Testing a Model Directed Mixed Mode Protocol in the RECS Pilot Study
The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a periodic survey of households that collects energy characteristics, energy usage patterns, and household demographics. The survey has been conducted since 1978 with the most recent iteration in 2009. Currently, the RECS is an in person survey using computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for data collection. The sampling design includes labor intensive area probability sampling with listing and rostering of housing units along with the use of address based sampling (ABS) in more recent years in areas that have high coverage of an ABS frame. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) conducted a series of pilot tests to determine the feasibility, cost effectiveness, time efficiency, and response validity of selfadministered modes in the RECS Cities Pilot. The second of these tests, and the subject of this paper, was the RECS Cities Pilot conducted in five localities: Chicago, IL; Jacksonville, FL; San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; and Worcester, MA. The Cities Pilot study implemented two modes of response computer assisted web interviewing (CAWI) and paper and pencil interviewing (PAPI) This paper focuses on an experiment to test the so called "model directed mode protocol." This approach attempts to identify households who do not have internet access and would find it very difficult to respond using the web. These households would (initially) be asked to complete a PAPI questionnaire while other households would be requested to respond by web. The experiment described in this paper was designed to determine whether this approach results in a higher response rate than the CAWI first protocol without reducing the proportion of respondents that complete the questionnaire by web.