CENSUS INTERVIEWER

TRAINING GUIDE

MEASURE Evaluation
U.S. Census Bureau
 Census Interviewer
Training Guide

SAVVY
Sample Vital Registration with Verbal Autopsy

This manual was made possible by support from the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) under the terms of Cooperative Agreement GPO-A-00-03-00003-00 and from the Office of the
Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of USAID, OGAC, or the United States government.

August 2007 MS-07-26-CI-TG

Acknowledgments
This guide is one of a series of instructional materials for the Sample Vital Registration with Verbal
Autopsy (SAVVY) system prepared by the International Programs Center, Population Division, U.S.
Census Bureau, Washington, DC; and MEASURE Evaluation project, based at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
This guide was written by Rebecca Hoffman of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Series editors: Philip Setel, Victoria Velkoff, and Loraine West.
The author wishes to express appreciation for review and comment by numerous colleagues, including
Sarah Osborne and Manisha Sengupta of the U.S. Census Bureau. Copy editing and layout were handled
by Nash Herndon of MEASURE Evaluation.

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Table of Contents

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TRAINER 5

Study the Training Materials in Advance of the Session 5
Live Practice 5
Classroom Preparation 6
Prepare the Training Room for the Training Session 7
How to Use a Training Guide 7
Classroom Training Techniques 8
Guidelines for Calling on Trainees 10
Using the List of Trainees 10
Training Materials 11

TRAINING OUTLINE (BEGINNING OF CLASSROOM TRAINING) 13

Chapter 1 — What is SAVVY? 13
Chapter 2 — Responsibilities of the SAVVY Census Interviewer 14
Interview Example 14

TRAVELING WITHIN YOUR ASSIGNMENT AREA (CHAPTER 3) 19

Workbook Exercises 19
Exercise 2 in the Interviewer Workbook 21
Exercise 3 in the Interviewer Workbook 23

READING AND UPDATING YOUR AA MAP (CHAPTER 4) 25

Figure 4 Exercise — Abbotsville 26

COMPLETING THE ADDRESS LISTING BOOK (CHAPTER 5) 31

CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AT OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS (CHAPTER 6) 33

A Locked Door or Gate 33

COMPLETING THE SAVVY CENSUS HOUSEHOLD QUESTIONNAIRE (CHAPTER 7) 35

INTERVIEW INSTRUCTIONS (CHAPTER 8) 37

Training Exercise 37

UNUSUAL SITUATIONS (CHAPTER 9) 39

GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND APPENDICES 41

Glossary of Terms 41
Appendix A: List/Interview Reporting Sheet 41
Appendix B: Who’s Counted Quick Reference Guide 41

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 Appendix C: Map and Address Listing Book Abbreviations 41
Appendix D: Map Sketch Sheet 42
Appendix E: Household Return Visit Form 42
Appendix F: SAVVY System Information Letter 42
Appendix G: Historical Calendar Example 42
Appendix H: Census Address Listing Book (Cover and Sample Page) 42

FINAL PRACTICE SESSIONS 43

Live Interview at a Nearby Neighborhood 43

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INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TRAINER

This training guide will help you teach all the skills necessary for a person to become a trainer
for the SAmple Vital Registration with Verbal AutopsY (SAVVY) census. In addition, there are
some guidelines provided in this manual that you should follow to help the training progress
smoothly.
The key to an effective training session is preparation. If you are prepared in advance, your
confidence will be apparent to the trainees. No amount of classroom technique or speaking skill
can overcome the handicap of not knowing your subject matter.
Always treat your trainees with respect and courtesy. Remember, they will be working for you.

Study the Training Materials in Advance of the Session

Read and study all the training materials well in advance of the session, including this training
guide, the SAVVY Census Interviewer’s Manual, the SAVVY Census Supervisor’s Manual, the
SAVVY Field Office Manager’s Manual, and all materials that will be used in the training
session. Do not be concerned about your presentation during your initial reading of these
materials; concentrate instead on understanding the concepts and operations that are covered. If
you do not understand a particular part, reread the portion that covers that part or search for
added information in the manuals. If necessary, ask your census supervisor coordinator (CSC)
for assistance. Be certain that you understand every phase of the interviewer’s job before training
begins.

Live Practice
Read all the materials several days before the training begins, including this training guide. At
this point, read portions of the materials aloud, following the schedule in the training guide, and
begin to concentrate on your presentation and the types of questions the trainees are likely to ask.
You may find it useful to make notations and marks in the Census Interviewer’s Manual to help
you during the actual training.
If possible, conduct a small dry run presentation on your own. A dry run is a practice
presentation in front of a mirror or a small group of friends, with a clock. The dry run gives you a
chance both to find out if you are speaking loudly and clearly, and to assess how long it takes
you to cover certain parts of the training. This will also give you a chance to practice referring to
the interviewer materials as you speak. Using the materials during this live practice will keep you
from stumbling during the training. It is embarrassing and time consuming for you to have to
interrupt training to find a page or form. It is even worse when you do not know which form to
use and when to use it.
It is important to try and think about possible questions that may be asked during training and try
to prepare for them in advance as much as possible by noting important sections in your
materials and knowing the topics covered. However, there will always be some questions that are
unexpected. In these situations, your answers must be the same as every other supervisor in the

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country. In order to ensure that your answers are consistent, you should contact your CSC with
any unusual or difficult questions that you receive during training so that they can share the
answers with all the other supervisors conducting training sessions.
Classroom Preparation
Preparing the classroom for training is as important as preparing yourself to conduct the training.
Locate and inspect a training site.
If a training site has been selected for you — If a site has already been selected, do the following:
² Meet with the person in charge of the training site.
² Confirm the earlier agreement.
² Verify that the space will be available and ready on the days you need it.
² Inspect the space to make sure it meets the basic requirements for the training site.
(See the list below on this page, “A training site should meet the following
requirements.”)
² Notify your CSC when you are satisfied with the site and have confirmed the earlier
arrangements. Discuss any problems with your CSC.
If a training site has not already been selected for you — If a site has not been selected, visit
potential sites until you locate one with adequate space that is available during the scheduled
training. Use the following suggestions as potential sites:
² schools, including colleges or vocational training centers
² churches, synagogues, or mosques
² community or recreation centers
² clubs or lodge meeting halls
² libraries
² post offices
² military centers
² other government offices
A training site should meet the following requirements. It should be:
² rent-free (if free space is not available, DO NOT make a commitment to rent
training space, contact your CSC for help);
² quiet and free of distractions;
² large enough to accommodate all of your trainees, but not too large;
² equipped with sufficient desk or table space, and seating for all the trainees;
² well ventilated, as weather requires;
² have some type of restroom facilities, either on-site or nearby and available
for use during training;
² have eating facilities nearby, or you must tell trainees to bring a lunch; and

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 ² centrally located, to limit travel by all trainees.

