Proposed Changes to Current FLAS Tracking Survey
Recommendation
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Suggested changes/Notes
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Current Wording
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New Wording
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Keep |
Change the single-response question format to a drop-down menu. Increase the number of response categories because the survey will be administered every two years to track a new cohort of FLAS fellow graduates. |
Q.1 In what year did you graduate from the degree program in which you received your fellowship? о 2010 (1) о 2011 (2) о 2012 (3) |
Q.1 In what year did you graduate from the degree program in which you received your fellowship? 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
Delete |
This question can be deleted if a new response category of “1” is added to Q3 (How many FLAS fellowship awards did you receive?). |
Q.2
Have you received more than one FLAS fellowship award? |
[DELETE] |
Modify |
Change the single-response question format to a drop-down menu and add a new response category of "1," which eliminates the need for Q2 (Have you received more than one FLAS fellowship award?). Increase the number of response categories to eliminate the need for Q.4 (Enter the total number of FLAS fellowships you received.). |
Q.3
How many FLAS fellowship awards did you receive? |
Q.2 What is the total number of FLAS fellowship awards that you have received? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+ |
Delete
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This question can be deleted if more response categories are added to Q3 (How many FLAS fellowship awards did you receive?).
|
Q.4 Enter the total number of FLAS fellowships you received. ________________
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[DELETE] |
Keep |
Continue using side-by-side question format and drop-down menus. Continue to distinguish academic year and summer fellowships. Increase the number of response categories because the survey will be administered every two years to track a new cohort of FLAS fellow graduates. List years from earliest to most recent so that order is consistent throughout the survey. |
Q.4a
For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following
questions:
What
year did you receive the FLAS?
|
For
each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions.
Q.3a What year did you receive the FLAS? |
Keep |
Continue using drop-down menu. |
Q.4b For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions: For which language did you receive the FLAS? [List of 81 languages, plus "other."]
|
For
each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions.
Q.3b For which language did you receive the FLAS?
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Keep |
Continue using open-ended response. |
Q.4f If you received a FLAS award for a language other than the ones listed above, please specify the language(s) here. _______________________
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Q.3b1
(If “Other” to Q.3b, otherwise skip to Q.3c) ___________________________
|
Keep |
Continue using drop-down menu. |
Q.4c
For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following
questions:
Where did you use the FLAS?
Domestic institution (1)
|
For
each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions.
Q.4a Where did you use the FLAS?
|
Modify |
Continue using drop-down menu. Note: Some response categories were shortened so that several questions would fit in a side-by-side matrix within the screen. Change “terminal Master's degree, including dual Master's degree” to Master’s degree. Ask respondents to specify the type of advanced professional degree (e.g., MBA, JD, MD) in a follow-up question. |
Q.4d For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions: What degree were you working towards when you received the FLAS? Bachelor's degree (1) Terminal Master's degree, including dual Master's degree (2) Doctorate (3) Other advanced professional degree (4) Certificate (5) Other (6)
|
For
each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions.
Q.4b What degree were you working toward when you received
the FLAS?
|
Add |
Use drop-down menu with several likely choices and an “other” category. |
|
Please specify type of other advanced professional degree. MBA J.D. (Juris Doctor) M.D. (Medical Doctor) D.D. S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) Other
|
Keep |
Keep open-ended response format. |
Q.4g If you were working toward a degree not listed above, please specify the degree here. __________________________ |
Q.4b1
(If “Other” to Q.4b or Q.4c, otherwise skip to Q.4d)
|
Modify |
This question on the current FLAS survey uses a drop-down menu, which only allows a single choice. The instructions say to select more than one discipline if you are enrolled in a dual-Master's degree, but this is not possible with the drop-down menu. Instead, change instructions to say “Select ‘other’ if you have a dual major or are enrolled in a dual-degree program (e.g., joint JD/MBA program),” then ask respondent to list all disciplines in a follow-up question. List each of the majors under humanities and social sciences separately, because a large proportion of FLAS recipients are likely to be in these two categories. Add an "other, specify" response category to capture anything not listed here and to allow respondents who have double majors or are enrolled in joint degree programs to list multiple disciplines. |
Q.4e For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions: In which discipline was the degree? Select more than one only if you were enrolled in a dual-Master's program. Business management/administration (accounting, finance, etc.) (1) Communications (2) Computer and information sciences (3) Education (4) Engineering (5) Humanities (including history, foreign languages and literature, art, film, music, philosophy, and religion) (6) International Studies (7) Journalism (8) Law (9) Life sciences (including health sciences) (10) Mathematics (11) Physical sciences (12) Psychology (13) Public administration (14) Social sciences (including anthropology, area studies, cultural studies, economics, geography, international affairs, linguistics, political science and government, public policy, sociology, urban affairs, and urban planning) (15) Social work (16)
|
For
each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following questions.
