(ons)
The United Kingdom 2000 Time Use Survey
Technical Report
2003
Office for National Statistics
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
 Crown copyright 2003
Published with the permission of the Controller
of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO).
ISBN 1 85774 558 2
Applications for reproduction should be submitted
to HMSO under HMSO’s Class Licence:
www.clickanduse.hmso.gov.uk
Alternatively applications can be made in writing to:
HMSO
Licensing Division
St. Clement’s House
2-16 Colegate
Norwich
NR3 1BQ
Contact points
For enquiries about this publication, contact
Sandra Short
Tel: 020 7533 5933
e-mail: [email protected]
For general enquiries, contact the National Statistics
Customer Enquiry Centre on 0845 601 3034
(minicom: 01633 812399)
e-mail: [email protected]
fax: 01633 652747
letters: Room D115, Government Buildings,
Cardiff Road, Newport, NP10 8XG.
You can also find National Statistics on the Internet
at www.statistics.gov.uk
About the Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the government
agency responsible for compiling, analysing and disseminating
many of the United Kingdom’s economic, social and demographic
statistics, including the retail prices index, trade figures and labour
market data, as well as the periodic census of the population and
health statistics. The Director of ONS is also the National Statistician
and the Registrar General for England and Wales, and the agency
that administers the registration of births, marriages and deaths there.
A National Statistics Publication
National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set
out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular
quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs.
They are produced free from any political interference.
2
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Contents
1.
Introduction to the UK 2000 Time Use Survey
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Background
History of the Time Use Study
Research objectives
Structure of the technical report
2.
Sample Design
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Introduction
Sample design
Sampling procedures
Sample size
Population sub groups
3.
Data Collection Instruments
3.1.
3.2
3.3
Piloting
Data collection instruments
Data collection technology
4.
Field Procedures
4.1
4.2
4.3
Management of fieldwork
Data collection procedures
Interviewer training and briefing
5.
Response Rates
5.1
5.2
Response rates
Commentary on the completeness of the data
6.
Coding/editing instructions and list of activity codes
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
List of activity codes and amendments made to Eurostat
Coder instructions
Checking and editing the data
Further editing of diary missing data
Inclusion of diaries for analysis by ONS
Coder reliability
7.
7.1
7.2
7.3
Weighting and Sampling Errors
Overview of weighting
Method of non-response weighting
Complex sampling errors
3
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Appendix 1 - Advance Letter
Appendix 2 - Interviewer Instructions
Appendix 3 - Activity Coding List
Appendix 4 - Coding Instructions
The data collection instruments listed below are available separately on the TUS web pages
www.statistics.gov.uk/timeuse
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Household questionnaire
Individual questionnaire for those aged 16+
Individual questionnaire – child version (aged 8 to 15)
Individual proxy questionnaire for those ages 16+
Individual proxy questionnaire – child version (aged 8 to 15)
Diary for those aged 14+
Diary for those aged 8 to 13
Worksheet
Detailed sampling errors are also available on STATBASE via the TUS web pages.
4
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Acknowledgements
A large number of people have contributed to producing the UK 2000 Time Use Data set.
Particular thanks go to those who have had a direct input to this report:
Ipsos-RSL
Patrick Sturgis, Surrey University
Dave Elliott, Office for National Statistics
Time Use Survey Staff, Office for National Statistics
5
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
1.
Introduction to the United Kingdom 2000 Time Use Survey
1.1
Background
The United Kingdom 2000 Time Use Survey was conducted on behalf of the Office for
National Statistics (ONS), the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the
Department for Education and Skills (DFES), the Department of Health (DH), the
Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (now Department for Transport
(DfT)) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The survey was
commissioned on the 8th of March 2000 by the Socio-Economic Division (SED) of the ONS,
in their role as leaders of this consortium. The contract for this work was awarded to IpsosRSL. The consortium is scheduled to fund a UK 2000 Time Use Programme, which will
initially run for five years. The UK 2000 Time Use Survey forms the main spearhead study of
the programme and it is envisaged that further surveys will follow.
The UK 2000 Time Use Survey is concerned with how people in the United Kingdom spend
their time. At the heart of the survey is a diary exercise in which respondents are asked to
record their daily activities. The survey sample comprises 6,414 households in England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who took part in the study. Anonymised data are
deposited at the Essex University Data Archive.
1.2
History of the Time Use Study
There has been an increasing interest in time use studies and the information they produce.
How we choose to spend our time is one of the main factors that shape our lives, and time use
studies provide an opportunity to measure these choices and the routine of every day life. The
way in which these choices affect time use has important implications for public policy, in
particular in areas of employment, social security, childcare, labour market, health and
education. The range of the survey is very broad and its implications will be felt at both local
and national level.
The current UK 2000 Time Use Survey is the first large-scale study of its kind to be
conducted in this country. Previous studies have taken place before, namely the ESRC funded
Time Use Survey in 1987 and in 1995 Office for Population Census and Surveys (now the
ONS) carried out an Omnibus ‘pre-coded’ diary exercise. The additional value gained from
measuring time use in this study will result in a UK 2000 Time Use database that is available
for analysis by government and academic users.
In 1997 ONS commissioned a pilot Time Use Survey as part of the European Harmonised
Project. SCPR (now the National Centre for Social Research) conducted the pilot with
fieldwork taking place in June and July of 1997. The Eurostat specification was used, not
only in the UK pilot but also in a number of other pilot studies carried out in nine other
countries between 1996 and 1997.
Just as the UK pilot followed closely the specifications developed by Eurostat, the main stage
Time Use Survey has continued to follow these specifications. The main data collection
instruments are a household questionnaire, individual questionnaire and self-completion
diaries. Respondents are asked to complete two 24-hour diaries, which are broken down into
ten minute slots.
7
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
1.3
Research objectives
The UK 2000 Time Use Survey has been designed with the Eurostat guidelines in mind and
tailored to the needs and requirements of UK users.
The key objectives of the Time Use Survey were:
•
To carry out a large-scale household survey featuring self-completion diaries to
measure the amount of time spent by the UK population on various activities.
•
To build on the lessons learnt from the National Pilot Time Use Survey and other
previous exercises.
•
To ensure that the Time Use Survey provides data for government departments’
academic research requirements.
•
To carry out the UK 2000 Time Use Survey in a European framework with design and
administration along the lines of the Eurostat specification. To provide results
comparable, as far as possible, with those envisaged by Eurostat, but with
modifications taking account of UK government and academic needs
•
To deposit a documented dataset in an understandable and accessible format to the
Data Archive and with ONS, for analysis by academic and government users
respectively.
1.4
Structure of the technical report
This report covers the technical details of the UK 2000 Time Use Survey, carried out between
June 2000 and September 2001.
The following sections of the report detail the various aspects of the survey, as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sample design
Data collection instruments and processes used
Field procedures
Response rates
Coding/editing instructions and activity coding list
Weighting
Sampling errors
8
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.
Sample Design
2.1
Introduction
The UK 2000 Time Use Survey required a representative sample of the population of
households and individuals in the United Kingdom. The target sample was to achieve a base
of 12,000 individuals.
The survey adopted the standard GSS definition of household1 in defining its population: “A
person or group of people who have specified the accommodation as their only or main
residence and (if more than one person with the accommodation as main residence) either
share at least one meal a day or share the living accommodation.”
The Time Use Survey comprised only private households and the household members living
in these private households. Institutions and business were excluded from the survey.
Household members include:
•
Anyone living at the address for more than 6 months, but who has a main address
elsewhere.
• Anyone searching for a permanent address in this country, unless they are making a
holiday or business visit only and remain resident abroad.
• Three or fewer boarders in a landlord’s household.
• Children aged 16 or under who reside at boarding school during term time.
They exclude:
•
•
•
•
•
2.2
Adult children (aged over 16) who live away for work or study and only come home
for holidays.
Anyone away from the address continuously for 6 months or more.
Those who have their own living accommodation as well as the use of a shared
communal living room e.g. warden assisted flats, granny flats.
All boarders from the landlord’s household if four or more boarders resident (each
boarder was regarded as a separate household in their own right).
Lodgers who were treated as separate households).
Sample design
As requested in the original specification, and in line with other government household social
surveys, the small users Postcode Address File (PAF) was employed as the sampling frame in
England, Wales and Scotland. As this is not available in Northern Ireland the Value and
Lands Agency (VLA) list was used. The primary sampling units (PSUs) consisted of postcode
sectors in Great Britain and Wards in Northern Ireland. Any postal sectors with less than 500
addresses were amalgamated with the adjacent sector.
1
Government Statistical Service, (1996), Harmonised Concepts and Questions for Government Social Surveys,
London: ONS
9
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
The 52 week year was divided into thirteen “fieldwork months” each of which covered a
nationally representative sample. To this end, PSUs and wards were systematically allocated
to fieldwork months and then to weeks.
A cluster design was applied for reasons of cost effectiveness. While a cluster sample, in
comparison with an unclustered sample, produces a greater sampling variance, it enables a
larger sample size to be achieved within a given budget and produces smaller sampling errors
that an unclustered sample would.
Careful consideration was given to the size of clusters; based on previous experience of other
surveys and in line with the pilot conclusions that clustering effects should not be excessive if
postcode sectors were used as PSUs. This resulted in 19.5 addresses being selected from
within each PSU on average.
2.3
Sampling procedures
Selection of Postcode Sectors
Postcode sectors in Great Britain were divided into five Government Office Region
combinations, these being:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
South East (excluding London) and South West
London
East and West Midlands and East
North West, North East and York/Humberside
Wales and Scotland
The following steps were carried out for groups 1, 3, and 4:
•
Postcode sectors were ordered according to the population density and were divided
into three equal groups as low, medium and high.
•
Within each population group, postcode sectors were sorted on the percentage of
households with the head of the household in social-economic groups 1-5 and 13.
Sectors were divided into three equal groups as low, medium and high.
For London:
•
Postcode Sectors were listed in order of percentage of households with the head of
household in social-economic group 1-5 and 13. This list was then divided into three
equal numbers of sectors as low, medium and high.
For Wales and Scotland:
•
Postcode sectors were ordered on population density and then divided into three equal
groups of addresses as low, medium and high.
10
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
•
Within each group, postcode sectors were divided into two groups covering the same
amount of addresses based on the percentage of the households with the household
heads in social-economic groups 1-5 and 13.
The above procedures produced 36 strata (nine for each of groups 1, 3 and 4, three for
London and six for Scotland and Wales). Within each stratum, postcode sectors were ordered
by the percentage unemployed, alternating between ascending and descending listings. After
taking a random start point, 702 postcode sectors were selected with probability proportional
to the total number of addresses by applying a fixed interval to the cumulative delivery
point/address total. In Scotland, the delivery point total for each sector was calculated after
expanding by any Multiple Occupancy (MO) values of greater than 1.
For Northern Ireland:
•
The sample was drawn from the Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA) address file.
Any ward with less than 500 households was amalgamated with the adjacent ward.
The list of wards was divided by region into Belfast, East Northern Ireland and West
Northern Ireland. Seventeen wards were selected, across Northern Ireland with
probability proportional to the number of dwelling units by applying a fixed interval
to the cumulative address total through the ordered list.
Allocation of Postcode Sectors and Wards to Fieldwork Months
As seasonal factors can play a part in how people spend their time, and to allow for analysis
on a seasonal basis, the year was split into thirteen “fieldwork months” each comprising four
weeks between June 2000 and September 2001. The fieldwork was initially planned to be
over thirteen months, it was extended to fifteen months during the course of the survey.
Each fieldwork month was designed to cover a nationally representative sample in its own
right. To this end, the selected list of postcode sectors was combined with the list of selected
wards. Wards were placed after postcode sectors to form the final Primary Sampling Unit
(PSU) list.
Each PSU was allocated to a fieldwork month in the following order: 7, 15, 4, 1, 3, 5, 13, 6,
9, 8, 2, 14, 10, 12, 11. Months 14 and 15 were reserve months. The reserve sample comprised
an additional 91 postcode sectors and one ward and represented, in effect, two reserve
months. However, the reserve sample was not issued at any stage of the survey. Therefore,
each month's fieldwork covered a stratified representative sample of 46 or 47 sectors or
wards.
Selection of Addresses
An average of 19.5 addresses were selected systematically in each PSU. To this end, each
PSU was allocated either 19 or 20 addresses alternately.
Selection of Individuals
All members of a selected household aged 8 and over were eligible for the survey. Household
heads or their partners were asked to complete the first stage of the survey, the household
questionnaire. All members of the household aged 8 and over were then asked to complete an
individual questionnaire, two one-day diaries and a one-week work and education time sheet.