Once the training site is set and your trainees have been selected, you will receive notification
from your CSC with such information as each trainee’s name and contact information. You
should keep a copy of this information or copy the information into a notebook to use for
attendance during the training session. If it has not already been done, notify your trainees of the
date, time, and place of training.

Prepare the Training Room for the Training Session

Arrange the seats and tables so that each trainee can easily see and hear you and see any
materials that you’ll be using during training. Provide enough space so that each trainee has
room to spread out his/her training materials or take notes.
A list of materials needed both by you and your trainees can be found near the end of this
chapter. Several days before the training session, make sure you have all the needed materials.
Before trainees arrive on the first day of training:
² Leave an interviewer’s manual at each trainee’s place, along with a notebook and pen
or pencil.
² See that lighting and ventilation are adequate.
² Check the locations of water fountains, rest rooms, and lunch facilities.
If available, name cards are very useful for yourself and each trainee, especially the first few
days of training. At the first training session, have each trainee write his or her name on a name
card using a black marker. Once everyone has taken a seat, make a quick seating chart for your
own reference. The seating chart will help you to call on trainees during training and help you
remember their names. Ask the class to keep their seats for the rest of the training session.
Do not allow trainees to smoke or eat in the training room during training sessions. Request that
all cell phones be turned off during training. Advise trainees of the time and duration of training
breaks and the location of nearby bathrooms and dining facilities, and any necessary emergency
procedures.

How to Use a Training Guide

Why we use training guides —Training guides are used for the following reasons:
² Training guides ensure uniform training. If all trainers use the same training
materials, then all trainees receive the same training. All trainees need to receive the
same instructions so they will perform their duties in the same manner.
² Training guides control the cost and time of training. The length of time for training
is limited, and having a training guide helps trainers to emphasize the most important
topics during the set training period. You should make every effort to keep to the
training schedule provided. Uniform training keeps the costs of training within the
budget.

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 ² Most supervisors do not have the time or resources to design and prepare a training
program. The training guide frees the supervisor from the burden of preparing his or
her own training program, allowing him or her to concentrate on working with the
trainees.

Classroom Training Techniques

Keep training upbeat — This training guide will instruct you in which topics you should cover
and in what order during training. However, merely reading a manual or form aloud does not
make for an effective training session. The trainer must keep the session upbeat. Only you, the
trainer, can make the session effective. You must watch for signs that reflect how well the
trainees are learning and how well you are holding their attention. Signs to watch for include
trainees’ classroom participation, their answers to your questions, and their own questions to
you.
If trainees show signs of boredom or fatigue, take a short break, ask questions, or find other ways
to keep trainees involved in the training session.
Techniques to use — If you follow the training techniques listed below, you’ll be able to manage
the attention of the class and guide the trainees through an effective learning experience:
Study this guide. Be able to deliver training efficiently and accurately. Know the
materials so well that when trainees ask questions that will be covered later in the
training, you can tell them so and move on without taking time to answer a question that
will be covered later.
Know the other training materials. Have copies of the manuals and materials referenced
in this training guide available for your reference and put them in order so that they are
easy to locate.
Stand up when you conduct training. In doing so, you will gain in two ways. First, you
will have better control of the class, because you can see each trainee and the signals of
frustration (hearing difficulty, doubt, or other problem) that a trainee’s face may reflect.
Second, your voice will carry better with less effort on your part.
Maintain eye contact with your trainees. Look up from your reading whenever you reach
the end of an important topic and at the end of each paragraph. Look at the trainees’
expressions. If someone looks confused or troubled, stop to ask if anyone has a question.
Make a mental note to watch persons who look confused during exercises to see if their
performance during the exercises demonstrates an understanding of the material. As you
gain experience, you will master keeping eye contact while reading. When you look up,
be sure to keep your place by using your finger or a pencil to point at where you left off.
Guard against distracting habits. These include jingling coins, twirling a pencil, etc. You
do not need to remain completely still, but remember that you want your trainees to pay
attention to what you are saying, not what you are doing.
Speak clearly and convincingly. Make sure everyone in the room can hear you without
difficulty. Read at a normal rate of speed. Reading too quickly or slowly will lose the
attention of the class.