Q.4d In which
discipline was the degree that you were working toward? Select
“other” if you have a dual major or are enrolled in a
dual-degree program (e.g., joint JD/MBA
program). Film Mathematics Urban
affairs
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Add |
|
|
Q.4d1
(If “Other” to Q.4d, otherwise skip to Q.5.)
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Modify |
Change single-choice response format to drop-down menu. Use display logic for Q.4d so that this question only appears if the respondent received the FLAS while in graduate school. Specify in instructions that respondent should select “other” if he or she had a double major, then ask respondent to list both disciplines in a follow-up question. List each of the majors under humanities and social sciences separately. Add an "other, specify" response category. |
Q.5
Select the discipline that best describes your undergraduate
degree. |
Q.5
Select the discipline that best describes your undergraduate
degree. If you had a double major, please select “other.”
Film Mathematics Urban
affairs
|
Add |
|
|
Q.4c1
(If “Other” to Q.4c, otherwise skip to Q.5.)
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Modify |
Keep single-choice response. List "or certificates" in the question or respondent may select “no” and skip the questions that follow. |
Q.6 In addition to the degree you pursued during your fellowship, are you enrolled in or have you completed another degree? о Yes (1) о No (2)
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Q.5
In addition to the degree you pursued during your fellowship, are
you enrolled in or have you completed any other degrees or
certificates?
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Add |
Ask respondents about each additional degree earned or in progress, rather than highest degree earned. Use drop-down menu. |
|
Q.6
Number of additional degrees or certificates you have either
completed or are working toward:
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Modify |
Change “terminal Master's degree, including dual Master's degree” to Master’s degree. Ask respondents to specify the type of advanced professional degree (e.g., MBA, JD, MD) in a follow-up question. |
Q.7 What type of additional degree or certificate are you working towards or have you completed? If you are working towards or have completed more than one degree, mark the level for the highest degree. Bachelor's degree (1) Terminal Master's degree, including dual Master's degree (2) Doctorate (3) Other advanced professional degree (e.g., MBA, MPA, JD) (4) Certificate (5) Other (please specify) (6) _____________
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Q.7a
What type of degree is this?
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Add |
Use drop-down menu with several likely choices and an “other” category. |
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Q.7b Please specify type of other advanced professional degree. MBA J.D. (Juris Doctor) M.D. (Medical Doctor) D.D. S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) Other
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This information is provided in Q.7. |
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Q.7a1
(If “Other” to Q.7a or Q.7b, otherwise skip to
Q.7c.)
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Add |
This might be important information to capture separately. |
|
Q.7c
Have you completed this degree or is it in progress?
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Modify |
List humanities and social science majors separately. |
Q.8
What is the primary field of study for this additional degree or
certificate? |
Q.7d
What was the primary field of study for this
degree/certificate? Film Mathematics Urban
affairs |
Add |
Current question needs an "other, specify" response category to capture anything not listed. |
|
Q.7e1
(If “Other” to Q.7e, otherwise skip to Q.8a.)
