Basic Monthly Survey Methodology and Documentation Page
PART A. THE CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY AND YOU
PART B. CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY CONCEPTS
PART C. THE CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY INSTRUMENT
PART D. THE HOUSING VACANCY SURVEY
APPENDIX 1 EXAMPLES OF INDUSTRY RESPONSES WHICH NEED SPECIAL CARE IN REPORTING
APPENDIX 2 EXAMPLES OF OCCUPATION WHICH NEED SPECIAL CARE IN REPORTING
APPENDIX 3 LIST OF CAPI OUTCOME CODES AND DESCRIPTIONS
APPENDIX 4 LIST OF CATI OUTCOME CODES AND DESCRIPTIONS
ITEMS BOOK LIST OF ALL SCREENS
ALPHABETIC INDEX
ITEMS INDEX
B. DESIGN OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
1.E.1 How the Sample is Designed
1.E.2 How the Sample Works
F. GENERAL LABOR FORCE CLASSIFICATION GROUPS
G. PATHS THROUGH THE INSTRUMENT
2.A.1 How to Introduce the Survey
D. ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLD RESPONDENTS
E. RETAINING RAPPORT WITH RESPONDENTS
F. ANSWERING RESPONDENT QUESTIONS
2.F.1 What is the Survey All About?
2.F.2 Who Uses CPS Information?
2.F.3 Why Was I Selected for This Survey?
2.F.4 How Many Times Will I Be Interviewed?
2.F.5 I Hesitate to Tell Some Things About Myself. What Protection Do I Have?
2.F.6 Is This Survey Authorized by Law?
2.F.7 Why Do You Include Me? I'm Retired?
2.F.8 Respondent Not Affected by the Employment Situation
2.F.9 Respondent Gave Information in Decennial Census
G. THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF THE SURVEY
2.H.1 How to Ask Questions
2.H.2 How to Probe
2.H.3 Importance of Using Neutral Probes
2.H.4 Respondent Replies "I Don't Know"
I. IF YOU CAN'T GET AN INTERVIEW
1.C.1 Business Exclusions
1.G.1 More Than One Employer in Occupations Where Multiple Employers Are Common
1.G.2 More Than One Client
1.G.3 More Than One Contract
1.H.1 Usual Hours
1.H.2 Actual Hours
1.H.3 Full-time and Part-time Hours
1.H.4 Reasons for Part-time Work
D. ACTIVITY PRIOR TO JOB SEARCH or REASONS FOR JOB SEARCH
B. IDENTIFYING DISABLED, UNABLE TO WORK, AND RETIRED
4.C.1 Employer Name
4.C.2 Kind of Business or Industry
4.C.3 Determining if Industry is Manufacturing, Wholesale or Retail
4.D.1 Kind of Work (Occupation)
4.D.2 Usual Activities or Duties
E. DEPENDENT COLLECTION OF INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION DATA
F. COLLECTION OF INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION FOR SECOND JOB
B. EARNINGS CONCEPTS AND PROCEDURES
5.B.1 Amount of Earnings
5.B.2 Hourly Workers
5.B.3 Non-Hourly Workers
5.B.4 Overtime pay, Tips, and Commissions
C. UNION MEMBERSHIP AND COVERAGE CONCEPTS
B. AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF QUESTIONS FOR EACH INTERVIEW
E. USE OF SPECIAL FUNCTION KEYS
F. STARTING THE INTERVIEW PROGRAM
1.F.1 Information in the Case Management Screens
1.F.2 Rotation Number
G. EXITING FROM A PARTIALLY COMPLETED INTERVIEW
H. COMPLETING OF A PARTIAL INTERVIEW
I. EXITING FROM A COMPLETED INTERVIEW
2.B.1 Area Segments
2.B.2 Problem Addresses