11
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Respondents aged between age 8 and 13 were provided with a simpler version of the diary
and individual questionnaire.
In some instances proxy interviews were conducted. These were administered if the named
individual was unavailable within the time period or declined to participate in the survey, but
were willing for someone else to provide information on their behalf. In certain instances
proxy interviews were also conducted if the respondent was unable to complete an interview
due to illness or disability. The proxy interview was conducted with a responsible member of
the household, although in some instances a carer could also respond on the respondent’s
behalf.
Allocation of diary days
The UK 2000 Time Use Survey required an equal distribution of week and weekend days for
diary completion. Table 1 shows the combinations of one week and one weekend day used in
order to minimise the gap between the two days.
Table 1
Week day and weekend day combinations
COMBINATION
DAY 1
DAY 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Thursday
Sunday
Saturday
Friday
Sunday
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
Friday
Wednesday
Saturday
Monday
Monday
Saturday
Tuesday
Sunday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Sunday
Saturday
Once the sample had been selected each address was allocated to one of the combinations
above. In this way the diary days were evenly distributed across all five week days and across
Saturdays and Sundays. Every eligible respondent in the same household was asked to
complete the diary on the same week and weekend days.
2.4
Sample size
Table 2 The number of PSUs and addresses by region
REGION
South East and South West
London
East and West Midlands
North West, North East, and
York/Humberside
Wales and Scotland
Northern Ireland
Total
TOTAL NUMBER OF PSU
164
72
119
150
TOTAL NUMBER OF
ADDRESSES
3198
1404
2322
2925
87
16
608
1698
307
11854
12
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
A total of 11,854 sampled households resulted in 6,414 household interviews with 14,423
eligible respondents of whom 11,667 answered the individual interview and/or filled in
20,991 diaries.
2.5
Population sub groups
A number of population sub groups were identified in the original specification, as being of
particular interest to a survey of this nature. These are listed below:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scotland;
Northern Ireland;
Wales;
England;
disabled people;
people from ethnic minorities;
informal carers;
unemployed people;
people in households with children aged between 0 and 4;
people aged 75 and over;
lone parents;
students.
Consideration was given to the relative merits of boosting each of these sub groups. However,
it was decided that resources would be better spent boosting the overall sample size rather
than any given sub-group.
13
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3.
Data Collection Instruments
3.1
Piloting
The piloting exercise was composed of three different parts namely: Cognitive testing, Small
Scale Piloting and Dress Rehearsal.
Cognitive Tests
Cognitive tests on diary completion were conducted with five male and five female
respondents by two Ipsos-RSL social researchers on the 22 September 1999. Respondents
were asked to fill in the diary whilst the researchers observed the process and took notes.
They were told that the researchers were interested in every detail, prompted where necessary
and encouraged to think aloud. In return they were offered £10 as an incentive to take part in
the survey for approximately 45 minutes.
On completion they were asked about their experiences in filling in the diary. Respondents
reported having remembered activities retrospectively in two major ways. The most common
method was based on “routines”. The alternative was to remember a key event that happened
on the day of the diary and construct the day around it. Most respondents showed difficulties
in noting secondary activities as well as differentiating them from main activities. Some
missed out activities because they judged them to be either unimportant or obvious. This was
mainly due to a tendency to skip the instruction at the beginning of the diary. Once asked to
read the instructions most reported that the instructions were difficult to understand but that
the example in the instructions helped them to understand better.
The cognitive test covered the interpretation of diary questions as well as its completion.
Interpretation of the questions did not pose any difficulty for respondents, who all agreed with
most of the definitions. All the respondents had difficulties in estimating how many miles
they travelled away from home. Similarly they all found ten minute time slots to be
burdensome and tedious.
Worksheets were tested as well as the diaries. As with the diaries, most respondents did not
mark the breaks between main paid job and other paid job while completing the worksheets.
Respondents’ general attitudes towards the survey were not particularly positive. There was
confusion over how the results were going to be used and why the government was interested
in how they spent their time. Suspicion that the information could be used for tax purposes
was common.
Following the cognitive tests, emphasis on definitions and the purpose of the survey were
added to the interviewers’ instructions. Moreover the diary instructions were simplified and
shortened.
Small Scale Piloting
A small-scale pilot was conducted between 7 and 13 October 1999 with twenty households in
four different areas, the aim of the small pilot was mainly to assess the effectiveness of the
survey documents. The pilot fieldwork was carried out by four interviewers, each working in
a different area of the country; North London (Watford), Birmingham, Cambridge and
Yatton. Each interviewer was instructed to recruit 5 households one or two of which were in
social grade categories A/B, C1/C2 and D/E. Interviewers were asked to:
14
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
•
Attempt a household interview with a householder/spouse or partner of a householder.
•
Attempt an individual interview with each individual in the household aged 16 or over.
•
Place two one-day time-use diaries with each individual in the household aged 16 or
over. Interviewers instructed respondents to complete one diary on a weekday and one
on a week-end day; as far as possible all members of any household were to complete
their two diaries on the same days.
•
Place a seven day work-sheet for respondents to record work undertaken over the
seven days ending with the second of the two diary days.
•
Collect diaries and work sheets and, as far as possible check them with respondents.
These procedures were different from those proposed for the main survey, due to the short
time period available for this pilot. Interviewers were supplied with an introductory letter on
ONS headed paper, for use when introducing the survey and to be left with respondents. All
interviewers were fully briefed by members of the research team (three in person and one by
telephone). All four were personally debriefed.
The pilot study tested four different versions of the diary:
1. Simple diary asking respondents to record primary and secondary activities and who
else was present.
2. Paid work diary asking respondents to record primary and secondary activities,
whether or not respondents were paid for the activity undertaken in each time slot, and
who else was present at the time.
3. Helping somebody diary asking respondents to record primary and secondary
activities, whether the activity undertaken in each time slot involved helping
somebody from outside the household, and who else was present at the time.
4. Travel mode diary asking respondents to record primary and secondary activities,
travel mode (if travelling during any time slot) and who else was present.
During the small pilot no serious difficulties were reported in terms of the reception of the
survey. At the end of the small-scale pilot, 20 household questionnaires, 38 individual
questionnaires, 78 one-day diaries and 19 worksheets were completed.
Household interviews lasted 8.9 minutes on average whereas individual questionnaires were
18.4 minutes long. Following the small-scale pilot exercise, some filters and the wording of
several questions were altered in both the household and individual questionnaires. Moreover
some of the question wording was changed or clarified in both instruments.
Respondents found the task of filling out the diaries very tedious. Interviewers observed that
sometimes they were tired or bored when completing the diary, which was reflected by the
fact that periods early in the day were completed in greater detail than periods later in the day.
15
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Respondents had difficulties in deciding which of two competing activities should be
recorded as the main one. At times respondents started the diary day at the time they got up
and ended the day by going to bed without recording further sleeping. There was further
confusion over the definition of “being alone”. Respondents were unsure whether “being
alone” meant being alone in the house or in a room on their own. Diary instructions were
specified further after the pilot study in line with the confusions above.
Dress Rehearsal
Two dress rehearsals were conducted with the purpose of testing fieldwork and data
processing procedures. The first dress rehearsal was conducted between 17 November and 19
December 1999.
For each dress rehearsal, ten postcodes were purposively selected from the southern half of
Britain. Quota controls were applied to ensure that the sectors covered a reasonable range of
unemployment levels, population densities, and single persons in the households.
Table 3
Quotas based on 1991 census data
Variable
Male unemployment (aged 16-64 in sector):
Under 6.5%
6.5%, under 13..5%
13.5% or over
Population density (persons per square km)
Fewer than 400
400, fewer than 2,500
2,500 or more
Single person HHs
Up to 25%
Over 25%
Number of sectors
2
5
3
2
4
4
5
5
Postcodes were selected in the following areas:
Bath
Abercwmboi, Aberdare
Herne Bay
Coventry
Hull
Leeds
Bletchley/Milton Keynes
Alnwick
Spalding
Downham Market
From each of the ten sectors, eighteen addresses were systematically selected from the small
user Postcode Address File (PAF) making a total of 180 households. Once the selection had
been made, half the sample was systematically allocated to the initial incentive group. For
these addresses a £1 book of stamps was included with the advance letter. Diary days were
systematically allocated to addresses according to the same combination of diary days as
described in the sampling procedure above. Respondents were offered £5 plus an additional
£5 for those who completed the household questionnaire if all the households interviews and
diaries were completed.
16
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Interviewers were asked to call at each address and administer:
•
A CAPI household interview with the householder or their spouse/partner
•
A CAPI individual interview with all members of the household over 8 years of age
•
A two day diary to be completed by all members of the household over 8 years of age;
the diary covered two 24 hour periods, a pre-selected weekend day and weekday
•
A one week work and full time education sheet on which the respondent marked the
number of paid hours worked or time spent in full time education during the week.
The work sheet week started on the first day of diary completion.
Interviewers were supplied with copies of all the collection documents, full written
instructions and copies of the advance letters. All interviewers were fully briefed and
debriefed in person by members of the research team in the presence of an ONS
representative. Once a week the interviewers were asked to complete a CAPI version of the
Sample Issue Sheet (SIS) for each address. This was modemed to head office and was used to
monitor fieldwork progress. Each week response tables were produced for each interviewer
and contact was made where interviewers appeared to be having problems.
In the first dress rehearsal, whilst the response rate for individuals in cooperating households
was high and the survey documents were found to work well, the household response rate was
lower than anticipated. Detailed recommendations were made for improving response rates:
•
A shorter advance letter was devised. (appendix 1)
•
An information leaflet for respondents was produced.
•
An advance incentive (book of stamps) to be sent to a random half sample.
•
Emphasise to interviewers that they should seek to obtain a household interview even
if they were certain that individuals would not cooperate with diary completion.
•
Improved procedures for interviewing those aged under 16 were introduced.
•
Improved procedures for proxy interviewing were introduced
In the second dress rehearsal, conducted between the 8 March and 2 April 2000, the
household response rate increased by 14%, and the diary response rate by 12%. Sending a
book of stamps in advance proved to have no impact on the response rate. Therefore this idea
was abandoned for the main survey. It is also worth noting that, according to most of the
indices used, the quality of diary completion in the second rehearsal pilot appeared to be
better than the SCPR pilot conducted in 1997.
Experian, a company specialising in geodemographic analysis, matched the pilot data with
their own database and appended a variety of key demographic information together with
their household base segmentations Pixel and Mosaic to the pilot data. According to Experian
17
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
data, the pilot showed evidence of under-representation of male and mixed home sharers and
amongst ‘Abbreviated Male Families’. Similarly the age group 56-65 was under-represented,
as were ‘Stylish Singles’ and ‘Mortgaged Families.’
3.2
Data collection instruments
The data collection instruments developed for the main stage of the UK 2000 Time Use
Survey are listed below. Copies of the forms can be found at www.statistics.gov.uk/timeuse :
•
Household questionnaire
•
Individual questionnaire
o Adult individual questionnaire
o Individual questionnaire for under 16s
o Proxy adult questionnaire
o Proxy questionnaire for under 16s
•
One-day Diary
o For individuals aged 14 and over
o For individuals aged between 8 and 13
•
One-week work and full time educational time sheet
All the data collection instruments were based on those used in the 1997 pilot study, with
modifications made in the light of the piloting described above. While the survey documents
were developed from Eurostat specifications and designed to deliver broadly the same
outputs, modifications to all the documents were made to meet UK government and academic
requirements.
Each of the data collection instruments is described in turn.
Household questionnaire
The household questionnaire collected contextual information and was administered using
Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). It was always the first questionnaire to be
completed at any given address. It collected summary information on all the individual
household members plus supplementary information about the household. All household
questionnaires were conducted with a householder or his/her spouse or partner.
The structure of the household questionnaire is as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Details of individual household members
Housing and household appliances
Household vehicles
Home produce and DIY
Help received from outside the household
Household income
Accommodation type
18
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
In addition, the household questionnaire identified who was the best person in the household
to answer questions on childcare (if applicable). These questions were then asked on the
relevant person’s individual questionnaire.
In addition to the basic core Eurostat questions, some further questions were added to cover
the requirements of the sponsoring departments. Questions on access to the internet were
introduced to the household appliances section. Childcare questions on the UK 2000 Time
Use Survey covered the age groups 0 to 14 whereas the 1997 Pilot study was interested only
in children aged 0 to 9. Household vehicles, home produce and DIY sections were added for
government requirements.