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Keep |
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Q.9 Does this additional degree or certificate have a foreign language component? Yes (1) No (2) |
Q.7c
Does this degree have a foreign language component? |
Keep |
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Q.10 Does this additional degree or certificate have an international and/or area studies component? Yes (1) No (2) |
Q.7d
Does this degree have an international and/or area studies
component? |
Modify |
Current list of response categories is long and somewhat confusing. Consider using the three exhaustive categories that economists use: employed, unemployed, or out of the workforce. In this case, list choices separately instead of using a drop-down menu so that respondent can compare the definitions before selecting a choice. Important: Check the skip pattern for this question. At present, if a respondent checks "Full-time student, not employed" the survey does not skip over the subsequent questions about current job held (which this respondent would not have). How important is it to gather info on specific categories such as postdocs, students employed in academic work vs. other work, and unpaid interns? Response categories should be mutually exclusive, but some of them overlap. For example, it is possible to be employed for pay, part-time, yet also be a full-time student, employed part-time outside of academic work. |
Q.11
What is your current employment status? Full-time student, employed part-time outside of academic work (5) Postdoctoral fellow (6) Unpaid intern (7) Stay-at-home parent (8) Unemployed (9) Other-please specify (10) _______________________
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Q.9
What is your current employment status? Out of the workforce and not looking for work (e.g., stay-at-home parent, retired, disabled)
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Add |
Current survey asks about current job only. Ask instead about all jobs held, using similar side-by-side question format that asks about all FLAS fellowships received. At present, someone who is currently an unpaid intern, a stay-at-home parent, or unemployed will skip all of the questions about jobs held. For everyone else, the survey will only collect information about current job held and will not capture potentially valuable information about other postgraduate jobs. |
|
Q.10
How many jobs for pay have you held since this FLAS fellowship
ended? Include full- and part-time jobs. Do not include research
or teaching that you did in conjunction with your work toward the
degree supported by this fellowship.
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Modify |
If you ask about the number of years worked at each job held, you can add them to get total number of years employed. |
Q.12
How many years have you been employed since the completion of
your highest degree?
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Q.11a
How many years did you work here?
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Add
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|
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Q.11b
Was this a full-time or part-time job?
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Add
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|
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Q.11c
Is this your current job?
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Modify |
Ask this question about each job held, not just current job. Recommendation is to add more types of job categories that college graduates might hold. It looks like you have already done this. The different categories for teachers and the social scientist category are especially appropriate for this group of respondents. Some of the others may be less so (e.g., farmer/forester/fisherman). Do you still want to exclude consultant and researcher from the choices? |
Q.13
Using the job categories listed below, choose the one that best
describes your current position. (Note: if you are a Consultant
or Researcher, please select the area most relevant to your
consulting or research expertise) о Social Scientist (includes anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology) (20) о Teacher – Pre-college (21) о Teacher/Professor - Postsecondary (22) о Teacher -- Other (e.g., private tutor, dance instructor) (23) о Writers/Editors/Public Relations Specialists/Artists/Entertainers/ Broadcasters (24) о Other Occupation (please specify) (25) __________ |
Q.11d
Which of the following job categories best describes this
job? Business
development Design Engineering Executive Legal Linguistics Management Nonprofit
– Social Services Telecommunications |
Add |
For consistency with DDRA survey |
|
Q.11d (If U.S. Military is selected, otherwise skip to Q.11e.) Please specify branch of the U.S. military. United States Air Force United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Coast Guard |
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This information is collected in Q.13.
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Q.11d3
(If “Other” to Q.11d, otherwise skip to
Q.11e.)