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Vary your tone of voice. If your tone of voice is too level, trainees will have a hard time
staying focused on what you are saying. Identify the key words in each sentence and try
to emphasize them when reading. For example, in the following sentence:
Keep your Census Interviewer’s Manual with you at all times when working in the
field.
The words in boldface could be emphasized to underline the meaning of the sentence:
Keep your Census Interviewer’s Manual with you at all times, when working in
the field.
If you don’t know an answer, admit it. Do not fumble around for an answer or, still
worse, give the wrong one. Never guess. Look up the answer with the help of the class. If
the question is not covered in your materials, tell the class that you will give them the
answer after you speak to your CSC. Then be sure that you do.
Use practice exercises effectively. It is important to complete all exercises in training.
Trainees will learn best if they are able to practice what they have learned. Practice
interviews are a crucial part of many training sessions. During most practice interviews,
you will play the role of the respondent. Read the responses as if you are being
interviewed by the trainee. If the trainee is required to probe, or ask questions in order to
clarify answers, make sure that he or she does. If a trainee does not ask a question
properly, ask him or her to repeat it. If there is an answer key to a practice interview
provided, go over it with the class. This will help you to determine which trainees are not
properly marking the questionnaire. Learning takes place through practice. If the trainees
learn poor interviewing techniques and are not corrected during practice exercises, they’ll
continue this poor technique into their actual work. Be sure to correct trainees’ errors in
the classroom so they won’t commit errors in the field.
Read the manual exactly as it is written. Do not omit anything unless you are instructed
to do so by your CSC. This ensures that all trainees throughout the country will receive
the same training.
Limit discussions. Class participation is a key to effective training, but it must be used
wisely. Do not let the trainees’ eagerness throw the session too far off schedule. The
following techniques will help you to control the class without destroying the trainees’
willingness to participate in class discussions:
² If a trainee asks a question about a point covered later in the guide, tell him or
her to hold the question since you will be covering it later. Sometimes you
should ask the trainee to make a note and hold a question even if you don’t
know if it’s covered later. If the question is not covered, go back to it at the
end of training and try to find the answer in the training materials or get the
answer from your CSC.
² If a discussion gets out of hand, interrupt the discussion. Tell the trainees that
you must end the discussion because there is still a lot of material to cover and
continue with the guide. If a trainee persists in pursuing a point, ask him or
her to see you during a break, lunch, or after class. Remember that you are
working on a schedule. You must make every effort to complete the training
in the time allotted.

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 Do not call on the eager trainees all the time. Try to bring your more reserved trainees
into discussions, to see if they are following the material. Some people do not speak in
class because they are shy, while others may not speak up because they do not understand
the material. It is your job to try and draw out those who do not understand so that you
can clarify the topics that are confusing them.
Encourage the trainees to learn. Acknowledge incorrect answers by being tactful. Do not
embarrass a trainee, but try to lead him or her to the correct answer. Repeat whatever part
of the answer is correct to be supportive and try to rephrase the question to give hints.
Sometimes, calling directly on a person who looks confused may cause them
embarrassment and they may deny that there is any problem. It is often better to try and
speak to trainees individually during breaks or during exercises.

Guidelines for Calling on Trainees

It can be very difficult for people to stay focused when sitting in a room and listening to one
person for several hours. This type of instruction-only exchange also does not allow the trainer to
gauge whether the trainees are following the instruction or understanding the material presented.
In order to keep the trainees’ attention and reinforce the instruction, it is recommended that you
call on trainees and ask a question related to each topic after it has been presented. Be sure to call
on trainees by name and try not to call on the same trainees. Often a trainee will not speak up if
he or she does not understand a topic, for fear of ridicule. Therefore, try to call on each trainee
during the training.
Use the “APC” method of asking questions: Ask, Pause, Call. Ask a question; pause while all
the trainees think about the answer; then call on a trainee by name to give his or her answer.
Always acknowledge a correct answer by saying something positive such as, “right,” “good,” or
“okay,” etc. If an answer is more than a few words long or is complicated, repeat the correct
answer, referencing your materials, after you acknowledge the answer given by the trainee.
If the trainee does not answer correctly, try to lead the trainee to the correct answer by re-asking
the question, by asking additional questions, or by referring the trainee to the manual or training
materials. Never embarrass him or her by simply saying, “You’re wrong.”
Remember that the trainees may not always answer exactly as worded in the manual, but the
answer should contain the most important information. An answer worded slightly differently
than the manual’s wording is not incorrect, and you should encourage trainees not to resort to
reading answers directly from the manual. Having trainees express concepts in the manual in
their own words increases their understanding.

Using the List of Trainees

Use the list of trainees provided by your office during and after class. Use the list of trainees as
an attendance sheet during class. Mark the list to indicate which trainees did and did not attend
the training each day.
If a trainee is no longer interested in the job, print, “will not attend” next to the name of that
trainee, including any reason given for the trainee’s departure, and notify your CSC. Your CSC

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may be able to have a replacement trainee hired in time for training. If a replacement trainee is
selected at the beginning of training, add the name of the replacement trainee to the bottom of
your list.
At the end of training, forward to your CSC the list of trainees and attendance record, along with
what assignment area was given to each trainee and who their supervisor is.
Training Materials
You must obtain all training and supply items listed on these pages for you and your trainees.
You will coordinate this with your CSC.
Materials provided to trainers PRIOR TO FIRST TRAINING include:
² SAVVY Census Interviewer’s Manual for each trainee (bring your copy with you to
every training session for reference)
² SAVVY Census Interviewer’s Workbook for each trainee (bring your copy with you
to each session)
² sample questionnaires (for use by trainees during training)
² sample address listing books (for use by trainees during training)
² sample AA maps (for use by trainees during training)
² notebooks (at least one for each trainee)
² pencils and pens (at least one for each trainee)
² mock interview scripts and answer keys
Materials useful for conducting training, if available, include:
² name cards
² black marker
² yellow highlighter
² flip chart, large paper, or blackboard and appropriate writing instruments
² letter to thank donor for space
Materials distributed to trainers also include:
² list of trainees
² assignment area appointments (one for each trainee)
² official interviewer identification card (one for each trainee)
² additional instructions and information from your office, as needed
Using the materials in class — Put a SAVVY Census Interviewer’s Manual, notebook, and pen
or pencil at each trainee’s place at the training site prior to his or her arrival. Use this training
guide to ensure that you are covering all the topics in the manual. Read the manual sections
indicated aloud to the class, or ask for a trainee volunteer to read selected sections. After some
sections, the training guide will list notes for you to follow as well as some exercises to conduct
in the classroom. Be sure and follow all notes in the training guide.