Wherever possible, Government Statistical Service (GSS) harmonised questions were used
where new questions were added. If a harmonised question did not exist then questions were
taken from other large household surveys. Existing questions were brought in line with
current GSS harmonised questions, if revisions had been made since the 1997 pilot.
Individual questionnaires
All versions of the individual questionnaire collected contextual information and were
administered using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). Modifications and
amendments were made to the 1997 Pilot Study. Wherever possible, GSS harmonised
questions were used.
a) Individual Questionnaire for Adults:
This version of the individual questionnaire included 57 questions, collecting information on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Current employment
Looking for work
Receipt of benefits
Education and training
Voluntary work
Help and service for others
Leisure activities
Health
Childcare
Carers
Classification
Questions on current employment were more detailed than the 1997 Pilot. Questions on
government schemes for employment training, home-based work, family owned business,
casual or holiday work, were added. Questions on annual leave, second jobs and overtime
payment were introduced. Similarly the benefits, education and training, health, child care
sections of the UK 2000 Time Use Survey were much more detailed than the 1997 pilot.
Lottery questions were added to the leisure activities section of the individual questionnaire.
b) Individual Questionnaire for Under 16s:
The “child” version of the individual questionnaire comprised 22 questions. The questions
covered the following areas in much less detail than the individual questionnaire for the
adults:
19
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Current employment
Voluntary work
Help and service for others
Leisure activities
Health
Carers
Classification
The individual questionnaire for under 16s was more detailed than the 1997 pilot.
c) Proxy Individual Questionnaire for Adults:
The Proxy interview is essentially a shortened version of the individual interview. The proxy
questionnaire was administered in those instances where a member of the household was not
available for the interview but another member of the same household was ready to answer on
his/her behalf. This form of the proxy questionnaire is composed of 41 questions and eight
different parts:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Current employment
Looking for work
Receipt of benefits
Education and training
Voluntary work
Health
Carers
Classification.
d) The “Proxy” Questionnaire for Individuals Aged under 16:
This version of the individual questionnaire comprises 15 questions in five different parts
namely:
•
•
•
•
•
Current employment
Voluntary work
Health
Caring for others
Classification
Diaries
There are two versions of the self-completion diary; one for individuals aged 14 and over, and
a simpler version for those aged 8 to 13. Diaries were divided into 144 ten minute time slots
starting at 4.00am. The diary for respondents aged 14 and over collected information on both
main and secondary activity. Whereas the “child” version for those aged 8 to 13 did not ask
about the secondary activities. Both diaries asked about the location of the activities for each
of the 144 ten minute time slots and respondents were asked to put crosses in pre-determined
boxes indicating who they were with (the adult diary had five boxes whereas the child version
had only four).
In addition to the ten minute time slots there were, at the back of the diary, questions on how
it was completed. The child version of the diary did not include the questions about helping
others which were included in the adult form of the diary.
20
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
One Week Work and Full Time Education Sheet:
The worksheet was used to record hours spent in main job or full time education and in other
paid work for seven days starting on the first diary day. Information on travelling during work
hours was also collected. A space was left blank for the respondents to mark the main method
of travel if they travelled during work hours. There were simpler versions of the worksheet
for those aged between 8 and 13.
3.3
Data collection technology
Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) was used for data collection and data entry
in the UK 2000 Time Use Survey. The basic principle of the system is to program a paper
questionnaire into a laptop computer, which then controls the question routing and checks
numerical answers. In this way interviewers are relieved of the burden of following routing
instructions, as the computer program automatically takes them to the next appropriate
question. Ranges of answers are automatically checked and numerical answers are checked
against each other and any inconsistencies that arise can be corrected immediately.
CAPI brings real benefits in terms of data quality. Furthermore, there is no danger of any
questions being missed out by interviewers or respondents. Keying errors at the data
processing stage are also eliminated because data entry takes place during the interview itself.
The questionnaire program written for the UK 2000 Time Use Survey incorporated prompts
and queries in addition to numerical checks. These proved to be especially useful for
interviewers and respondents trying to remember to include all the items from long lists of
answers to particular questions. A system of unique serial numbers ensured that the paper
documents, which were returned to the office, matched the CAPI data set. Quancept, which is
integrated with Quantum editing and tabulation software, was used as the data collection
software.
Data entry for diaries was carried out by means of scanning. High speed Fujitsu double-sided
scanners were used in conjunction with Eyes and Hands software which incorporates optical
character recognition. Effectively every page of the diary was scanned and held as an image
file. The great advantage of this technology was that coding was carried out online.
21
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4.
Field Procedures
4.1
Management of fieldwork
Nine regional controllers managed the interviewing within their individual regions; two
additional co-ordinators and supervisors within each region ensured that all the interviewers
working on the survey were regularly contacted and monitored. At head office a field
manager was assigned to coordinate the different parts of fieldwork. Research executives
were able to monitor progress using a computerised system that controlled back checking and
reporting.
In total, 296 interviewers worked on the UK 2000 Time Use Survey.
Table 4 Number of interviewers in each Government Office Region
Government Office
Region
North East
North West
Yorkshire & the Humber
East Midlands
West Midlands
Eastern
London
South East
South West
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
TOTAL
4.2
Interviewers
16
31
32
15
14
27
30
43
32
26
18
12
296
Data collection procedures
Interviewers were given detailed instructions (appendix 2) and briefed by Ipsos-RSL social
researchers on the sampling, design and fieldwork procedures before starting work on the UK
2000 Time Use Survey. They were provided with detailed explanations of the household and
individual questionnaires as well as the coding of the diaries and worksheet. Interviewers
were asked to:
•
Attempt the household interview with the householder or his/her spouse. They were
expected to make a minimum of four calls in person at an address before marking it as
a non-contact. Interviewers were instructed to make at least half of these calls at
weekends and in the evenings after 7.00pm. In order to increase the level of response
they were advised to introduce the survey in stages rather than explaining the full task
to the respondent on the doorstep.
•
Attempt to conduct the individual interview with all household members aged 8 or
over. They were advised to conduct as many interviews as possible in the household at
the same visit. In case there were outstanding individual interviews in a household,
interviewers were asked to continue to call back from the day the household interview
22
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
was administered and up to seven days after the first diary day for the household. As a
last resort interviewers left self-completion versions of the individual interviews for
respondents to complete and return to the Ipsos-RSL office in a pre-paid envelope.
•
Obtain consent from a responsible adult for respondents aged under 16 before their
participation in the survey.
•
Use another member of the household who is aged 12 or over as a translator where the
selected household contained individuals who can not speak English.
•
Place two diaries and one worksheet for each of the eligible members of the
household, regardless of whether or not the individual interview was carried out. They
were asked, where possible, to get the household telephone number and call the
household to remind them to fill in the diaries the day before each diary day.
Interviewers were advised to arrange a pick-up day by using appointment cards.
•
Collect the diaries and worksheets and check their quality using the Interviewer Diary
Check list.
•
Attempt a proxy individual interview if the outstanding eligible household member
was absent or unwilling to participate to the individual interview.
•
Pay the incentive by means of cash, £5 for the household member who completed the
household interview and a further £5 for each eligible household member who
completed two diaries, a worksheet and took part in the individual interview.
Interviewers paid the second part of the incentives only where there was full
household participation. Interviewers were briefed to build trust by giving £5 initially
and paying the rest when collecting diaries.
•
Post all diaries/worksheets collected to Ipsos-RSL offices in the same envelope.
In addition, interviewers were instructed to:
•
Update the CAPI version of the Sample Issue Sheet once a week, preferably every
Thursday so that their progress could be monitored throughout the fieldwork period.
•
Complete the diary themselves before starting the study.
•
Notify the police station in the area where they worked.
Data collection by telephone
In order to boost the final response rate a small number of interviews were conducted by
telephone. This was with addresses that had been returned from the field as non-contacts. In
order to obtain telephone numbers, addresses were matched to the Electoral Register to
provide names that were then checked against the BT Phonebase system. Clearly this required
that the household should be listed on the Electoral register and that a telephone number
could be obtained. Less than 50% of addresses could be matched with telephone numbers.
23
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Given that the questionnaire had been written as a CAPI script it was relatively easy to adapt
it for CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing). As with the face-to-face contact
procedure, advance letters were sent and the household interview was completed with the
householder or spouse. Individual interviews were not attempted. Diaries were sent and
returned by post, with telephone reminders before the designated diary days. Incentives were
paid for diary completion.
Although this approach had some success in achieving household interviews it was much less
successful in terms of diary completion. Only five diaries were returned from the 53
households where a household interview was completed over the telephone. The physical
presence of an interviewer was obviously an important factor in getting diaries completed and
returned.
Interviews in Wales
Advance letters were sent in both English and Welsh to addresses in Wales. Ipsos-RSL
provided two Welsh-speaking interviewers for Welsh addresses, although none of the
respondents asked to be interviewed in Welsh.
Non-English Speaking Respondents
In cases where respondents had difficulties in speaking, reading or writing English Ipsos-RSL
interviewers tried to use another member of the household or a neighbour as a translator when
conducting the household and individual interviews. Similarly, another household member
was asked to fill out the diary and the work sheet on behalf of respondents with limited
English.
No-go areas
Ipsos-RSL did not exclude any areas of the country from the sampling frame. Special
measures were taken in areas that were identified as potentially dangerous. These generally
involved the use of male interviewers, working in pairs when necessary. In some instances
another family member accompanied the interviewer when he or she was working. Special
emphasis was given on interviewers’ registering with the police station before starting work
in these areas.
The general advice given by Ipsos-RSL to the interviewers was to use their own judgement of
the situation to decide if a potential respondent was genuinely hostile or if he/she may be
persuaded for an interview at a later date. Interviewers were asked to withdraw from the
situation if the potential respondent was clearly hostile to the survey.
Respondent Confidentiality
Ipsos-RSL guaranteed the confidentiality of the respondents. Names, telephone numbers and
addresses were recorded for back- checking purposes but this information was kept in a
separate file. Where names and addresses were recorded on paper, these were separated from
the responses when questionnaires returned to the office.
The only personal information that was transferred to the interviewers was a list of the
sampled addresses. Interviews were returned to the office by modem to which interviewers
had access only with a secure password. It was not possible for the interviewers to download
any information form the office database. The returned files were virus checked before being
processed.
24
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Ipsos-RSL is registered under the Data Protection Act and ensured all procedures to adhere to
the terms of registration and requirements of GSS code of Practice on the Handling of Data
Obtained from Statistical Inquiries.
4.3
Interviewer training and briefing
Ipsos-RSL is registered under BS5750, which regulates the quality of fieldwork and
production systems.
A series of one-day interviewer briefing sessions were held in appropriate regional locations for
all interviewers working on this survey. These briefings were given by the project researchers
and each included a maximum of twenty interviewers. During the session interviewers were
fully briefed on the background to, and reasons for, carrying out the survey. The procedures to
be followed were discussed at length, focusing particularly on in-field sampling procedures,
making contact, doorstep techniques, achieving high response rates and diary placement.
Following this, they were taken through the data collection document to familiarise them with
the topics to be covered. Dummy interviews, using the laptops, were undertaken with the project
researcher acting the role of a variety of respondents.
Each interviewer was also given full written project instructions (Appendix 2), detailing the
CAPI system, the survey documentation and all other relevant aspects of the survey. These were
designed to give detailed explanations of how to deal with any problems that the interviewers
might encounter while working on the survey. Separate sections of the manual dealt, in turn,
with the household questionnaire, the individual questionnaire, the diary and the work sheet. For
CAPI interviews, the emphasis is on providing sufficient instructions on the screen for the
interviewers, with printed manuals for reference. For paper questionnaires or diaries the manual
contains a fuller description of the structure and the completion task (particularly important on
the TUS where the interviewer was responsible for checking the completed diaries).
25
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
5.
Response Rates
5.1
Response Rates
In a survey of this complexity there were clearly a number of different points where nonresponse could occur. A ‘full’ interview required the completion of a household
questionnaire, individual questionnaires for all household members over the age of 8 and two
diaries from each household member over the age of 8.
The issued sample was 11,854 addresses. The number of household and individual interviews
achieved and the number of diaries returned were reduced by the following factors:
•
While it does not count as non-response, a certain portion of the sample was
‘deadwood,’ that is where the address is not located, is a business property or is
unoccupied for other reasons such that it will not be possible to obtain an interview.
•
Non-response where it was not possible to make contact with a respondent or they
refused to take part.