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Modify
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Current list of sectors is long -- consider collapsing to fewer categories. Categories should be mutually exclusive, but some on the current FLAS survey overlap (e.g., public institution of higher education, and state government (including state colleges and universities) are not mutually exclusive categories) Separate U.S. military category from civilian federal government category throughout the survey as you did here.
|
Q.14
Which one of the following best describes your principal
employer?
|
Q.11e
Which of the following sectors best describes this
employer? Other
(skip to Q.11e3)
|
Add |
For consistency with DDRA survey |
|
Q.11e2 (If U.S. Military is selected, otherwise skip to Q.12a) Please specify branch of the U.S. military. United States Air Force United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Coast Guard |
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Current FLAS survey collects this in Q.14.
|
|
Q.11e3
(If “Other” to Q.11e, otherwise skip to
Q.12a.)
|
Add |
This information is not collected in the current FLAS survey if respondent says principal employer is the Federal government. |
|
Q.11e1 Please indicate the agency where you worked when you held this U.S. government job. Executive Branch Agencies Executive
Office of the President (e.g., White House Office, Office of
Management and Budget)
Judiciary Branch (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court, Court of International Trade) Other national security agency Peace
Corps
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|
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Q.11e2
(If “Other federal agency” to Q.11e1, otherwise skip
to Q.12a.)
|
Keep or modify |
Revised FLAS survey skips to next question about type of educational institution each time respondent indicates job category of "Education - Teacher." Different way to get at this information. |
Q.16
Is your current employer an educational institution?
|
|
Modify |
I shortened some of the response categories so that several questions would fit side-by-side on the screen. How important is it to ask about medical school separately? Is it also important to ask about other professional schools (e.g., law school, business school, dental school)? Is it important to include a response category for foreign education institutions? |
Q.17
Is the educational institution where you work a...(mark one
answer)
|
Q.11d1
(If “Education – Teaching” to Q.11d, otherwise
skip to Q.11e.) Elementary
or secondary school or system |
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This information is already collected in Q.17.
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|
Q.11d2
(If “Other” to Q.11d1, otherwise skip to
Q.11e.)
|
Delete |
Recommendation is to drop this question because the final question of the survey asks the respondent to provide the name of the organization and location where he/she is currently working. In addition, this question does not ask if the respondent is working for the Title VI center, only if the respondent is working at one of the universities that has one of the Title VI centers. It is not clear what the purpose of this question is. Is it important to ask instead if the respondent is working at a Title VI center? |
Q.18
If you are working in higher education, please indicate if it is
one of these institutions that has a Title VI center funded by
the Department of Education (e.g., National Resource Center,
Language Resource Center, or Center for International Business
Education). If your institution is not included below, please
provide the name in the space provided below.
|
|
Delete |
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Q.18
(cont.)
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|
Delete |
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Q.18
(cont.)
|
|
Modify |
Recommendation is to ask this about every job held, not just current job. |
Q.19
To what extent is your work in your principal job related to the
field in which you received your degree (the one(s) you were
working on during your FLAS fellowship(s))? Is it...(mark one
answer)
|
Q.12a
How closely was this job related to the field in which you
received your degree (the one(s) you were working on during your
FLAS fellowship(s))?
|
Delete |
Recommendation is to drop this question if you ask about every job held, since it is likely that this information will change for different jobs. Important: If you decide to keep this question, add an "N/A" category. At present, respondent has to mark either yes or no under the "other, please specify" question in order to move forward, even if he or she has nothing to enter here. |
Q.20 Did the following factors influence your decision to work in an area outside the field of your degree (the one you were working on during your FLAS fellowship(s))? (Mark yes or no for each item) Pay, promotion opportunities (1) Working conditions (e.g., hours, equipment, working environment) (2) Job location (3) Change in career or professional interests (4) Family-related reasons (e.g., children, spouse's job moved) (5) Job in field not available (6) Other (please specify) (7) |
[DELETE] |
Modify |
Ask this question about each job held, not just current job. |
Q.21
Is knowledge of a foreign language a requirement or considered a
key asset for your current job?
|
Q.12b
Was knowledge of a foreign language a requirement or considered a
key asset for this job? |
Modify |
Ask this question about each job held, not just current job. |
Q.22
Is your international and/or area studies training a requirement
or considered a key asset for your current job?
|
Q.12c
Was your international and/or area studies training a requirement
or considered a key asset for this job?
|
Modify |
Ask this question about each job held, not just current job. |
Q.23
How often in your current job are you called on to use the
foreign language(s) you studied in your fellowship(s)?