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You will receive an assignment area appointment letter for the trainees in your class. You may
also receive some basic administrative paperwork that must be completed at the beginning of
training. Either you or an administrative officer will administer this paperwork once the trainees
have arrived, brief introductions have been made, and attendance has been taken.
You will receive additional instructions and information from your office. These include:
² trainees’ employee identification codes, supervisor names, contact
information, and employee identification codes, and the SAVVY census
sample areas (you will provide trainees with this information at the end of the
training session), and;
² the SAVVY office may provide other information during training either in the
form of additional materials, or written or verbal instructions.
You will pass out identification cards at the beginning of the training session. If there are more
trainees than identification cards, you will need to obtain more cards from your CSC. If you have
more cards than trainees, return the excess cards to your CSC at the end of training.
You will receive an assignment for each trainee that you will hand out upon the successful
completion of training. These assignments include AA maps and interview materials. You may
need to make some choices, under the direction of your CSC, if you have more successful
trainees than assignments or if you have fewer successful trainees than assignments.

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TRAINING OUTLINE (BEGINNING OF CLASSROOM TRAINING)

Welcome trainees and ask them to sign their names next to their printed name in your notebook.
If you have name cards, ask the trainees to write their names on the cards and use them.
When everyone has arrived, introduce yourself and explain that this training is for SAVVY
census interviewers. Inform trainees how many days the training will last and be sure that no one
is at the wrong training center.
Ask trainees to introduce themselves one by one.
Inform trainees of the following points:
² daily start time of training
² morning break time and duration
² lunch break time and duration
² dining arrangements available
² afternoon break and duration
² daily training ending time
Ask trainees to please respect the following rules:
² attendance is required every day of training
² trainees should be at the training center before the starting time each day and
return promptly from breaks
² cell phones should be turned off during training
² there should be no smoking or eating during training sessions
Ask trainees to open their Census Interviewer’s Manuals to the table of contents. Inform them
that you will be covering each of these chapters during the training session.
Ask the trainees to turn to the beginning of chapter 1, What is SAVVY?, on page 1.

Chapter 1 — What is SAVVY?

Explain that chapter 1 provides a general overview of the SAVVY system. Details about the
trainees’ specific role in the SAVVY system will become clear during training.
Read chapter 1 to the class.

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Chapter 2 — Responsibilities of the SAVVY Census Interviewer
Read the chapter’s introductory summary paragraph at the beginning of this chapter, on page 7.
If there are any supervisors in class, read the following text to the supervisors. If there are both
supervisors and interviewers in the class, stress that this next applies to supervisors only. (If
there are no supervisors in the class, ignore the following text):
Supervisors, in order for you to supervise your interviewers effectively, you have
to understand what it is that they are required to do and how they are supposed to
go about the job. The best way for you to understand this is for you to actually
receive the same training that the interviewers will receive. Please pay close
attention because all the information will help you perform effectively as a
supervisor.
Since you are learning the details of the interviewer’s job, the training materials
will address you as though you were an interviewer. So consider yourself an
interviewer temporarily, keeping in the back of your mind that you won’t actually
perform these tasks, but will supervise them.
If any supervisors will be training interviewers, add:
The training materials that I’ll use to train you as an interviewer are the same
materials that you’ll use to train your class of interviewers.
Chapter 2 has five sections, on pages 7-9 of the manual. Cover these sections:
The Census Interviewer’s Responsibilities
What Census Interviewers Do
Census Interviewer Materials — Hold up example of each of the materials as
you read about them.
Confidentiality
Falsification of Data
After completing the chapter, ask if there are any questions.
Call on trainees and ask the following:
² Name a responsibility of a SAVVY census interviewer.
² What does confidentiality mean?
² What is falsification of data?

Interview Example
Explain that to help illustrate the work of an interviewer, you will provide an example of an
interview. Explain that this is just to give them an idea of what their work will be like; interviews
will be covered in more detail later during the training.
² Ask for a volunteer to help you demonstrate an interview.

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 ² Hand the volunteer a copy of the script or let them read over your shoulder,
and read the following:
Now let’s pretend that I’m walking up North Main Street, looking for any
buildings on the right side of the road. I locate a building at 847 North Main
Street and open my address listing book. I write down the address of the building
in column 3 of the address listing book and mark a dot for the building at the
proper location on my map.
Pretend that you are actually making notations in the listing book and on the map, then say: “I
walk to the front door. Someone answers the door.”

A scripted interview starts here; indicate to the trainee that he or she should read
the “respondent” parts and that you’ll read the “interviewer” passages:

Interviewer:
Hello. I’m (state your name) and I am conducting interviews on
behalf of the government as part of the SAVVY system. Here’s my
identification. (Show your identification card.)
We are conducting a population and building census for this area.
Before I ask you a few questions, here is some information about the
SAVVY system, which is the purpose of my visit today.
(Hand a copy of the SAVVY information letter to the respondent.)
What is the exact address of this building?

Respondent:
This is 847 North Main Street, Abbotsville.
(Pretend to write this address in the address listing book.)

Interviewer:
Are there any living quarters, occupied or vacant, in the building or
on this property? For example, an apartment; or renters?

Respondent:
Just this house that my family lives in. That’s all there is on this
property.

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 (Pull out a questionnaire, pretend to make entries as you continue the
scripted interview, but do not write anything on any forms.)

Interviewer:
I’m here to complete a SAVVY census questionnaire for this
household; it should only take a couple of minutes. First, I would
like a list of all persons who currently live in this household with the
intent to live here permanently. Please start with the name of the
person who owns, is buying, or rents this house and permanently
lives here.

Respondent:
I’m the owner of the house and my name is Robert Smith.

Interviewer:
Does anyone else live here with you, Mr. Smith?

Respondent:
Yes, my wife Sarah and my son Thomas.

Interviewer:
So Sarah Smith is your wife and Thomas Smith is your son by birth,
is that correct?

Respondent:
Yes, that’s right.

Interviewer:
And just to verify, Sarah is female and Thomas is male?

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Respondent:
Yes, that’s right.

Interviewer:
Mr. Smith, could you please tell me your date of birth?

Respondent:
I was born on March 12, 1963

Interviewer:
Could you please tell me your age as of today, Mr. Smith?