•
Where contact was made but it was not possible to complete an individual
questionnaire or two diaries with every household member.
Table 5 A summary of the response rate
LEVEL OF DATA COLLECTION
A. Household
B. Individual
C. Diaries
D. Net diary response rate (A X C)
RESPONSE RATE
61.1%
80.9%
72.7%
44.4%
26
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Table 6 Detailed Breakdown of response rates
Addresses
Issued addresses
Not located
Derelict/empty
Business Institution
Others
Valid addresses
No contact
Strong refusal
Other refusal
Broken appointments
Inadequate English
Away/ill/other etc
Productive household interview achieved
Additional telephone interviews
Household interview achieved
11,854
308
616
225
202
10,503
942
1,984
479
146
38
500
6,361
53
6,414
Individuals
Eligible individuals
No contact
Refused
No interview (other reason)
Not recorded
Proxy interview
Productive interview
Individual interviews achieved
14,423
562
808
1,173
214
1,017
10,650
11,664
Diaries
Potential diary keepers
Diary placement refused
Unable to place diary (other reasons)
Unable to make contact to collect diaries
Refusal when collection attempted
Unable to collect diaries (other reasons)
No feedback
Both diaries completed and collected
One diary completed and collected
Additional diaries (both) after telephone contact
Additional diaries after telephone contact
Sub-total - people completing one or more diaries
14,423
179
738
151
377
447
1,953
10,410
166
2
1
10,579
(100%)
1.2%
5.1%
1.0%
2.6%
3.1%
6.6%
72.2%
1.2%
Total potential diaries (14,423 x 2)
Total diaries returned
Ineligible diaries (respondent under 8yrs) *
Total eligible diaries **
28,846
20,991
10
20,981
(100%)
(100%)
2.6%
5.2%
1.9%
1.7%
88.6%
(100%)
9.0%
18.9%
4.6%
1.4%
0.4%
4.8%
61.0%
0.5%
61.1%
(100%)
3.9%
5.6%
8.1%
1.5%
7.1%
73.8%
80.9%
73.3%
72.7%
* It was found by the ONS that 10 diaries (5 individuals) had been completed by respondents under 8 yrs of
age. These were removed from the diary file. All of the results for the UK 2000 TUS given in this report are
based on 20,981 diaries.
** All 20,981 records are available on the diary file for analysis, but note that ONS has chosen to exclude some
of these in the analysis it carries out (see section 6.5).
27
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Reissued addresses
In order to improve the overall response rate, Ipsos-RSL carried out a combined telephone
and mail re-issue procedure, starting in May 2001. The aim was to increase the response rate
without putting unrealistic new demands on the face-to-face fieldworkers. All unproductive
addresses were treated as potential re-issues, except those judged by the research team as
unsuitable because of strong refusal or other reasons in accordance with MRS and ESOMAR
Codes of Conduct. The potential addresses were matched with telephone numbers. Advance
letters were sent to the addresses with matching telephone numbers and, within two weeks,
household interviews were conducted by telephone. Respondents were offered £5 Boots
vouchers as an incentive.
Table 7 Number of reissued interviews attempted and achieved
Unproductive
Telephone Matches
Strong Refusal
addresses
Removal
Total
3965
1949
1082
(100%)
55.5%
Household
interview
53
2.7%
Diaries
Returned
5
Telephone re-issues increased the overall household response rate by 0.5% but produced a
negligible increase in the number of diaries returned.
Fieldwork period extended
In addition to these re-issues, fieldwork was extended from the end of June 2001 to the end of
September 2001. The aim being to complete the maximum number of cases possible; there
had been a lag in fieldwork due to interviews being carried out in the months following the
ones they had been sampled for (e.g. some cases sampled for completion in March 2001 had
still not been completed by June 2001 etc).
5.2
Commentary on the completeness of the data
Note that in the tables in this section the figures for the two pilots and the UK 2000 TUS are
all unweighted, so they do not correct for the over-sampling of weekend days, non-response
or seasonal differences in response. For the UK 2000 TUS we use fully edited data, and all
20,981 records are included.
Main Activity
Table 8 and Figure 1 show the distribution of main activities in minutes, coded to the 1 digit
level for the SCPR and Ipsos-RSL pilots and the UK 2000 Time Use Survey (TUS) for both
respondents aged 14+ and children aged 8-13. The amount of time spent on each main
activity is very similar in each survey. The main difference is that the amount of ‘unspecified’
(missing) codes is significantly lower in the Ipsos-RSL pilot and UK 2000 TUS relative to the
SCPR pilot. It is likely that this improved data quality is a result of the introduction of the online coding system in place of the ‘paper and pencil’ coding used in the SCPR pilot.
The distribution of activities for the children in the UK 2000 TUS differs from that of adults
in predictable ways – more time spent on study, sport and outdoor activities and less time
spent in employment and on household and family care. It is also encouraging that children
provided only seven minutes more missing activity codes on average than the adults.
28
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Table 8 Distribution of Main Activities – Time in minutes per day [all figures unweighted]
Activity at One Digit Level
SCPR
Ipsos-RSL UK 2000 TUS UK 2000 TUS
Pilot
Pilot Adult diaries
Child diaries
(n=497)
(n=309)
(>14yrs)
(8-13yrs)
(n=18607)
(n=2374)
DML1@0 Personal Care
599
652
655
742
DML1@1 Employment
131
121
137
3
25
27
18
154
205
197
196
51
4
13
17
9
DML1@5 Social Life
83
97
94
64
DML1@6 Sports/Activities
15
18
17
36
DML1@2 Study
DML1@3 Household/Family Care
DML1@4 Volunteer Work
DML1@7 Hobbies/Games
DML1@8 Mass Media
DML1@9A Travel
DML1@9B Unspecified
TOTAL *
20
23
23
120
159
192
182
161
94
85
83
72
105
15
21
28
1440
1440
1440
1440
* The component data may not add up to 1440 minutes due to rounding
While some of the remaining differences between estimates across surveys may appear quite
large (15 minutes more, on average, spent in employment in the main stage survey relative to
the Ipsos-RSL pilot), they are actually all statistically equivalent when sampling error is taken
into account (at the 95% level of confidence).
Figure 1
Distribution of Activity Codes Across Surveys
800
700
Minutes per day
600
500
SCPR pilot
400
Ipsos pilot
300
UK 2000
T US adults
UK 2000
T US children
200
100
D
en
M
t
L1
H
ou
@
2
se
St
ho
ud
ld
D
M
y
/F
am
L1
@
ily
4
Ca
V
ol
re
un
te
D
e
M
rW
L1
or
D
@
k
M
5
L1
So
@
ci
al
6
Sp
Li
fe
o
D
r
ts/
M
Ac
L1
tiv
@
7
iti
H
es
ob
bi
D
es
M
/G
L1
am
@
es
8
M
as
sM
D
M
ed
L1
ia
@
D
9A
M
L1
Tr
@
av
9B
el
U
ns
pe
ci
fie
d
pl
oy
m
Em
L1
@
1
M
D
M
L1
@
3
D
D
M
L1
@
0
Pe
r
so
na
l
Ca
r
e
0
29
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Number of activity episodes
A second major aspect of main activity data quality is the number of activity episodes
reported per day. Although confounded with the actual amount of activities performed, the
number of episodes may be regarded as a measure of data quality as it represents the detail in
which respondents recorded their activities during the diary day. Table 9 shows the mean
number of main activity episodes reported for the SCPR and Ipsos-RSL pilots and the UK
2000 TUS at both the 1 and 4 digit levels.
The mean number of episodes are similar for the SCPR pilot and the UK 2000 TUS,
particularly at the 4-digit level. These results are distorted by the different amounts of missing
data for each survey. For instance, periods with no main activity will count as an episode
when it is actually more likely to be a continuation of a previous activity or the start of a later
one, rather than representing an additional, unspecified activity. Tables 10 and 11 therefore
control for the amount of missing data.
Table 9 Mean number of main activity episodes – all respondents
Survey
SCPR Pilot
Coding level
1 digit
4 digit
N Minimum
497
4
497
6
Maximum
52
71
Mean
21
27
Ipsos-RSL Pilot
1 digit
4 digit
351
351
5
5
44
50
19
23
UK 2000 Time Use Survey
1 digit
4 digit
20981
20981
1
1
71
81
23
26
30
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Tables 10 and 11 show the mean number of episodes for respondents with less than 20
minutes of missing data and with no missing data respectively. Missing data in this analysis
has been defined as time recorded as unspecified (codes 994 to 999). When the level of
missing data is taken into account, these tables show that the UK 2000 TUS captures slightly
more activities than the other two surveys (for both adults and children).
Table 10 Mean number of episodes – respondents with < 20 minutes missing data
Survey
Coding level
N
Minimum Maximum
Mean
SCPR Pilot
1 digit
4 digit
215
215
4
7
42
59
18
23
Ipsos-RSL Pilot - all
1 digit
4 digit
315
315
5
10
44
50
19
23
Ipsos-RSL pilot – (8-13yrs)
1 digit
4 digit
37
37
10
13
27
29
17
20
UK 2000 TUS - all
1 digit
4 digit
16155
16155
1
1
71
81
22
25
UK 2000 TUS
(8-13yrs)
1 digit
4 digit
1681
1681
1
1
50
54
19
21
As would be expected, on average, children report fewer episodes per day than adults; two to
three fewer episodes at the one digit level and four fewer at the four digit level. (Note: in
tables 10 and 11 adults are not shown separately). It is important to bear in mind, however,
that when using activity counts as a measure of data quality, there is the possibility that
differences in reporting reflects not only variation in data quality but also true differences in
the actual number of activities engaged in by respondents.
Table 11 Mean number of episodes – respondents with no missing data
Survey
Coding
level
1 digit
4 digit
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
160
160
4
9
40
55
17
22
Ipsos-RSL Pilot - all
1 digit
4 digit
309
309
5
5
44
50
19
23
Ipsos-RSL Pilot – (8-13 yrs)
1 digit
4 digit
36
36
10
13
27
29
17
20
UK 2000 TUS - all
1 digit
4 digit
13975
13975
1
1
61
81
22
25
UK 2000 TUS – (8-13yrs)
1 digit
4 digit
1382
1382
1
1
48
49
19
20
SCPR Pilot
31
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Secondary Activity
Table 12 shows the distribution of secondary activities for the Ipsos-RSL pilot and the UK
2000 TUS. Unfortunately it is not possible to make a direct comparison of the distribution of
secondary activities with the SCPR data. In the SCPR pilot, a ‘reduced’ coding frame was
used, while in the Ipsos-RSL pilot and the UK 2000 TUS, the main activity coding frame was
also used for secondary activities. However, one important comparison that is possible is the
total amount of time per day for which a secondary activity was recorded. For the SCPR pilot
this figure was 174 minutes per day while for the Ipsos-RSL pilot it was 288 minutes and 202
minutes in the UK 2000 TUS. The main cause of the difference between the Ipsos-RSL pilot
and the UK 2000 TUS in the level of reporting of secondary activities is the much higher rate
of media use (nearly an hour more per day) in the former survey. It is not entirely clear why
this difference has emerged but it may well be related to the small sample size used for the
pilot – with deviations from the true population mean likely with so many estimates being
made.
Table 12 Distribution of Secondary Activities – Adults diaries only (average minutes per day)
Activity at One Digit Level
DML1@0 Personal Care
DML1@1 Employment
DML1@2 Study
DML1@3 Household/Family Care
DML1@4 Volunteer Work
DML1@5 Social Life
DML1@6 Sports/Activities
DML1@7 Hobbies/Games
DML1@8 Mass Media
DML1@9A Travel
TOTAL TIME SECONDARY ACTIVITIES
Ipsos-RSL
Pilot
40
6
0
27
2
88
2
6
115
2
288
32
UK 2000
TUS
16
4
0
25
3
80
0
2
70
0
202
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Location
Next we turn to the location ‘tick box’ used to identify where the respondent was for each
activity period recorded in the diary. There is no table in the SCPR pilot report for the
location data so only the Ipsos-RSL pilot and UK 2000 TUS figures are reported in Table 13.
Again, the main thing to look for here is the level of missing data. In the UK 2000 TUS there
are on average 6 minutes per day in the adults diaries for which a location was not recorded
and 11 minutes in the children diaries. This is a considerable improvement on the Ipsos-RSL
pilot where the figures were 73 minutes missing for adults and 176 minutes for children. It
would appear from these results that a significant amount of time recorded as having no code
in the Ipsos-RSL and possibly the SCPR survey should correctly have no code as it is
sleep/work/study time. This may reflect the more extensive data quality checks which have
been carried out on the UK 2000 TUS results.