2.B.3 Incorrect Addresses
2.B.4 Mailing Address
C. YEAR BUILT (AREA SEGMENTS ONLY)
2.C.1 Built Before or After April 1, 1980
2.C.2 Type A and B Noninterview Units
2.D.1 When Asked
2.D.2 Extra Units
2.D.3 Type B and C
E. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE FRONT SCREENS OF THE INSTRUMENT
3.B.1 Owned or Being Bought
3.B.2 Rented for Cash
3.B.3 Occupied Without Payment of Cash Rent
3.B.4 Special Situations
C. CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING QUARTERS
3.C.1 Classification Problems
3.C.2 Determining if a Unit is a Housing Unit or Other Unit
3.D.1 The preferred order for listing
E. RELATIONSHIP TO REFERENCE PERSON
3.F.1 Use of Non-household Respondents/Proxy Respondents
3.F.2 Families With Two or More Homes
3.F.3 Crew Members of a Vessel
3.F.4 Other
G. VERIFICATION OF HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
3.G.1 Changes in Household Membership from Month to Month
3.G.2 Living and Eating Together
3.G.3 Additional Units
3.G.4 Property
3.I.1 Inclusions and Exclusions
3.I.2 Problem Cases
3.L.1 Period of service
3.L.2 Current Status
3.M.1 Regular schooling
3.M.2 Exclusions from Regular School
3.N.1 Refusals
3.O.1 Coding a Response of "American"
3.O.2 Don't Know Responses for Origin
P. SOCIAL SECURITY OR RAILROAD RETIREMENT NUMBER
3.R.1 "Zero" income
3.R.2 Estimating Income
T. DEMOGRAPHIC EDITS WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT
4.B.1 Business
4.B.2 Work
4.B.3 Multiple Jobs
4.B.4 Usual Hours
4.B.5 Actual Hours
4.B.6 Economic and Non-economic Reasons for Working Part-time
4.B.7 With a Job/Temporarily Absent
4.B.8 Reasons for Being Absent from Work
4.C.1 On Layoff
4.C.2 Looking for Work
4.C.3 Selecting a Job Search Method
4.C.4 Availability to Start a Job
4.C.5 Duration of Looking
4.C.6 Activity Prior to Job Search
4.C.7 Reasons Unavailable for Work
4.D.1 Desire for Work
4.D.2 Main Reason for Not Looking for Work
4.D.3 Other Measures of Labor Market Attachment
4.D.4 Job History
4.D.5 Retired and Main Status
4.E.1 Class of Worker
4.E.2 Further Guidelines Regarding Class-of-Worker Entries
4.E.3 Employer Names
4.E.4 Industry
4.E.5 Manufacturing, Retail or Wholesale
4.E.6 Kind of Work (Occupation)
4.E.7 Usual Cases of Job or Business
4.E.8 Usual Activities or Duties
4.E.9 Dependent Interviewing for Industry and Occupation Referrals
4.E.10 Industry and Occupation Referrals
4.E.11 Items on Number of Paid Employees
F. EARNINGS & UNION MEMBERSHIP
4.F.1 Hourly Workers
4.F.2 Non-Hourly Workers
4.F.3 Union Membership and Coverage Questions
5.B.1 Best Time to Call or Visit
5.B.2 Sunday Interviews
B. EXPLANATION OF TYPE A CODES
6.B.1 No One Home
6.B.2 Temporarily Absent
6.B.3 Refused
6.B.4 Other Occupied
D. EXPLANATION OF TYPE B CODES
6.D.1 Vacant - Regular
6.D.2 Vacant - Storage of Household Furniture
6.D.3 Unfit or to be Demolished
6.D.4 Under Construction, Not Ready
6.D.5 Converted to Temporary Business or Storage
6.D.6 Unoccupied Tent or Trailer Site
6.D.7 Permit Granted Construction Not Started
6.D.8 Other Type B