Respondent:
I’m 43 years old.

(Verify that the age matches the date of birth according to date and day.)

Interviewer:
Mr. Smith, could you please tell me Sarah’s date of birth?

Respondent:
November 16, 1965

Interviewer:
And what is Sarah’s age as of today please?

Respondent:
She’s 40.

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 (Verify that the age matches the date of birth according to date and day.
Today’s date is December 15, 2006. If Sarah’s birth date is correct, she
should be 41 today. You ask Mr. Smith again to confirm Sarah’s date of
birth and ask if she had a birthday last month. Mr. Smith responds that the
date of birth is correct and agrees that she is 41 as of today.)

Interviewer:
Could you please tell me Thomas’s date of birth?

Respondent:
Thomas was born August 8, 1995 and he’s 10 years old today.

Interviewer:
I need to make sure that I have counted everyone who lives in this
building. Did I miss any children, including foster children?
Anyone away on business or vacation who usually lives here for
most of the year? Any roomers or housemates? Anyone else who
has no other home?

Respondent:
No, it’s just the three of us.

Interviewer:
That’s all I need. Mr. Smith, thank you very much for your time.

Take back the script from the trainee and allow the trainee to return to his or her seat. Ask the
class the following: “Are there any questions?”
Answer questions and remind trainees that you will cover interviews later in the training, and
they will take part in interviewing exercises at that time.

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TRAVELING WITHIN YOUR ASSIGNMENT AREA (CHAPTER 3)

Read the chapter summary paragraph at the beginning of this chapter, on page 11. Then cover the
chapter’s sections, which are listed below with any instructions that apply to a specific section.
Locating Your Assignment Area
Locating the Boundaries of Your Assignment Area
How to Canvass an Assignment Area — At the end of this section (page
16 of the manual), stop and ask if there are any questions. Call on trainees
with the following questions:
² What does canvassing mean?
² What is an assignment area?
² In which direction should you always try to turn when
canvassing your AA? (Answer: to the right.)
² What is a housing unit?
² As a SAVVY census interviewer, do you need to check all
buildings and structures for housing units? (Answer: yes.)
² How can you tell if there is more than one housing unit in a
building? (Answer: direct access.)
² What is “direct access?”
² What is a “household?”
² Can a person who lives alone be a household? (Answer: yes.)
² As a SAVVY census interviewer, do you interview people in
hotels? (Answer: no.)
² What are group quarters?

Canvassing Both Sides of the Road or Path

Rules for Identifying a Housing Unit — Stop and ask if there are any
questions. Then ask trainees to open their Census Interviewer’s Workbook
to Exercise 1 on page 5 of the workbook (allow time).

Workbook Exercises
From the workbook, read the canvassing situation descriptions for Exercise 1 (page 5 of the
workbook) and answer the questions following each situation. Allow trainees time to complete
the exercise and walk around answering questions as necessary.
When everyone has completed the exercise, call on a volunteer to share his or her answers for the
first situation.

19
 Answers to Situation A (the Smith family rents two rooms to Mr. and
Mrs. Jones) are as follows:

1. The Jones family does not occupy a separate housing unit

because they do not have direct access.
2. The Jones family is a separate household because they do not
make common provision for food and other living essentials.
They eat with the Smith family as part of their rental agreement
only.
3. The Jones family would be listed on a separate line in the
address listing book because they are a separate household.
They would have the same building and housing unit number
as the Smith family.
4. The Jones family would be interviewed on a separate
questionnaire because they are a separate household in the
same housing unit as the Smith family. Each household is
interviewed on a separate questionnaire.

Ask for a different volunteer to share his or her answers to Situation B.

Answers to Situation B (a daughter and her husband live in a
separate building on the Smith’s property) are as follows:

1. Yes, the daughter and her husband are living in a separate

housing unit.
2. Yes, the daughter and her husband get listed on a separate line
in the address listing book because they are in a separate
housing unit.
3. Even though they make common provision for food with the
family and do not pay rent, they are considered a separate
household because they are living in a separate housing unit.
One household cannot extend beyond one housing unit.
4. Since the daughter and her husband are living in a separate
housing unit and therefore a separate household, they would be
interviewed on a separate questionnaire.

Ask if there are any questions and discuss as needed.

Continue going through the chapter, covering the following chapter sections.
Buildings under Construction
Buildings Not Intended for Habitation that Are Inhabited

20
 Looking for Hidden Living Quarters — Stop and ask if the
trainees can think of any other signs that may indicate that there is
a housing unit that cannot be seen or easily identified from the
road.
When a Road Segment Has No Building
Examples of Canvassing Situations – Rural Areas and
Watercraft
Examples of Canvassing Situations – Urban and Rural — Stop
and ask if there are any questions.

Exercise 2 in the Census Interviewer’s Workbook

Ask the trainees to take out their workbooks and turn to the second exercise, found on page 7.
Give trainees time to complete the exercise. Walk around the room to answer questions, as
necessary.
Ask someone to share his or her canvassing path for this exercise with the group. (The
illustration from exercise 2 is shown on the next page.)
Review the answer as the trainee reads it out loud. Encourage the trainee to use street names and
directions to explain the route. If there is something wrong, wait until the trainee has finished,
then ask the class if there is something that could be improved.

21
Answer to exercise 2, page 7 of Census Interviewer’s Workbook

North

² Before you continue, ask if everyone understands how to canvass interior

roads.
² Answer questions.

22
Exercise 3 in the Census Interviewer’s Workbook
Now, ask the trainees to complete exercise 3 on page 9 of their workbooks.
Give trainees time to complete the exercise. Walk around the room to answer questions, as
necessary.
Ask for a volunteer to share his or her canvassing path for exercise 3 with the group.
Review the answer as the trainee reads it aloud. Encourage him or her to use street names and
directions to explain the route taken. If there is something wrong, wait until the trainee has
finished, then ask the class if there is something that could be improved.

Answer to exercise 3, page 9 of Census Interviewer’s Workbook

North

² Before you continue, ask if there are any questions.