Table 13 Location of activities – average number of minute per day
Category
Location: Home
second home
work or school
other's homes
pub, café etc.
other specified
Sleep / work / study (no
location required)
Travelling
No location /travel code
Total
UK 2000 TUS
Adult
Child
diaries
diaries
510
373
1
0
4
9
47
83
21
5
72
82
675
784
Ipsos-RSL Pilot
Adult
Child
Diaries
diaries
525
421
0
0
5
24
35
58
20
7
60
70
615
592
108
73
1440
91
176
1440
104
6
1440
93
11
1440
The vast majority of time for all respondents is spent in the home or at sleep/work/study for
which a location code is not required.
33
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Who the respondent was with
Table 14 shows the amount of time per day that respondents ticked one or more of the ‘who
with’ tick boxes for the Ipsos-RSL pilot and the UK 2000 TUS, for both child and adult
diaries. Comparable figures are not available for the SCPR pilot as a different code frame was
used, although some comparisons can still be drawn between the three surveys.
Table 14 Level of Reporting for ‘Who With’ Tick Boxes
Category
At least one box ticked
Work/study/sleep (no ‘who
with' required)
No box ticked
Total
Ipsos-RSL Pilot
Adult
Child
diaries
diaries
704
706
615
592
121
1440
UK 2000 TUS
Adult
Child
diaries
diaries
704
590
675
784
142
1440
61
1440
66
1440
For the UK 2000 TUS respondents failed to record who they were with for about an hour
each day. The figures are similar for adults and children. This is much better than the IpsosRSL pilot, where respondents failed to record who they were with for about two hours each
day.
Children in the UK 2000 TUS recorded 3 hours more in 'work/study/sleep' (where no ‘who
with’ code was required) than in the Ipsos-RSL pilot, and nearly 2 hours less where at least
one ‘who with’ box was ticked.
The level of reporting for these variables in the Ipsos-RSL pilot and the UK 2000 TUS is
quite a bit better than the average for the SCPR pilot, which reported 399 minutes per day
with no ‘who with’ box ticked (although, the comparison is complicated by the fact that it is
not clear whether the SCPR figure discounts time spent working/sleeping). An additional
factor to bear in mind regarding table 14 is that the SCPR pilot used a special code which was
applied when there was no ‘who with’ box ticked but it was clear from the main activity
where the person was, or who the person was with etc. This was not implemented in the
Ipsos-RSL pilot or the UK 2000 TUS.
34
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
“About your diary day” – questions at the end of the diary
In the SCPR pilot, the questions at the end of the diary proved to have rather high levels of
missing data. For this reason a number of the questions were moved to different sections of
the interview schedule in the Ipsos-RSL pilot. However, some questions were still asked of
respondents at the end of the diary and this section looks at the level of reporting on these
items. These items were omitted from the child diaries and so figures presented here refer
only to the adult sample in the second Ipsos-RSL pilot.
Table 15 Response to Q1a: did you help someone
Response category
-9 not answered
1 helped someone
2 didn’t help someone
Total
SCPR Ipsos-RSL Pilot
Pilot
Adult diaries
%
%
6
5
17
13
78
83
100
100
UK 2000 TUS
Adult diaries
%
6
12
82
100
Perhaps of greatest interest is the level of response to the ‘did you help anyone outside your
household’ set of questions. These had previously been included as tick boxes in the main
diary but had been removed because of (a) the poor data quality obtained and (b) to make the
page format simpler by reducing the number of tick boxes. Table 15 shows, for the second
Ipsos-RSL pilot that responses to this question were obtained from 96% of respondents –
13% reporting having helped someone on that particular day. This resulted in a mean time of
21 minutes per day per respondent being reported in the follow up questions which is
virtually identical to the 23 minutes per day reported in the SCPR pilot through the tick box
format. These figures, then, support the decision to change the diary format in order to reduce
the respondent burden, particularly as the overall level of responding to the remaining tick
boxes in the second Ipsos-RSL pilot significantly improved on that from the SCPR pilot. The
figures for the first Ipsos-RSL pilot are very similar to those from the second Ipsos-RSL pilot,
although there was a slightly higher level of helping others reported in the former pilot.
Table 16 Missing data rates for other end of diary questions
Question
Q3 where started diary day
SCPR
Pilot
% missing
4
Ipsos-RSL Pilot
Adult diaries
% missing
2
UK 2000 TUS
Adult diaries
% missing
4
Q4 where ended diary day
4
2
4
Q7a
7
10
8
Q8
7
5
6
Q9
6
3
6
Note:
Q7a Were you on a trip to another locality (town) during the diary day?
Q8 Was this day unusual for any reason (eg a birthday, an anniversary, illness, a religious festival, a day spent on
holiday etc.
Q9 Did you have any problems filling in the diary.
35
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Of the remaining questions at the end of the diary, missing data levels were similar, although
slightly lower than, the SCPR pilot. Table 16 shows missing data levels ranging between 2%
and 10% (SCPR reported a range of 2-14%) for the five items asked of all respondents in the
second Ipsos-RSL pilot. Apart from question 7a, the level of missing data was lowest in the
second Ipsos-RSL pilot on all five questions.
Table 17 When respondent filled in diary
Response Category
1 During the diary day
SCPR
Pilot
%
Ipsos-RSL Pilot
Adult diaries
%
UK 2000 TUS
Adult diaries
%
54
43
38
2 At the end of the diary day
16
26
22
3 The day after the diary day
10
13
21
6
6
12
13
12
7
100
100
100
4 Later
7 Missing
Total
Finally, table 17 shows the response distribution for the question asking respondents when
they filled in the diary. The proportions show that respondents to the UK 2000 TUS were
more likely to complete the diary after the diary day than respondents to the pilots. Given the
small sample sizes in the pilots, any differences are as likely to be due to sampling error
rather than anything substantive.
36
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6.
Coding/editing instructions and list of activity codes
6.1
List of activity codes and amendments made to Eurostat coding frame
The coding frame for primary and secondary activities was based upon the most recent
version of the coding frame designed for Time Use studies and issued by Eurostat (February
2000). In conjunction with ONS and members of the Time Use Survey Steering Group,
Ipsos-RSL reviewed the coding frame, adding new UK-specific 4–digit codes where
necessary, and further clarifying existing codes by the inclusion of new examples or by
rewording to assist interpretation by UK coders.
The final version of the main activity code list is included in Appendix 3.
6.2
Coder instructions
The instructions issued to coders are included in Appendix 4.
Acceptable diaries for coding
Diaries that did not contain any main activity information were not scanned and hence not
coded. They were labelled as “blank”. In cases where less than half of a diary contained
information on main activities, the diaries were sent to members of the research team who
made the final decision as to whether they could be coded or not.
The coders were provided with a detailed explanation of the hierarchical structure of the UK
2000 TUS coding list. They were asked not to make any assumptions whilst coding the
diary. However, they were asked to look at the diary as a whole for a better understanding of
respondents’ activities. They were given a set of precise rules illustrated by several examples
for diary coding:
Rules for coding activities:
Rule 1:
Code the main activity to 4 or 3 digit level according to the Activity Coding List.
Rule 2:
Code xyz9 in case an activity is well described in the diary, but there is no
matching 4-digit alternative in the coding list
Rule 3:
Code xyz0 in case there is insufficient information for coding at the 4-digit level,
then code to 3 digits, using a 4-digit code xyz0 ending with one zero. Similarly,
code xy0 if there is insufficient information for coding at the 3-digit level
Rule 4:
Code x00 when there is insufficient information for coding at the 2-digit level,
Rule 5:
Select one of the missing data codes (994 - 999) when there is insufficient
information for coding at the 1-digit level (see below)
37
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Coding missing activities:
The decision was taken by ONS not to allow coders to estimate activity codes when
interpreting diaries, apart from in very limited circumstances in which they were 100%
certain that no other interpretation was reasonable (see Appendix 4: coding instructions).
A range of codes for missing data were available as follows:
994 – Punctuating activity
995 – Filling in time use diary
996 – no main activity, no idea what it might be
997 – no main activity, some idea what it might be
998 – Illegible
999 – Unspecified
Code 994 is used to denote a “punctuating event”, in other words, where the diary keeper has
recorded a short incident that splits up the diary day, but does not in itself constitute a
personal activity. For example, “husband came home” or “son left for school”.
Code 995 is for time spent filling in the diary, and strictly speaking is not a missing activity.
Codes 996 and 997 are used when nothing is written to describe the activity, but 997 is used
when there is an indication of what the activity might be (eg that the previous activity
probably continued).
Two other codes relating to problems with data interpretation were also included in the
coding frame. Code 998 is used where an activity is entered in the diary, but this is illegible to
the coder. Code 999 is used when an activity is described which could not be fitted into the
coding frame.
Rules for coding multiple activities
Further rules for coding multiple activities were specified and illustrated with detailed
examples:
Rule 1:
Apply when more than one main activity is entered without any recorded
secondary activity information:
• If activities are simultaneous, and one of the activities is likely to be the
consequence of the other, this activity is coded as secondary
• If activities are simultaneous, and none of the activities are likely to be the
consequence of the other, the activity first mentioned is coded as the main
activity, and the other as the secondary activity
• If activities are sequential, and one of them is clearly longer than the other, the
longest activity should be coded as the main activity.
• If activities are sequential, and none of them is clearly longer than the other,
the activity first mentioned should be coded as the main activity.
38
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Rule 2:
Apply when more than one main activity entered, secondary activity information
also recorded;
•
The main activity should be the one that is predominant during the time period
depending on all the other activities and their importance, or the one with the
longest duration
•
Secondary activity is to be the activity that is of secondary importance, or of
second longest duration.
The coders were instructed that secondary activities would not necessarily be continuous
throughout the diary day, and hence missing diary codes should not be used for the secondary
activity column. In addition, in those instances where the diary had secondary activity
information but no main activity record, coders were asked to code the main activity
according to what was entered for the secondary one.
Special emphasis was given to punctuating events, which are “short incidents that split up the
diary day but do not fill a full ten minute time slot”. In these situations coders were asked to
code 994.
The coders were given a list of ambiguous situations and an explanation of their coding.
Coding journeys:
The UK 2000 TUS adopted a different way of coding a journey to Eurostat.
Eurostat defined a journey as: “A circle with a common starting and ending point and a
turning point”
Consequently the coding of a journey started with identification of this “circle”.
However the UK 2000 TUS defined a journey as: “The basic unit of travel, a one-way course
of travel having a single main purpose”
In the UK 2000 TUS, outward and return halves of a return journey were treated as two
separate journeys. These differences in the definition of journeys lead to different coding of
journeys in both surveys, which would need to be considered carefully, should results be
compared.
Rules for coding location:
Rule 1:
Code using two digit code frame, using missing codes when necessary
Rule 2:
Input a location code when respondent provides no location information, which
may be 99% inferred from the activity information.
39
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Rules for coding who the respondent was with:
Rule 1: Enter code 9 in the first column if no information is given in any of the five
columns, as the first column is mutually exclusive form the other columns.
Coders were asked not to change diary entries to correspond with any of the answers given in
this section.
Rules for coding questions at back of diary:
Coders were instructed not to change some of the possible illogical responses to the questions
at the back of the diary unless information in the diary entries could clarify the illogical
response.
Coding open-ended questions on household & individual questionnaires
Open responses needed to be coded for certain questions in the household and individual
questionnaires, as well as for questions included at the back of the diary.
Geodemographic data
As with the pilot data, Experian, a company specialising in geodemographic analysis,
matched the main data with their own database and appended a variety of key demographic
information together with their household base segmentations Pixel and Mosaic.
6.3
Checking and editing the data
Household Questionnaire
A number of feasibility checks were carried out on the household data either at the editing
stage by Ipsos-RSL or by the ONS as part of their data quality checking.
a) Hard checks on age
• A parent/guardian should be older than their child.
• A child should be younger that their parent/guardian
• A foster parent should be older than their foster children.
• A foster child should be younger that their foster parent/guardian
• A grandparent should be older than their grandchild.
• A grandchild should be younger than their grandparent.
b) Soft checks on age
• A parent or a grandparent should be older than 15.
• A step-/in law parent is usually older than their step-/in law child.
• A step-/in law child is usually younger than their step-/in law child.
• A married or cohabiting person is over 16.