F. EXPLANATION OF TYPE C CODES
6.F.1 Demolished
6.F.2 House or Trailer Moved
6.F.3 Outside Segment
6.F.4 Converted to Permanent Business or Storage
6.F.5 Merged
6.F.6 Condemned (and Occupied)
6.F.7 Unused Line of Listing Sheet
6.F.8 Other Type C
6.H.1 Year Round
6.H.2 By Migratory Workers
6.H.3 Seasonally
I. WHEN INTENDED FOR OCCUPANCY
6.I.1 Summers Only
6.I.2 Winters Only
6.I.3 Other
Top
A. DETERMINING IF HOUSING UNITS QUALIFY FOR HVS
B. PERSON TO INTERVIEW FOR HVS
C. ITEMS OBTAINED BY TELEPHONE
D. NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS IN STRUCTURE
3.D.1 Example of Structures
3.D.2 Determining the Number Of Housing Units
E. NUMBER OF ROOMS IN THE UNIT
F. NUMBER OF BEDROOMS IN THE UNIT
G. COMPLETE PLUMBING FACILITIES
3.G.1 Hot and Cold Piped Water
3.G.2 A Flush Toilet
3.G.3 A Bathtub or Shower
H. COMPLETE KITCHEN FACILITIES
3.H.1 A Sink with Piped Water
3.H.2 A Range or Cook-stove
3.H.3 A Refrigerator
Figure Name
Number
A1 Intro-b Screen, Beginning the Interview
A2 Frequently Asked Questions
B1 Reasons for Working Part-time B2 Job Search Categories
B3 Reasons for Leaving Last Job
B4 Reasons for Not Looking for Work
B5 Class of Worker Types
B6 ERNPR Screen, Earnings Concepts and
Procedures
B7 ERNOTE Screen, Estimate of Income
B8 ERNRT Screen, Hourly Wage Estimates
C1 TENUR-scrn, Sample of a Data Entry Screen
C2 BMON-scrn, Sample of a Screen Requiring
More Than One Entry
C3 ORIGI-scrn, Sample of a Screen With an
Option List
C4 IO1DT, Sample of a Screen With Fill-in
Items
C5 SSN-scrn, Sample of a Numeric Entry
Screen With Punctuation Filled in Advance
C6 Start Screen, First Screen in Instrument
C7 Shoros-3 Screen, Household Composition
C8 Genintro, Check for Initial Listing
Verification
C9 Introb Screen, Reluctant Respondent
C10 Table-x Screen Extra Units
C11 Nros2bg, Roster Greater Than 16 Persons
Screen
C12 RRP-scrn, Relationship to Reference
Person
C13 VERURE Screen, Usual Residence
C14 Marital Status Codes
C15 AFWHE-scrn, Period of Service
C16 EDUCA-scrn, Educational Attainment
C17 Diagram of Procedures for Recording Race
C18 Diagram of Procedures for Recording
Ethnic Origin, #1
Diagram of Procedures for Recording
Ethnic Origin, #2
C19 CHANGE Screen, Changes in Marital Status
C20 FAMIN-scrn, Family Income
C21 BUS Screen, Business or Farm
C22 WK Screen, Work for Pay or Profit
C23 MJ Screen, More than One Job
C24 HRUSL1 Screen, Usual Hours per Week
C25 HRFTPT Screen, Usually Work 35 or More
Hours
C26 HRRSN3 Screen, Reason Worked <35 Hours
C27 ABS Screen, Have a Job Including a Job
From Which You were Temporarily Absent
C28 ABSRSN Screen, Reason for Being Absent
from Work
C29 ABSPD Screen, Paid for Absence From Work
C30 LAY Screen, On Layoff from a Job
C31 LAYDT Screen, Date to Return to Work from
Layoff
C32 LAYAVL Screen, Available to Return to
Work
C33 LAYDR1 Screen, Duration of Layoff
C34 LK Screen, Looking for Work
C35 LKAVL Screen, Available to Start a Job
C36 LKM1 Screen, Method of Looking for Work
C37 LKPS1 Screen, Other Method of Looking for