² Answer questions.

23
24
READING AND UPDATING YOUR AA MAP (CHAPTER 4)

Read the summary on page 25 of the manual for Chapter 4, Reading and Updating your AA Map.
Cover the first two of the four sections of this chapter:
Reading your Assignment Area Map
Using the Map Scale
Ask if there are questions. Then ask trainees to turn to exercise 4 on page 11 in their workbooks.
Allow time to complete the exercise, walk around the room answering questions as needed.
When everyone has completed, ask for a volunteer to share his or her answer to the question:
What is the distance between Third and Main streets and the foot path?

Answer to exercise 4, page 11 of Census Interviewer’s Workbook

The distance is about 0.25 kilometers, or 250 meters, between the intersection of
Main and Third streets and the edge of the dotted line for the foot path.

Continue covering the remaining sections of this chapter:

Updating Your AA map
How to Map Spot — In detail, go over the manual’s illustration for this
section, found on page 35. Ask the following questions regarding the
illustration (answers follow each question, in parentheses).
Which blocks or areas has the interviewer completed? (Blocks 101 through 107.)
Are there any living quarters in building 24? (No.)
Now look at caption number 8 in the lower part of the illustration. Following the
arrow from the caption box, what type of road is indicated by the arrow? For a
hint, see the list of abbreviations in Appendix C, page 91. (“UN RD” on the map
indicates an “unnamed road.”)
What types of roads do the arrows from caption 5 refer to? (“PR RD” refers to a
“private road,” and the other arrow indicates a named road, “Riggs Rd.”)
In what block or area number of the map is Lazy Creek located in? (Block 107.)

25
Now ask trainees to look at figure 1 in their workbooks, found on page 12, and compare it with
figure 2 on the facing page. Allow time for trainees to compare the maps, then ask the following
questions:
What is the difference between the two maps? (Block numbers have been entered
in the second map, and some map spotting has been completed.)
Which blocks are completed in figure 2? (Block 1 is completed.)
How many housing units are there in building 4? (There are two units.)
How many housing units are there in building 11? (There are three units.)

Figure 4 Exercise — Abbotsville

Tell trainees they will now complete a final exercise using a mythical town called Abbotsville.
Ask them to locate the figure 4 drawing (Abbotsville) on page 15, at the end of their workbooks.
Hold up the picture of Abbotsville and allow time for everyone to find it.
Read the following to the class:
Before we begin this final exercise, you should have read the sections in your
Census Interviewer’s Manual on updating your AA maps and map spotting (pages
29 through 36). If you have any problems during this exercise, refer to those
sections of your manual.
Now I’d like to briefly discuss this picture of Abbotsville. This is not a map. It is a
drawing or picture of what you would see if you were in a helicopter hovering
over Abbotsville. Everything you see here exists in Abbotsville.
Abbotsville is a lot like the areas that you will be canvassing. It has houses,
apartment buildings, schools, churches, and businesses.
Notice that the Abbotsville picture shows buildings, building names, and numbers
that are the numbers that you would see on or near some of the buildings.
Numbers make it easy to identify the location of buildings and housing units. But
just like in real life, not all buildings or housing units have numbers or are
located on streets with names.
The Abbotsville drawing is designed to give you practice in relating census maps
to what you see and might encounter in your assignment areas. The Abbotsville
picture represents an AA for training purposes.
Are there any questions about the Abbbotsville picture and its purpose?
Now we’ll practice canvassing Abbotsville.
Look at Figure 1 SAVVY Census AA Sample Map in your workbook.
Now look at your picture of Abbotsville, figure 4.
Does anyone notice any similarities between the two?

26
Answer: Figure 1 appears to be a map of the left-hand side of the drawing shown in figure 4. AA
sample map of AA 001, or “Abbotsville – 425” is a section of Abbotsville left (west) of the
Wakarusa River, right (east) of North Mulberry Street, above (north of) East Third Street and
below (south of) the county line.
If you look at figure 2, the AA map sample with the first block completed (page
13), you’ll notice that the block immediately above (north) of the completed block
1 is labeled as block 2.
Let’s take a closer look at block 2 by looking at Figure 3, Block 2 of AA map
sample, found on page 14.
Let’s start at the lower left hand corner of block 2, where you should see a small
“X”.
Looking at your picture of Abbotsville on the facing page, look for the first
building that you would encounter canvassing your AA clockwise, looking for
buildings to the right. You should have both block 2 and the picture of Abbotsville
in front of you.
What street would we be on when we encountered our first building to the right
while canvassing block 2?
Answer: East Fourth Street.
If we were actually in the AA, we would walk up to that building on East Fourth
Street and see if it is one building or a couple of separate buildings. If it happened
to be a separate building, it would be building number 12, since we listed 11
buildings in block 1.
After we assign the building number, we would then knock on the door and ask
how many housing units are located within building 12. We would note the
number of the building on our map and we would put the number of housing units
in parentheses next to the building number on the map. If there were no housing
units in the building, we would write nothing next to the building number.
The household member, Mr. Robert Brown at building 12 told us that there were
two housing units in that building; so you should put the number 2 in parentheses
next to the number 12. The second housing unit belongs to Mrs. Victoria
Summer.
Now, I’m going to talk through the rest of the canvassing for block 2 and I want
you to make notes on your figure 3 maps.
The next building traveling East on East Fourth Street is a single-family home
with two housing units. The main house, owned by Mr. Koffi March, has an
attached apartment with a separate entrance that is rented to a family, headed by
Mr. Stephen Farmer . Take a moment now and mark your maps appropriately.
What did you mark on your map?
Call on a trainee.