|
Q.12d
When you held this job, how often were you called on to use the
foreign language(s) you studied in your
fellowship(s)? |
Modify |
Ask this question about each job held, not just current job. |
Q.24
How often in your current job are you called on to use the
international and/or area studies training you received during
your fellowship(s)?
|
Q.24
How often in your current job are you called on to use the
international and/or area studies training you received during
your fellowship(s)?
|
Keep |
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Q.25 Please rate, in your own estimation, how the language proficiency and area studies training you gained as a part of the fellowship has affected your career path in the following ways: |
(PLEASE RATE, IN YOUR OWN ESTIMATION, HOW THE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND AREA STUDIES TRAINING YOU GAINED AS PART OF THE FELLOWSHIP HAS AFFECTED YOUR CAREER PATH IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS :)
|
Keep |
|
In
your initial marketability on the job market (1) |
Q.14a
In your initial marketability on the job market |
Keep |
|
In
your professional development/promotion (2) |
Q.14b
In your professional development/promotion
|
Keep |
|
Q.26 Please indicate how likely it is you would have accomplished any of the following if you had not received fellowship support. Without the support of this fellowship, I still would have: |
(HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING WITHOUT FLAS FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT?)
|
Keep |
|
Pursued
my language of study (1) |
Q.15a
Pursued my language of study |
Keep |
|
Achieved
advanced language proficiency (2) |
Q.15b
Achieved advanced language proficiency
|
Keep |
|
Pursued
area and/or international studies (3) |
Q.15c
Pursued area and/or international studies
|
Keep |
|
Graduated
from my degree program (4) |
Q.15d
Graduated from my degree program
|
Keep |
|
Traveled
overseas for a language immersion/study abroad experience
(5) |
Q.15e
Traveled overseas for a language immersion/study abroad
experience
|
Keep |
|
Gone
into the field in which I am currently employed (6) |
Q.15f
Gone into the field in which I am currently employed
|
Keep |
|
Received
my current position (7) |
Q.15g
Received my current position
|
Keep |
|
Received
additional fellowships or awards (8) |
Q.15h
Received additional fellowships or awards
|
Keep |
I moved this earlier in the survey because it fits with the block of questions about post-graduate education outcomes. I added a few more language-related fellowships to the list -- it looks like you have already added them. Recommendation is to move the "not applicable" response category to the top of the list so that respondents don't miss this and skip the question entirely. |
Q.27
If you received additional fellowships or awards after
participating in the fellowship program, please check which of
the following you received:
|
Q.8a
Have you received any additional fellowships or awards after
participating in the FLAS fellowship program? (Please check all
that you received.) о
Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs fellowship
|
|
This information is already collected in Q.27.
|
|
Q.8b
(If “Other” to Q.8a, otherwise skip to Q.9.)
|
|
|
Q.28
Have you ever made use of your foreign language and/or area
studies training by consulting or volunteering for any of the
following? (check all that apply)
|
Q.13
Have you ever made use of your foreign language and/or area
studies training by consulting or volunteering for any of the
following? (Please check all that apply.) Elementary or secondary education Four-year
public or private institution of higher education Domestic
nonprofit organization For-profit
organization International
non-governmental organization Other (skip to Q.13a)
|
|
This information is collected in Q.28.
|
|
Q.13a
(If “Other” to Q.13, otherwise skip to Q.13c.)
|
Add |
For consistency with DDRA |
|
Q.13e (If “U.S. military” to QX, otherwise skip to Q.13c.) Please specify branch of the U.S. military. United States Air Force United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Coast Guard |
|
This information is collected in Q.28.
|
|
Q.13b
(If “Peace Corps service” to Q.13, otherwise skip to
Q.13c.)
|
Modify
|
Recommendation is to delete "if applicable" and use skip pattern so that a separate question only appears if respondent reported in Q.28 that he or she was a consultant or volunteer.
|
Q.28a
If applicable, please describe how you used your foreign language
and/or area studies training as a consultant or
volunteer:
|
Q.13c
Please describe how you used your foreign language and/or area
studies training as a consultant or
volunteer:
|
Modify |
Change "if you have consulted…" to "when you consulted…" and use skip pattern so that this question appears only if the respondent reported in Q.28 that he or she consulted for the U.S. federal government. |
Q.29
If you have consulted for the U.S. federal government, with which
agency or agencies did you work? Select all that apply. |
Q.13d
(If “U.S. Federal government agency” to Q.13,
otherwise skip to Q.14.) Executive Office of the President (e.g., White House Office, Office of Management and Budget) U.S.
