and throughout
government and academia. NSF/SRS conducts many surveys to obtain the
data for these purposes. The Generic Clearance will be used to ensure
that the highest quality data is obtained from these surveys. State-of-
the-art methodology will be used to develop evaluate, and test
questionnaires as well as to improve survey methodology. This may
include field or pilot tests of questions for future large-scale
surveys, as needed.
Expected Respondents. The respondents will be from industry,
academia, nonprofit organizations, members of the public, and Federal
agencies. Respondents will be either individuals or institutions,
depending upon the survey under investigation. Qualitative procedures
will generally be conducted in person, but quantitative procedures may
be conducted using the same mode as the survey under investigation. Up
to 8,020 respondents will be contacted across all survey improvement
projects. No respondent will be contacted more than twice in one year
under this generic clearance. Every effort will be made to use
technology to limit the burden on respondents from small entities.
Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to improve
NSF's current data collection instruments and processes and to reduce
respondent burden, as well as to develop new surveys. Qualitative
methods include, but are not limited to, expert review; exploratory,
cognitive, and usability interviews; focus groups; and respondent
debriefings. Cognitive and usability interviews may include the use of
scenarios, paraphrasing, card sorts, vignette classifications, and
rating tasks. Quantitative methods include, but are not limited to,
behavior coding, split panel tests, and field tests.
Information being collected is not considered sensitive. In
general, assurances of data confidentiality will not be provided to
respondents in the pretests. Instead, respondents have the option of
requesting that any and all data they provide be kept confidential.
Use of the Information. The purpose of these studies is to use the
latest and most appropriate methodology to improve NSF surveys. The
data will be used internally to improve NSF surveys. Methodological
findings may be presented externally in technical papers at
conferences, published in the proceedings of conferences, or in
journals. Improved NSF surveys will help policy makers in decisions on
research and development funding, graduate education, scientific and
technical workforce, regulations, and reporting guidelines, as well as
contributing to reduced survey costs.
Burden on the Public. NSF estimates that a total reporting and
recordkeeping burden of 11,200 hours will result from pretesting to
improve its surveys. The calculation is:
Table 1.--Anticipated Surveys To Undertake Improvement Projects, Along
With the Number of Respondents and Burden Hours Per Survey
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Number of
Survey name respondents Hours
\1\
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Graduate Student Survey................. 500 1,500
Sestat Surveys.......................... 5,000 5,000
New Postdoc Survey...................... 800 1,000
New and Redesigned R&D Surveys:
Academic R&D........................ 600 600
Government R&D...................... 50 50
Nonprofit R&D....................... 200 100
Industry R&D........................ 500 1,000
Survey of Scientific & Engineering 300 150
Facilities.............................
Instrumentation......................... 150 300
Public Understanding of S&E Surveys..... 200 50
Scientific Publications................. 120 250
Additional surveys not specified........ 400 1,200
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Total............................... 8,820 11,200
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\1\ Number of respondents listed for any individual survey may represent
several methodological improvement projects.
Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: June 19, 2003.
Suzanne Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 03-15966 Filed 6-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M