27
Answer: The number 13, to note one building and 2 in parentheses for the number of housing
units.
That’s right, there’s one building, so we would write the number 13 to note the
13th building listed. We would write “2” in parentheses next to the number 13 to
note that there are two housing units.
Any questions?
Now as we continue west along East Fourth Street, we see a small building that is
not attached to the main building. We walk up to the small house and see that it
is a complete structure with windows, doors, walls, and a ceiling and can be lived
in by somebody. The building looks like it is deserted.
We go to the next larger building, which is located very close to the first small
building and see that it is a single-family home. We knock on the door and ask
how many housing units are located within the building. The household member,
Mrs. Rebecca Brook replies that there is only one housing unit.
We ask Mrs. Brook about the small building that looks deserted and is located
close to the house. Mrs. Brook tells us that it belongs to the house and is a
building that is used for storage — no one lives there. You should mark your
maps now.
What did you mark on your map?
Call on a trainee.
Answer: The numbers 14 and 15, to note two buildings. Next to the number 15, I put a “1” in
parentheses.
Right, remember to make a mark and a listing for all buildings in your AA that
are complete structures — whether anybody lives in them or not. Don’t forget to
mark a “1” next to the building where there is one housing unit.
We continue canvassing and turn right on North Prescott Street. There is a large
building on the right. We walk up and knock on the door and ask how many
housing units are located in the building. The household member, Mr. Peter
Williams, tells us that in addition to his family, there are two apartments inside
the building – one in the basement with a separate entrance rented by Mrs. Mary
Morris and one set of rooms upstairs with access through the main door of the
house owned by Mr. Thomas Payne.
Mr. Williams tells us that they also own the building next door, which is where his
sister’s family lives, Sarah Williams.
Take a moment now and mark your maps.
What did you mark on your map?
Call on trainee.
Answer: The numbers 16 and 17, to note two buildings. Next to building 16, I put a “3” to note
three housing units and next to building 17, I put a “1” to note one housing unit.

28
 That’s correct. When marking numbers on our maps, we cannot be concerned
about whether a building is occupied by a member of the family or a stranger.
We are noting the number of separate buildings and housing units. So in this
case, we mark two separate buildings — one with three housing units and the
other with one housing unit.
Are there any questions so far?
As we continue traveling south on North Prescott Street, we come to a street on
the right that is not marked on our map. We ask at one of the houses and are told
that this street is called Tom’s Alley.
What did you mark on your map?
Call on trainee.
Answer: “Tom’s Alley” along the unnamed road.
Good, now we’re done with block 2. There were six buildings, numbered 12-17,
with a total of nine housing units in parentheses next to the building numbers.
Now we can circle the number “2” in the middle of our block because we have
canvassed the entire block. Remember that in your canvassing instructions it says,
“Finish canvassing one census block before starting another.” This rule ensures
that you will not forget to canvass parts of your assignment area.
As you complete each block or part of your AA, you will number and circle the
block number to show your progress while canvassing your AA. Also, try to finish
canvassing a block before stopping your work for the day. That way you won’t
forget where you left off.
We’ll continue this type of practice later on in the training.

29
30
COMPLETING THE ADDRESS LISTING BOOK (CHAPTER 5)

² Read the introductory paragraph for this chapter, page 37.

² Pass out address listing book samples to each trainee for the trainees to
look at as this chapter is discussed.
² Stop at the end of this chapter and ask if there are any questions.
² Ask the trainees to look at figure 3 in their workbooks, where they map-
spotted buildings during a previous exercise in chapter 4.
² Tell them you are going to read out the instructions for the map spotting
exercise again and they should complete their address listing book
accordingly.
² Wait until they have the address listing book and figure 3 in front of them.
² Reread the “Figure 4 Exercise — Abbotsville” from the previous chapter
(starting on page 26).
² Ask a volunteer to share his or her address listing book notes with the rest
of the class when the exercise is completed.
² Ask if there are any questions.

31
32
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AT OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS
(CHAPTER 6)
Read the chapter introduction to the class, and cover the chapter’s three sections:
Gaining the Trust and Cooperation of the Household
Objections to the Census
Non-responses and Refusals
Then ask for two volunteers to play the roles of a respondent asking questions about the census
and an interviewer responding to the concerns raised.
You can ask for more than one set of volunteers for each question if many people raise their
hand.

A Locked Door or Gate

Inform trainees that if they are unable to gain access to a living quarters, because of a locked
door or gate, and they are able to verify that there is only one living quarters beyond the gate or
door, that they should handle the situation just as if no one answers the door.
In this case, they would hang a “household return visit” call-back card on the gate or in a
convenient place where the resident will be sure to see it. (An example of this card is shown in
Appendix E of the manual, page 95.) When encountering a locked apartment building, the
following table provides a useful guide to options:

IF... THEN...

obtain his or her attention, explain what you are

You see someone entering the building,
doing, and ask to be let in.
You have access to a push-button buzzer push one call button at a time until you gain
system, someone’s attention and he/she lets you in.
call the manager’s office or apartment to request
There is a callbox,
access to the building.
You are at a building with glass doors and a rap on the glass doors with a coin, key, or pen to
lobby, attract attention and gain access.
look up that person’s number in the phone book
You know an occupant’s name,
and call to request access.
You know the management company or rental look up the number in the phone book and call it to
agency name, request access.

There is an alternate entrance, try the alternate entrance,

ask your supervisor for assistance and write
You still are unable to gain access, notes on your address listing book explaining
the problem

Ask if there are any questions before moving on to Chapter 7.

33
34
COMPLETING THE SAVVY CENSUS HOUSEHOLD QUESTIONNAIRE
(CHAPTER 7)
Read the introductory paragraph to this chapter.
Pass out sample questionnaires to each trainee to look at during the training session on this
chapter. Cover each section of the chapter.
Completing Items on the Questionnaire before the Interview
Section A. Identification
Section B. Location Description
Section C. Callback Information

Ask if there are any questions.

Identifying a Household Respondent

Ask if there are any questions.