Department of Agriculture Judiciary Branch (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court, Court of International Trade) Other
national security agency (e.g., FBI, CIA, DEA, NSA) Other
federal agency (skip to Q.13e) |
|
This information is collected in Q.29.
|
|
Q.13e
(If “Other federal agency” to Q.13d, otherwise skip
to Q.13f.)
|
Modify |
Delete "optional" to increase number of responses. |
Q.30 Optional: Please provide details on your work with this federal agency or agencies.
|
Q.13f
Please provide details about the work you performed for this
federal agency or agencies and how you made use of your foreign
language and/or area studies
training.
|
Keep |
|
Q.31
What is your sex? |
Q.16
What is your gender?
|
Keep |
Use drop-down menu. |
Q.32 In what year were you born? (enter 4-digit birth year; for example: 1976)
|
Q.17
In what year were you born?
|
Keep |
|
Q.33
Are you Hispanic or Latino? |
Q.18
Are you Hispanic or Latino?
|
Keep |
|
Q.34
What is your racial background? (check all that apply) |
Q.19
What is your racial background? (Please check all that
apply.)
|
Keep |
|
Q.34
Did you speak a language other than English at home when you were
growing up? |
Q.20a
Did you speak a language other than English at home when you were
growing up?
|
Keep |
|
Q.35
If yes, what language did you speak at home (if more than one,
select the primary language) |
Q.20b
What language did you speak at home? (If more than one, please
select the primary language.)
|
Add |
Important: Q.35 currently has no place for respondent to specify name of language if he or she marked "other." |
|
Q.20c
(If “Other” to Q.20b, otherwise skip to Q.21.)
|
Delete |
You can cut this question and still obtain this information by comparing Q.35 (What language did you speak at home?) and Q.4b (For each of your FLAS awards, please answer the following question: For which language did you receive the FLAS?) |
Q.36
Is the language you spoke at home the same language that you
studied during your fellowship(s)?
|
[DELETE] |
Modify |
Delete "optional" to increase response rate. |
Q.37 Optional: If your experience with the fellowship program has been beneficial to your career, please explain why and provide specific examples.
|
Q.22
If your experience with the FLAS fellowship program has been
beneficial to your career, please explain how and provide
specific examples.
|
Modify |
Delete "optional" to increase response rate. |
Q.38 Optional: Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
|
Q.21
Is there anything else you would like to tell
us?
|
Modify |
Delete "optional" to increase response rate. |
Q.39 Optional: Please name the organization and geographic location where you currently work or study.
|
(PLEASE PROVIDE THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION WHERE YOU CURRENTLY WORK OR STUDY.)
|
Keep |
Keep as open-ended response. |
Organization (1) __________ |
Q.23a
Organization
|
Modify |
Change from open-ended response to drop-down menu. |
State or territory (if U.S.) (2) __________
|
Q.23b
State or territory (U.S.)
|
Modify |
Change from open-ended response to drop-down menu. Use “location” rather than “country,” since list will include territories. Use official lists published by the U.S. Department of State of Independent States in the World (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm) and Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty (https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/10543.htm).
|
Country (if not U.S.) (3) __________
|
Q.23c
Location (if outside U.S.)
|
|
Information is already collected in open-response to Q.39.
|
|
Q.23c1
(If “Other” to Q.23c, otherwise skip to end of
survey.) |
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
File Title | Avar Consulting, Inc. |
Author | Steven Fink;Avar |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-21 |