Similarly range edits were applied to the household questionnaire for questions, I, J, 6b, 9c,
9g and 9h,
40
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Individual Questionnaire
Range checks were applied to questions: 10, 12, 12a, 13c, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 15c, 16f, 21bi,
q23c, 24b, 24g, 24h, 27d, 27e, 30, and 41
Worksheet
Checks were made on time overlaps so that first and second/third jobs did not overlap.
Diary
The following checks were applied to the diary data:
Diary part:
• If the main activity is sleep, employment or school the secondary activity must be
blank.
•
If the main or the secondary activity is travelling, the location must be one of the
travel codes (ie it cannot be “Unspecified”, “Home”, “Second home or weekend
house”, “Working place or school”, “Other people’s home”, “Restaurant, café or pub”
or “Other specified location”).
•
If during a lunch break (or coffee break) at work the respondent went shopping,
'shopping' should be recorded as the main activity, and 'lunch break' as the secondary
activity (not vice versa).
Questionnaire part:
• Time started must be before time ended.
•
If the respondent is at home at the start of the dairy then the location for the same
period should be unspecified location, at home or second home or weekend house.
•
If the respondent is somewhere else at the start of the diary time, the location for the
same period can not be at home or second home or a weekend house.
•
If the respondent is at home at the end of the dairy day than the location for the same
period should be unspecified location, at home or second home or weekend house.
• If the respondent is somewhere else at the end of dairy day time, the location for the
same period can not be at home or second home or a weekend house.
• If the diary is filled out in a working day than check main and secondary activities do
contain employment related codes.
• If the dairy is not filled out in a working day, main and secondary activities should not
contain employment related codes.
Diary editing - missing sleep
There was automatic editing of some missing early morning and late evening data:
•
Leading (early am) missing data preceded by sleep and ending in personal care
was recoded as sleep
•
Trailing (late pm) missing data ending in sleep was recoded as sleep
41
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Development of the ROCC data-entry system
Following the SCPR Time Use pilot conducted in 1997, it was felt that a more automated
means of diary coding would be of benefit to the survey. For this reason, Ipsos-RSL
commissioned ROCC to design a package (using Formware software) whereby diaries could
be coded on-line, thereby avoiding the need for “punching” of codes, and allowing edit
checks and verification procedures to be built into the software package.
The system was judged to be successful. The verification part of the program took the coders
back through their work, and highlighted any incompatible codes or missing data within the
diary. Thus, more complete and accurate coding was achieved.
The coding frame for the survey was programmed such that, for each time slot, the coder
would be taken through a hierarchy of codes on screen, until reaching the desired “branch” of
the coding frame. Function keys allowed the fast duplication of codes covering several time
slots and allowed coders to move backwards and forwards through the images of the diary
pages on screen, thereby allowing them to interpret the diary efficiently, and return to sections
to amend codes if necessary.
6.4
Further editing of diary missing data
Since the data was first launched the ONS has reviewed the editing procedures carried out in
the survey. This work has involved analysis of a selection of the original diaries and also
consultation about editing practices in other countries and with Methods group staff within
the ONS. All changes have been agreed by the Time Use Steering Group, which is made up
of the co-funders of the survey.
The diary data originally deposited at the ESRC Data Archive includes all the ‘missing
activity codes (994 - 999)’ as they were originally coded by Ipsos-RSL. The instructions to
Ipsos-RSL were very specific that unless they were completely sure that an activity was
taking place in any 10 minute time slot, then a missing code should be entered. The intention
was always that this ‘missing time’ should be reassessed and edited where appropriate. Only
sleep time was added by Ipsos-RSL where a respondent had obviously simply forgotten to
indicate the period at the start or end of the day was spent sleeping.
42
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Examination of missing codes
There are 6 codes in the coding frame to describe various forms of missing data:
Table 18 Codes for missing activities
Code
Description
994
Punctuating activity - Momentary events that do not describe activities of the
respondent, and which may or may not be followed by a change in the respondent’s
main activity
995
Filling in the time use diary – Activities related to the time use diary itself
996
No main activity, no idea what it might be
997
No main activity, some idea what it might be – No main activity but the coder has
some idea from the rest of the diary what it might be (eg where there is no citation
mark)
998
Illegible activity – Where there is a main activity, but it cannot be interpreted
because of illegible handwriting.
999
Unspecified time use – Where main activity is legible, but is completely unspecified
in the coding frame, and therefore impossible to code even to 1 digit.
Code 996 and 997 are different in nature from the other 'missing' codes, and can be
considered as the 'true' missing codes. For all of the codes above apart from 996 and 997, the
respondent actually wrote something in the diary which would imply an activity taking place,
but we have no certain way of second guessing what the activity might have been.
For both codes 996 and 997 a selection of diaries were examined to investigate instances
where these codes have been used. Code 997 is used where a respondent had throughout the
diary written in a description at the start of an activity but had not indicated that the activity
was continuing ie they have not used the requested 'continuation lines' or citation marks, but
clearly the activity is continuing. Code 996 is used when an activity could not sensibly have
continued to fill the gap, for example if someone recorded eating lunch at 1pm and the next
activity was recorded at 4pm.
Further editing
Two additional edits were carried out on the diary data:
(i) Editing missing personal care & missing travel
In the following situations it is judged that personal care or travel are missing:
•
If a person is asleep, gets up, and there are missing time slots (ie those coded 996 or 997),
but no 'wash/dress', one time slot is coded as 'wash/ dress'.
•
If a person has changed location, and there is no travel recorded on the diary, but there are
missing time slots (996 or 997), one time slot is coded as 'unspecified travel'.
43
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
This editing procedure changed very few time slots. 330 time slots in total were changed:
188 time slots with code 996, and 142 with code 997.
(ii) Editing code 997 - missing activity but with some idea what it is
When code 997 has been used it is assumed that the missing activity is the previous activity
continued. A conservative approach was adopted and this editing was limited to situations
with up to an hour (ie 6 time slots) of time containing code 997.
Table 19 Number of time slots with code 997 changed to previous code
Number of time slots with
consecutive codes 997
1 slot missing
2 slots missing
3 slots missing
4 slots missing
5 slots missing
6 slots missing
Total
Number of time
slots changed
4031
3026
1953
1688
1640
858
13196
The total time slots changed by both these new edits was 13196 + 330 = 13526
Affect of further editing on the amount of missing data
The tables below sum up the number of changes made in the further editing of the time slots.
The changes are expressed in two ways - first in relation to the total number of time slots,
then secondly in relation to the amount of missing data per diary.
Table 20 Number of missing time slots for main activity
Category
ALL TIME SLOTS *
Before editing
After editing
Number
%
Number
%
3,021,264
100 3,021,264
100
Code 996 (missing, no idea)
Code 997 (missing, some idea)
29,537
19,417
Total missing
48,954
29,349
6,079
1.6
35,428
1.2
* ALL TIME SLOTS = 20981 diaries x 144 time slots per diary = 3,021,264
The proportion of time slots with the activity missing (ie those with codes 996 or 997) was
already small prior to the extra editing - just 1.6% of all time slots. The extra editing reduced
this still further, to 1.2% of all time slots.
44
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Table 21 Diaries with missing time slots for main activity (% of all diaries)
Amount of missing time
(codes 996 + 997)
Before extra
editing
% missing
72.2
After extra
editing
% missing
81.0
30 mins or less missing
85.4
89.4
60 mins or less missing
90.5
92.7
90 mins or less missing
93.2
95.0
120 mins or less missing
94.8
96.3
300 mins or less missing
98.4
98.9
0 mins missing
The extra editing had the greatest effect on those diaries with the least amount of missing
time. After the extra editing, the proportion of diaries with 30 mins or less missing increased
by 5 percentage points to 89.4%, while the proportion with 90 mins or less missing increased
by 1.8 percentage points to 95.0%, and the proportion with 300 mins or less missing
increased by just 0.5 percentage points to 98.9%.
New data file deposited at ESRC data archive July 2003
A new data file was deposited at the ESRC data archive in July 2003. The main impetus to
creating a new data file was to include updated weights, based on the 2001 Census. The data
file also includes the extra editing described above. The original data file without this editing
will still be available for comparison. However, it should be noted that the revised weights
on the new file (see section 7) are only available for those diaries which ONS recommend for
use (see section 6.5 below).
6.5
Inclusion of diaries for analysis by ONS
The full diary data file has 20,981 records of variable quality. In any analysis carried out by
ONS poor quality diaries will be excluded, using the following criteria:
(i)
(ii)
Diaries with fewer than 5 episodes are excluded (just 26 diaries - 0.1 % of all
diaries)
Diaries containing more than 90 minutes of missing data (codes 996 + 997) are
excluded. This rule is applied after the extra editing described in the previous
section, and excludes about 5% of all diaries
These changes have been agreed by the Time Use Steering Group.
The application of both these criteria means that ONS will use about 95% of the original
diary responses for future analysis. The table below shows the number of 'usable' diaries:
45
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Table 22 Number of diaries selected for analysis by ONS
Number
(%)
14,423
(100.0)
9,517
66.0
864
6.0
10,381
72.0
Individuals keeping diaries
Potential diary keepers
Both diaries 'usable' by ONS
One diary 'usable'
Sub-total - one or more diaries 'usable'
1 or more diaries partially completed
No diaries
192
1.3
3,850
26.7
Diaries
Total potential diaries
28,846
Total diaries returned - including 'partials'
20,981
(100.0)
26
0.1
1,057
5.0
19,898
94.8
- excluded: fewer than 5 episodes
- excluded: more than 90 mins missing
Total 'usable' diaries
The table above shows that 10,381 people provided 19,898 'usable' diaries ie diaries with 5 or
more episodes and with 90 mins or less of missing time. See also Table 6 for comparison
with the original diary responses. Note that all 20,981 diaries will still be available on the
diary data file.
Implication for weights
The new weights calculated for the diary file are based on the 19,898 'usable' diaries as
defined above, rather than on all 20,981 diaries (see section 7).
6.6
Coder reliability
The Reliability of Activity Codes
The choice of ‘own words’ as opposed to pre-coded diaries in the UK 2000 TUS provides a
very detailed view of the range of activities conducted in the everyday lives of people in the
UK. It also affords a great deal of flexibility in the development of the existing coding frame
and the introduction of new codes as these became seen as necessary during the course of the
survey and beyond. However, as the verbatim responses must be converted to nominal
categories on a coding frame, an additional source of error is introduced into the data
collection process, relative to using a fixed set of pre-coded activity alternatives.
This coding error reduces the reliability of the estimators, manifesting itself in the form of
larger standard errors and, therefore, less precise estimates and a higher probability of Type II
errors in hypothesis testing (Kish 1962). Unreliability also attenuates estimates of the
structural relationships between variables. For example, the correlation between time spent
minding children and time spent on leisure activities, will be biased in a downward direction
if either or both of these measurements contain unreliable variance (Blalock 1963).
46
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Study Design
In order to assess the reliability of the coding of main activities from the diary, a coder
reliability study was conducted. This involved getting five members of the coding team who
had worked on the main survey to code the same forty diaries using the on-line system
employed for the main stage coding. Within the available budget it was not possible to draw a
random sample of diaries as this strategy, although theoretically preferable, would have been
unlikely to achieve an adequate coverage of the ten activity codes at the highest level of the
coding frame hierarchy.
Therefore, the diaries were selected purposively to ensure that satisfactory reliability
estimates could be obtained for all of the ten main activity codes at the one digit level and for
a range of ‘key’ activity codes at the three and four digit levels. Comparing the distribution of
main activities from the main survey with that from the subset of diaries used for this study
(Figure 2) reveals a very similar pattern. We should not, therefore, be too concerned about
having sacrificed representativeness for better coverage of the coding frame.
The unit of analysis in this study is the ten minute time slot, 144 of which comprise a diary
day. As there were 40 diaries, each comprising 144 main activity codes and 5 coders
participated in the study, the total number of activity codes was 28,800 and the total number
of paired comparisons was 57,600. The measure of reliability employed in this study is the
Proportion of agreement, P, which gives the percentage of all paired comparisons that were
given the same code for the same ten minute time slot by all five coders. This was preferred
to a widely used alternative measure of reliability, Kappa, (Cohen 1960) which makes an
adjustment for chance agreement because P is conceptually clearer and, even at the highest
level of the activity coding hierarchy, there is only a 1% probability of chance agreement
between two coders, so the adjustment would have only a very marginal impact on reliability
estimates.