If there is no Household Respondent
Completing the Questionnaire — Remind trainees to look at their
sample questionnaire while reading this section.
Completing Select Items on the Questionnaire after the Interview
Section D. Summary Interview Information
Section E. Respondent and Counts

Inform trainees that you will be rereading the sample interview that was given near the beginning
of training, and that they are to complete a questionnaire according to the answers you give.
Read aloud the Interview Example from Chapter 2 in this guide, which starts on page15.
Ask for a volunteer to share their questionnaire with the rest of the class.
Discuss any areas that were confusing.
Ask if there are any questions. Conclude this chapter’s training by covering the final section.
Supervisor Review of Your Work

Ask if there are any questions.

35
36
INTERVIEW INSTRUCTIONS (CHAPTER 8)
Read the introductory paragraph for this chapter, and cover the chapter’s two sections.
Interview at a Housing Unit
Ask if there are any questions.
Interview at a Commercial Building or Institution
Ask if there are any questions.

Training Exercise
Ask for a volunteer to introduce himself or herself as if he or she were in front of a building. Ask
the volunteer to try and determine the location and whether or not there is a housing unit in the
building. You will play the role of the respondent.
For the first example, assume you are at a private household.
Ask for another volunteer to do the same exercise.
This time, you are a respondent at a grocery store, but a security guard lives in a room at the back
of the store.

Ask if there are any questions.

37
38
UNUSUAL SITUATIONS (CHAPTER 9)

Read the introductory paragraph for this chapter, and cover the chapter’s sections.
A Person Says that He or She Was Already Interviewed
After covering this chapter, ask two volunteers to act out this situation in front of the class.
If there are no volunteers, do not push but emphasize that the training is the place for everyone to
practice and learn how to do their jobs properly.
Language Problem
Unusual Living Quarters
Difficult to Determine if a Housing Unit is Occupied or Vacant
Ask if there are any questions, then continue covering the chapter.
Person Moved to the Address after the Beginning of the
Interview Period
Visitors are Present in a Housing Unit
Respondent is Unable to Give Complete Information about a
Household Member
Respondent is Part of a Nomadic Population
If a Person Refuses to be Interviewed
Ask if there are any questions.

39
40
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND APPENDICES

Inform the trainees that the manual’s glossary and appendices provide summary information and
samples for their reference.
Glossary of Terms
Tell the trainees that the class will now practice looking up words in the Glossary of Terms,
which starts on page 73 of the manual.
Ask trainees to look up a word you have chosen, and to raise their hands when they have found
it.
You should call on the first person to raise his or her hand.
Choose several terms randomly from the glossary and repeat the exercise.
Give each word, pause, and call on the first trainee to raise a hand to give the definition.
Ask if there are any questions.
Appendix A: List/Interview Reporting Sheet
Ask trainees for the information in the box headers one by one, and call on those who raise their
hands first.
The answer should be what is written immediately below each box header.
Ask if there are any questions.
Appendix B: Who’s Counted Quick Reference Guide
Tell trainees that you will be reading out situations from column one and they should find the
answer in column 2, raising their hands when the answer is found.
Read out random situations from column 1 and call on a different trainee for each answer. Do not
call on the first hand raised this time, but wait and call on those who took longer to find the
answer.
Ask if there are any questions.
Appendix C: Map and Address Listing Book Abbreviations
Explain that sometimes writing space can be small on maps and on the address listing book.
Therefore, standardized abbreviations help ensure that the notations entered will be understood
by others.
Ask the trainees to review the full word in the first column and the abbreviation in the second
column of the abbreviations list.
Ask if there are any abbreviations that they recognize. Call on a trainee to explain a familiar
abbreviation; where he or she saw it before, for example.
Ask if there are any abbreviations that seem unusual. Call on a trainee to identify the unusual
abbreviation.
Ask if there are any questions.

41
Appendix D: Map Sketch Sheet
Ask trainees to review the sketch map instructions and sample on pages 93 and 94.
Ask if there are any questions.
Appendix E: Household Return Visit Form
Ask trainees to read this sample.
Call on a trainee and ask when he or she would use this form.
Appendix F: SAVVY System Information Letter
Ask trainees to read the sample letter.
Call on a trainee and ask when he or she would use this.
Appendix G: Historical Calendar Example
Ask trainees to read this sample.
Call on a trainee and ask when he or she would use this.
Appendix H: Census Address Listing Book (Cover and Sample Page)
Ask trainees to review the two sample pages.
Call on a trainee and ask when he or she would use the listing book.

42
FINAL PRACTICE SESSIONS
Break the class into groups of three.
Ask each of the groups to decide who will be the interviewer and who will be the respondent.
The third person in each group will be an observer.
Ask the groups to interview the designated respondent. To provide answers, the respondent
should use the details about his or her own family or a family that the trainee knows.
Ask the observer to take notes on what was done well and what could be improved during the
interview.
When the interview is over, the three people in each training team should discuss the interview
among themselves.
You will be walking around the room during the exercise, listening to interviews and observing
how questionnaires are being completed. You should offer encouragement to the trainees and
offer corrections when needed, but do not interrupt an interview to do so.
After the interviews are completed, the observer should become the interviewer and the
interviewer becomes the respondent. The respondent then becomes the observer, and the
exercise is repeated.
When the interview is over, each three-person team should discuss the interview among
themselves.
After all interviews are complete, each group should again switch roles so that everyone has been
an interviewer, respondent, and observer.
When the third interview is over, each three-person team should discuss the interview among
themselves.

Live Interview at a Nearby Neighborhood

Ask residents of a nearby small neighborhood if they would allow your class to practice
interviews.
Explain the purpose of the training and the SAVVY system.
Remind the neighborhood that all their answers will be confidential and that the questionnaires
will be destroyed at the end of training.
If the neighborhood is agreeable, then instruct the trainees to break into groups of two and
interview two housing units – taking turns to conduct interviews. They should complete address
listing book pages for both housing units and each trainee should complete at least one
questionnaire.
Return to the classroom after the exercise and discuss.

43
MEASURE Evaluation
Carolina Population Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB 8120, 123 W. Franklin St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 USA
www.cpc.unc.edu/measure

International Programs Center

Population Division
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233
www.census.gov

MS-07-26-CI-TG

Evaluation