W. R. Simmons & Associates, Research, Inc. 



270 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. J-106 



6/56 



Questionnaire Instructions 



for 



NATIONAL CANNED FISH CONSUMPTION SURVEY 



Objectives of the Survey 



The Canned Fish Survey you are about to undertake is being conducted 

 by the VI. R. Simmons organization for the Department of the Interior - 

 Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Government. (If anyone should ques- 

 tion you, you can refer to the Budget Bureau number for this survey, which 

 is #1)2-5607.) You are at liberty to mention the government sponsorship of 

 the survey, if you wish, when introducing yourself to the designated 

 respondent. 



This is the first definitive study of consumers of canned fish and 

 shellfish. The Federal Government and the industry are concerned with 

 expanding the market for canned fish to help solve current problems arising 

 from over-production and other causes. This study has been specifically 

 designed to study the changing tastes and preferences of the American 

 housewife. The data you collect will be of vital importance to the entire 

 industry in coping with the problem of creating new markets. Therefore, 

 we need hardly emphasize the responsibility this places upon you to make 

 every effort to conduct each intervievi in a scientific, accurate con- 

 scientious manner. The problem of surpluses has made sufficient headlines 

 to prove how important it is to our entire national economy. 



General Instructions 



The questionnaire has been worked out very carefully and lends itself 

 beautifully to fast, easily managed interviewing. (The average time per 

 interview seems to run about 15 to 20 minutes.) 



The questionnaire you will be using contains all of the necessary 

 instructions as to \-jhich questions must be asked and the prescribed order 

 in which they must be asked. This instruction sheet is designed to sup- 

 plement these directions and provide definitions of certain technical terms 

 and additional explanations where needed. 



Familiarizing yourself with the instructions before you go into the 

 field will enable you to concentrate on recording the respondent's answers, 

 rather than the mechanics of handling the questionnaire. 



Our contract with the client demands that we do a very thorough post- 

 card check to verify the fact that interviewers called at each prescribed 

 household. Please check to see that the address you give on the top of 

 the questionnaire is the correct mailing address for the household. We 

 have been very proud of our record thus far. Unfortunately, there have 

 been one or two interviewers who have attempted to "cut corners" on a 

 recent survey. The post card check plus several other safeguards available 

 to us brought these irregularities to light within a very few days. 



"Sheet //" refers to the page number on the assignment sheet on which 

 this household falls. "Line #" refers to the actual printed line number 

 at the extreme left of the line on which this household falls. 



The 1st call and 2nd call box has been provided for you to record 

 the date and results of each call you make at this household. (This data 

 is also to be filled in on a blank questionnaire for not-at-homes and 

 refusals.) 



The little numbers scattered about to the right of most recording 

 spaces is for coding purposes only. You may ignore these completely 

 when working with the questionnaire. 



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