Figure 2 Distribution of Main Activities across Studies
47
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
A benefit of using P as a measure of reliability (although this is also true of Kappa) is that it
can be broken down into various constituent indices which are also of substantive interest,
namely the reliability of individual coders and of individual codes (Kalton and Stowell 1979).
The overall P for the whole coding frame is an average figure which can mask a great deal of
variation in reliability across codes and coders. These additional measures, then, provide
some insight into the nature and extent of this variation and can also be used in the future for
the estimation of complex standard errors which take into account correlated, in addition to
simple, coder variance (Kalton and Stowell 1979, Campanelli et al 1995).
Overall and Individual Coder Reliabilities
Table 23 shows the overall Proportion of agreement for the whole coding frame and for the
five individual coders at both the one and three digit levels. Also included in Table 23 are the
equivalent figures obtained in a coding reliability study conducted by SCPR2 as part of the
pilot for this survey (Sturgis and Lynn 1998). Encouragingly, the P coefficients in Table 23
show very high aggregate levels of reliability with 89% of paired comparisons matching at the
3 digit level and 94% matching at the 1 digit level. There is also very little variation in
reliability across each of the five coders, the largest gap being 3% at the 3 digit level.
Table 23 Reliabilities for Whole Coding Frame and Individual Coders
Level
Coder 1
Coder 2
Coder 3
Coder 4
Coder 53
Overall
3 digit level
74%
75%
75%
77%
N/A
75%
SCPR Pilot
1 digit level
83%
89%
88%
89%
N/A
87%
3 digit level
91%
90%
90%
88%
88%
89%
UK 2000 TUS
1 digit level
95%
95%
94%
94%
94%
94%
To give an idea of the real meaning of these figures it is helpful to know that four coders
applying code X and one coder applying a different code, Y, results in a P of 60% (i.e. 60% of
paired comparisons are the same),while three coders applying code X and two coders
applying a different code, Y, results in a P of 40% and so on. 94% aggregate agreement then,
represents a very close correspondence between the codes applied by the five coders. By this
estimate, the increase in the variance of the sample mean relative to a measure with 100%
reliability is only around 6% for codes at this level of the hierarchy.
The reliability estimates obtained here also compare favourably with those obtained
previously in the SCPR study. There are a number of reasons why this might be so. In the
SCPR pilot, although the format of the diaries was very similar in all respects to those used in
the UK 2000 TUS, the nature of the coding task was quite different. Sections of complete
diaries were coded ‘by hand’ by writing the activity codes on the actual diaries with start and
stop times to indicate the boundaries of activity episodes. These data were then later keyed by
hand to produce the analysed data set. In the UK 2000 TUS study, a scanned version of the
diary appeared on screen and a key stroke indicating the relevant activity was required for
2
3
Now National Centre for Social Research.
Only 4 coders took part in the SCPR study.
48
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
every ten minute time slot. These results would appear to indicate that the latter method is to
be preferred in terms of the reliability of the data obtained.
A second difference between the coding operations in the two studies was the availability of
an on-line coding frame in the UK 2000 TUS, while in the SCPR study coders had to rely on
a traditional paper code book to identify the appropriate code for each own words response. It
is possible that the enhanced speed and flexibility of the on-line system resulted in a more
consistent application of codes reflected in the higher levels of agreement in the UK 2000
TUS study.
Finally, it is possible that differences in the composition of the activities in the diaries used in
the two studies might have affected the reliability estimates obtained. In the SCPR study only
three hour sections of diaries were selected for coding, while in the UK 2000 TUS study
whole diaries were coded. Furthermore, the SCPR study deliberately omitted any diary
sections covering the hours between 10pm and 1pm so as to avoid large periods in which the
only activity was ‘sleeping’. As will be demonstrated in later analyses, sleep (or ‘personal
care’ at the one digit level) is one of the most reliable codes in the frame so omitting these
sections is likely to have biased the estimate of overall reliability in a downward direction. It
is difficult to evaluate, therefore, the extent to which these differences in aggregate reliability
are a consequence of differences in the nature and conduct of the coding exercise or are
merely artefacts of the specific samples used in each study.
Reliabilities of Individual Codes
As was noted earlier, the aggregate reliabilities presented in Table 23 are a weighted average
of the reliabilities of the individual codes which together constitute the frame. It is possible,
therefore, that with a large number of codes, these aggregate figures might mask a good deal
of variation across individual codes, with heavily used, reliable codes obscuring the poor
reliabilities of less frequently used ones. We can obtain the reliability of individual codes by
taking the conditional probability that the second of two randomly selected coders will apply
the code in question, given that the first coder has already applied that code (Fleiss 1971).
Table 24 shows the proportions of agreement for all ten codes at the highest, one digit level of
the coding frame.
Table 24 Reliabilities of Individual Codes 1 Digit Level
CODE
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
% OF ALL
CODES
43.65
6.44
5.89
15.47
2.77
5.56
1.86
2.58
9.07
6.71
P
97.2
95.7
96.0
91.2
87.4
78.6
82.3
89.9
94.4
86.3
The reliabilities range in value from a low of 78.6% for code 5 (Entertainment and Culture) to
a high of 97.2% for code 0 (Personal Care). It would indeed seem to be the case then that
there is quite considerable variation in the reliabilities with which different codes in the frame
49
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
are applied. The highly reliable code 0 for personal care, which amounts to 44% of all codes
applied, is clearly having a significant impact on the overall reliability of 94%.
However, despite the fact that some codes appear to be considerably less reliable than others,
the overall level of reliability is still more than satisfactory by traditional standards. Landis
and Koch (1977), for instance, propose that values greater than 75% represent “excellent”
rates of agreement between coders. Values falling between 40% and 75% represent “fair to
good” levels of agreement and only reliabilities less than 40% do they rate as “poor” interrater agreement.
It is possible to disaggregate this analysis still further by looking at the reliabilities of codes at
the three and four digit level of the frame. Because some of the codes at this, the lowest level
of the hierarchy, were not applied very frequently, it was not possible to derive reliable
estimates for all codes. For this reason, reliability estimates were only calculated for codes
that were applied at least ten or more times across all coders. Nonetheless, the codes for
which reliabilities were calculated in Table 25 represent 95% of all codes applied in this
study.
The range of reliabilities presented for the different codes in Table 25 is very wide indeed,
spanning the complete range from 0% to 100%. Adopting Landis and Koch’s range criteria
only 13% of codes at this level can be described as having ‘poor’ reliability while 47% are
‘fair to good’ and 40% are ‘excellent’. The equivalent values for the SCPR pilot, which was
based on a much smaller sample, were 31%, 22% and 47% respectively. While the proportion
in the ‘excellent’ category is lower in the current study, the proportion of codes with a ‘poor’
level of reliability is also significantly lower, indicating a better overall level of agreement
across all codes investigated.
Table 25 Reliabilities of Individual Codes 3/4 Digit Level
CODE
V0110
V0210
V0300
V0310
V1110
V2110
V2120
V2190
V3110
V3130
V3210
V3240
V3290
V3310
V3320
V3330
V3410
V3430
V3440
V3610
V3611
V3619
% OF ALL
CODES
33.4
6.5
0.1
3.4
6.1
5.2
0.4
0.2
3.0
1.0
1.8
1.1
0.4
0.8
0.8
0.4
1.4
0.3
0.3
1.3
0.4
0.2
P
99.1
84.4
0.0
74.4
92.4
96.0
71.3
40.5
85.1
81.5
66.2
46.7
65.8
82.5
95.3
88.5
88.0
55.4
100.0
51.7
53.8
21.7
50
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
V3710
V3819
V3830
V4220
V4230
V4240
V4271
V4273
V4310
V4320
V5110
V5120
V5130
V5140
V5190
V5310
V6143
V6144
V6160
V6171
V6190
V7231
V7250
V7251
V7259
V7260
V7310
V7320
V8100
V8110
V8120
V8190
V8210
V8219
V9130
V9210
V9360
V9420
V9430
V9500
V9510
V9610
V9810
V9890
V9950
V9970
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.6
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.8
0.3
1.8
0.2
0.8
0.9
1.5
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.6
0.5
0.5
1.0
0.9
0.2
5.2
0.7
0.6
0.6
1.6
0.3
0.1
0.6
0.5
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.6
0.3
60.8
70.5
55.8
64.6
70.0
50.0
51.6
54.0
44.0
82.4
36.8
62.4
50.0
80.8
31.6
48.8
64.8
59.5
87.5
90.9
58.0
35.0
58.3
62.5
13.7
77.5
75.0
35.3
44.6
84.4
45.4
83.3
86.5
93.2
82.3
85.3
54.0
35.5
62.5
54.9
37.1
71.6
80.9
75.0
77.3
49.1
51
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7
Weighting and Sampling Errors
7.1
Overview of Weighting
Introduction
This section explains:
•
•
The purpose of weights
For each data file in turn:
- the weights available
- how the weights were derived
The purpose of weights
The overall reason for weighting is to compensate for the ways in which the survey data may
not be representative of the population. There can be different reasons why survey data is not
representative, and we can correct for each:
Different sampling probabilities
We can weight to remove the bias caused by the use of different sampling probabilities. For
example, in surveys where only one adult per household is interviewed, those living in
households with more than one adult will have a lower probability (less of a chance) of being
selected than those adults living on their own. Similarly, some surveys may deliberately
under- or over-sample some categories of person, which would then need to be corrected for
at the weighting stage.
Sample-based non-response weighting.
We can weight to correct for the bias caused by particular groups in the sample not
responding to the survey. For instance, young single men are typically hard to contact and
interview, and non-response weights would correct for their under-representation in the
survey data.
Population-based non-response weighting
We can weight to make sure that the proportions of people in, for example, each age group,
sex and region are the same in the sample as they are in the whole population. Populationbased weighting will also compensate for non-coverage of the sampling frame and random
sampling imbalance (i.e. when the sample selected does not exactly mirror the population) as
well as non-response.
Weighting to population levels
The weighting described above will give us figures for the number of people in the sample
(and therefore the proportions of the sample) that for example swim, watch TV, or do
whatever. We can also devise a 'grossing' weight which will inflate these figures to the total
number of people in the population who swim, watch TV etc.
The Time Use Survey uses weights for all of the reasons above.
52
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Time Use Survey - background
The survey was designed to achieve a representative sample of the population of households
and individuals in private households in the UK. Selected household heads or their partners
completed a household questionnaire. All individuals aged 8 or over were asked to complete
individual questionnaires, two one-day diaries (for a weekday & a weekend day) and a one
week work and education time sheet. Four data files were produced: a household
questionnaire file, an individual questionnaire file, a diary file and a 'worksheet' file.
Below we look at each data file in turn, and describe the weights available and how they were
derived. The most detailed explanation is given for the diary file weights. Much of this
explanation then also holds true for the weights on the other data files.
53
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Diary weights
Diary weights available
There are two weights on the diary file
(i) wtdry_ug - the 'ungrossed' weight, which weights to the achieved sample size.
(ii) wtdry_gr - the 'grossed' weight, which weights to UK population of those aged
8yrs or more living in private households (52,222,149)
These take into account (i) survey non-response and (ii) the differential sampling of weekdays
& weekend days.
The weight most often used is wtdry_ug, which produces tables which show the same sample
total as the unweighted tables (i.e. the same number as the achieved sample, 19,898 records).
Deriving diary weights
Calculating the diary weights is a two stage process:
(a) Calculating the preliminary non-response weights
(b) Weighting (or 'calibration') to UK population characteristics
These are explained more fully below:
a) Non-response weights
We actually looked at response, which is the inverse of non-response. Response was divided
into 3 components:
(i) Household contact rate
(ii) Household co-operation rate
(iii) Diary response rate.
Separate models were constructed to predict each of these response rates. A software
package called 'Answertree' was used to find the variables which were the best predictors of
each component of response. These variables included region, population density, household
income, household type, tenure, number of children, and so on.
For each of these 3 components of response, people were placed into categories and the
response rate calculated for each category. The weights were then the reciprocals of the 3
response rates, and a preliminary non-response weight was calculated as the product of these
3 weights.
Applying these preliminary weights therefore raises the number of people in the achieved
sample to the number of people in the set (or drawn) sample.
Definition of diary response
A person was counted as responding if they had completed 1 or more diaries of the required
standard. A diary is of the required standard if it has (a) 90 minutes or less of missing time
(i.e. time unaccounted for) and (b) 5 or more separate 'episodes'. A new episode is defined if
any details relating to an activity change from one time period to the next i.e. if there is a new
main or secondary activity, a new location, or who the activity was carried out with changes.