Work
C38 LKMORE Screen, Method of Looking for Work
C39 LKDUR1 Screen, Duration of Looking
C40 LKFT Screen, Looking for Full-time Work
C41 LKLL1 Screen, Activity Before Looking for
Work
C42 LKLL2 Screen, Lost or Quit Last Job or
Temporary Job Ended
C43 JHRSN Screen, Reason for Leaving Last Job
C44 DWWNT Screen, Want a Job
C45 DWRSN Screen, Reason Not Looking for Work
C46 DWLK Screen, Looked for Work in Past 12
Months
C47 DWWK Screen, Worked in Past 12 Months
C48 DW4WK Screen, Worked in Past 4 Weeks
C49 DWAVL Screen, Available for Work
C50 IO1INT Screen, Class of Worker
C51 IO1NMP Screen, Name of Company
C52 IO1NMB Screen, Name of Business
C53 IO1NMG Screen, Name of Government Agency
C54 IO1IND Screen, Kind of Business or
Industry
C55 IO1MFG Screen, Business Manufacturing,
Retail or Wholesale
C56 IO1OCC Screen, Occupation/Kind of Work
C57 IO1DT Screen, Usual Activities or Duties
C58 ERNPR Screen, Easiest Way to Report
Earnings
C59 ERNOHE Screen, Estimate of Usual Weekly
Hours
C60 ERNHRT Screen, Hourly Rate of Pay
C61 ERNUOT Screen, Usually Receive Overtime
Pay, Tips, or Commissions
C62 ERNLAB Screen, Member of Labor Union or
Employee Association
C63 ERNCOV Screen, Covered By a Union or
Employee Association Contract
C64 BESTTM-scrn, Best Time to Contact
C65 CATI-EL Screen, Eligibility for CATI
Interviewing
C66 I-NOTES Screen, Case Notes
C67 INTRO-B Screen, Noninterview Option
C68 NONTYP Screen, Type of Noninterview
C69 TYPEA Screen, Type of Type A Noninterview
C70 TYPB Screen, Type of Type B Noninterview
C71 TYPC Screen, Type of Type C Noninterview
C72 SEASON Screen, Seasonal Status of Unit
C73 INTOCC Screen, When Unit Intended for
Occupancy
D1 BCINFO Screen, Information About Person
Contacted for Type B or C
D2 HVSC Screen, Number of Acres
D3 HVSYR Screen, Year Structure Built
D4 HVSNUM Screen, Number of Units in
Structure
D5 HVSRM Screen, Number of Rooms in Unit
D6 HVSBD Screen, Number of Bedrooms in Unit
D7 HVSPLB Screen, Complete Plumbing
Facilities in Unit
D8 HVSKIT Screen, Complete Kitchen
Facilities in Unit
D9 HVSBTH Screen, Number of Bathrooms in
Unit
D10 HVSAC Screen, Air Conditioning in Unit
D11 HVSOCC Screen, Unit Ever Occupied
D12 HVSVAC Screen, Number of Months Unit Has
Been Vacant
D13 HVSSTA Screen, Status of Unit
D14 HVSRNT Screen, Monthly Rent for Unit
D15 HVSUTL Screen, Utilities Paid By Renter
D16 HVSCOM Screen, Commercial Use of Property
D17 HVSPRC Screen, Sales Price of Property
Table Name
Number
B1 Determining Which Activities Are Considered
as Work
B2 Determining Which Activities Are Considered
as a Job
C1 Summary Table For Determining Who is
Included as a Household Member
C2 Determining Active Duty Status
C3 Determining Educational Attainment
C4 Determining What is Counted as Income
C5 Determining Reasons for Not Looking for
Work
C6 Difficult to Code Occupations
C7 Determining If Special Types of Income are
Included as Earnings
D1 HVS, Converting Rent Amount to a Monthly
Rate
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