54
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
The weights on the previous version of this data file used a different definition of response all diaries were included (20,981), irrespective of the amount of missing time. The new
definition of response on the current data file means that we include 19,898 diaries as
'response'. However, all 20,981 diaries remain on the data file, but only the 19,898 diaries
(NB kept by 10,381 people) which count as response have weights (for the rest the weights
are missing).
b) Calibration to UK population characteristics
The next step was then to weight this pre-weighted sample to be representative of the UK
population. This was done for age group by sex and separately for Government Office
Region. A calibration method (using software called CALMAR) was used which aimed to
align both the household and individual distributions of the sample on these characteristics
with the UK population. Calibration weighting is a sophisticated method of weighting which
can align the sample distributions with those in the population on several characteristics
simultaneously, while maintaining the initial weights as closely as possible. Thus it ensures
that when we get the correct age group/sex and region distributions for individuals and also
the best possible estimates of the unknown household distributions based on these
characteristics (e.g. of household size, households with children etc.).
Day of week and month calibration
The weighting so far gives us a diary file with the correct person distribution. We also need
to ensure we have a correct diary-day distribution i.e. that we have the same number of diaries
for each day. There were different sampling rates for weekdays & weekends (weekends were
oversampled), and some respondents completed only one diary day rather than the two
requested.
We also know that the sample size varies by month (for instance, the sample in December
was quite low). Therefore, to avoid a seasonal bias in the data, the calibration also aligned
the sample to flat distributions across the 12 months as well as the seven days of the week.
On the previous version of this data file the seasonal and weekday/ weekend adjustment had
been carried out as a third weighting step, after the calibration to population characteristics,
and using different population categories. By incorporating this step with the calibration
weighting we ensure that the sample distribution remains the same as the UK population
distribution.
The population information for this exercise came from 2000 population estimates based on
the 2001 Census (the weights on the previous version of this data file had used 2000
population estimates based on the 1991 Census).
* For a detailed explanation of the derivation of the weighting categories see Section 7.2.
55
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Individual questionnaire weights
Individual weights available
There are two weights on the individual questionnaire file
(i) Wtpq_ug - the 'ungrossed' weight, which weights to the achieved sample size.
(ii) Wtpq_gr - the 'grossed' weight, which weights to UK population of those aged
8yrs or more living in private households (52,222,149)
The weight most often used is the ungrossed weight, wtpq_ug, which produces weighted
tables which have the same total as the unweighted tables (i.e. the achieved sample size,
11664 records).
Note that the previous version of this data file had weights (grossed only).
Deriving individual weights
a) Non-response weights
These were calculated using 3 separate models for response, similar to those created for diary
response. A non-response weight had been calculated in this fashion for the previous version
of this data file, and this work was still considered valid for the new weights.
b) Calibration to UK population characteristics
The weighted individual questionnaire data was then further weighted to match the new data
for UK population characteristics. This was carried out for age group by sex and separately
for region. No adjustment was made for season.
56
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Worksheet weights
Worksheet weights available
Note there were no weights on the previous version of the worksheet data file.
There are two weights on this worksheet file
(i) WtWrk_ug - the 'ungrossed' weight, which weights to the achieved sample size.
(ii) WtWrk_gr - the 'grossed' weight, which weights to UK population of those aged
8yrs or more living in private households (52,222,149)
The weight most often used is the ungrossed weight, wtwrk_ug, which produces weighted
tables which have the same total as the unweighted tables (i.e. the achieved sample, 9823
records).
Deriving worksheet weights
We have worksheets for 9823 people (including valid blanks for those not working). Most of
those who completed a worksheet also completed a diary. Because of this overlap we are
able to use existing weights mainly from the diary rather than create them from scratch.
a) Non-response weights
These were taken from the file of those keeping diaries. Where no diary weight existed, a
questionnaire weight was used.
b) Calibration to UK population characteristics
The weighted worksheet data was then further weighted to match the new UK population
characteristics. This was carried out as for the diary i.e. for age group by sex and separately
for region, but omitting the adjustment for season and day of week.
57
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Household questionnaire weights
Household weights available
Note there were no weights on the previous version of the household data file.
There are three sets of weights on this household file
(i) Households with diary-keepers: WtDh_ug & WtDh_gr - 'ungrossed' & 'grossed'
weights respectively for those households containing people who kept diaries
(4981 households). Response is defined as a household having at least one diary
(these households therefore account for all the diaries in the diary file).
(ii) Households with worksheet-keepers: WtWh_ug & WtWh_gr - 'ungrossed' &
'grossed' weights respectively for those households containing people who kept
worksheets (4687 households). Response is defined as a household having at
least one worksheet (these households therefore account for all the worksheets in
the worksheet file).
(iii) Households with diary and worksheet-keepers: Wtdwh_ug & Wtdwh_gr 'ungrossed' & 'grossed' weights respectively for those households containing both
diary-keepers and worksheet-keepers (4596 households). Response is defined as
a household having at least one worksheet and at least one diary (note this is and,
not or).
There are no separate weights for non-response to the household questionnaire - it is
anticipated that household data will only be used in conjunction with the dairy or worksheet
data. So, if one were creating household aggregates from the diary file and wanted to look at
the characteristics of those households, WtDh_ug or WtDh_gr should be used.
Deriving household weights
a) Non-response weights
It was not necessary to derive these from scratch. For all 3 sets of weights, these were taken
from the files of those keeping diaries or those keeping worksheets.
b) Calibration to UK population characteristics
The weighted household data was then further weighted to match the new UK population
characteristics. This was carried out as for the diary i.e. for age group by sex and separately
for region, but omitting the adjustment for season and day of week.
58
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Diary file - person level weights
Diary - person level weights available
There is a file separate from the 4 data files which contains 2 person level weights for the
diary:
(i) WtDt_ug - the 'ungrossed' weight, which weights to the achieved sample size.
(ii) WtDt_gr - the 'grossed' weight, which weights to UK population of those aged
8yrs or more living in private households (52,222,149)
These are the weights to use for carrying out any analysis of diary data at person level i.e.
when the diary data has been aggregated to produce averages per person rather than per day.
There were 10,381 people who completed 19,898 diaries. Of necessity these weights have
been stored in a separate file from the individual questionnaire file because we have diaries
completed by those who did not complete an individual questionnaire.
Deriving diary person-level weights
These weights were an interim step in the production of the diary file weights:
a) Non-response weights
These were simply the non-response weights from the calculation of the diary file weights.
b) Calibration to UK population characteristics
These were the calibration weights for the diary file, with the seasonal adjustment but without
the day-of-week adjustment.
59
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7.2
Method of non-response weighting
This part of the report was prepared by Dave Elliot from the ONS, Survey Quality Advice and
Development Unit (SQAD) in February 2002.
Summary
Response rates to the diary component of the first quarter’s sample from the Time Use Survey
were lower than expected at about 44%. Fortunately, on this survey we have a substantial
amount of auxiliary data for both respondents and groups of nonrespondents and this data can
be utilised in a variety of ways to attempt to minimise the impact of the high level of
nonresponse on the survey estimates.
In particular, Experian have matched the sample file against their database of variables
derived from the Electoral Registers and other sources. Additional data is available about the
sampled areas and survey data is available about some of the sample cases who provided a
partial response.
Analysis of the factors that influence the different types of nonresponse was undertaken and a
four stage weighting strategy is proposed:
i)
Weighting to account for complete non-contact with the sampled addresses. As found
in other studies, population density is particularly useful for this but the Experian
“Household Composition” variable which concentrates on the gender and
relationships between household members was also useful in explaining the variation.
Response rates here show relatively little variation compared with the other types of
nonresponse.
ii)
Weighting to account for refusal by the whole household to co-operate with the
survey. This involves population density, the %pensioners in the area and region but
mainly uses two Experian address-level variables: “Lifestage” – another household
type variable which concentrates on the age and relationships between household
members; and “Mosaic Household Type” which attempts to measure lifestyle.
Response rates differed substantially between the various sub-groups.
iii)
Weighting to account for failure to complete the diaries within responding
households. This involves a wide range of Experian variables and household variables
from the survey. The single most important predictor of diary response was the
survey’s household type variable. Somewhat surprisingly, individual characteristics
were not good predictors of this type of response. As with household response,
response rates differed substantially in the sub-groups identified.
iv)
Weighting to population distributions by age, gender and region using a calibration
method. The proposal is to carry out this last stage in two steps to attempt to recover
both the household and individual distributions.
The effect of this weighting on some of the key outputs of the survey is summarised using
TUS data from the first quarter.
60
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Because of the low response rates and the likelihood that willingness to take part in the
survey may be related to the individual’s available time, it is likely that some, perhaps
substantial nonresponse biases will remain in the weighted data.
61
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Response Rates
The initial analysis of nonresponse was performed using data from the first three months of
the survey and the basic methods of nonresponse adjustment were determined from this
analysis. However, once the full year’s data became available, the analysis was repeated and
some of the detailed classifications were changed. Consequently, while most of this report
reflects the full year’s data, a few tables still use data from the first quarter only.
In a multi-part survey such as the TUS, response rates may be defined in several different
ways. The survey consists of the following parts:
a) A short interview with a responsible adult from the household who identifies all adult
members of the household, thus permitting the selection of a single adult from the
household. A few additional household items are collected at this point.
b) An individual interview with each person in the household aged 8 or over
c) One week-day diary of time use.
d) One week-end day diary of time use
e) Some other parts apply to subgroups of the responding sample.
For the purpose of this study, and for comparability with the 1997 pilot, full response to the
survey is defined as someone for whom parts (a), and (c) or (d) or both are available.
62
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Sources of Auxiliary Data
The PAF address sample was linked by Experian to their database of household information,
derived largely from the Electoral Registers which included information about household
structure, lifestyle, income and housing.
As well as these linked variables, the postcode sector of each address is available, so a range
of data is available from the 1991 Census for the primary sampling units. For this work we
have linked the indicators normally used for stratifying Sector-based samples. These include:
Standard Statistical Region
Government Office Region
Population density
% Owner-occupiers
% Car owners
% Pensioners
% Professionals and managers
% Born in New Commonwealth
% Economically active
% Unemployed.
For all households that completed a household interview, a number of other variables are
available.
In addition, for the 1523 persons who completed an individual questionnaire but no diary, as
well as the 10140 persons who completed both, a further range of variables is available for
nonresponse weighting. These variables include economic status, various employment
variables, carer status and personal income.
63
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Analysis of Household Nonresponse
The software package “Answertree” was used to identify the variables and codes that best
describe the pattern of response on this survey. This procedure progressively splits the sample
into groups on the basis of the auxiliary information available so as to maximise the
differences in response rates. It is therefore able to take into account “interactions” between
these variables, for example the single best predictor of response may be region but in some
regions, variable A may be the next best predictor, whereas in other regions variable B may
be best. In yet other regions, no other variable may be useful. At the same time it makes an
allowance for the multiple comparisons it is implicitly making and stops when further splits
are not significant. Answertree imposes a minimum group size. This was set to 50 when
analysing the first quarter’s data but increased to 100 when analysing the full data in an
attempt to improve the overall robustness of the solution.
There has been a substantial body of research that indicates that the factors that predict
contact rates differ substantially from those that predict co-operation rates. Consequently the
response rate was broken down into its component parts for this analysis. Three separate
models were run:
a) Predicting contact with the household (address)
b) Predicting household co-operation given contact
c) Predicting individual completion of diaries given household co-operation
In each case the various possible explanatory variables were introduced in groups, starting at
the lowest level of aggregation. For example, in the household co-operation model,
household and address-level variables were considered before area-based variables (including
Mosaic Postcode Type) and finally region. One reason for this is that the significance tests
provided by Answertree are not valid for the aggregated variables – they will not be too bad
for household variables in the individual model but they will be totally inappropriate for the
area variables. Another reason is that it has been found empirically on other surveys that
although such area-based variables appear to explain the variation in response rates better
than individual variables, weights based on area-based groups have little effect on substantive
survey estimates.
A second argument against introducing region at the outset is that this would normally also be
used in the final stage of calibration weighting to population totals so introducing it at this
initial stage would duplicate this and would tend to preclude the use of other relevant
predictors of response. However, allowing it to be used as a final predictor within each of the
identified response groups does permit the interactions between region and the other
predictors to come out, whereas restricting its use to calibration weighting does not.
Answertree permits three types of predictor variables: qualitative variables where the
categories can be grouped together in any way; ordinal variables where the order of the codes
must be retained in any grouping and continuous variables where in practice the program
forms the decile groups then treats these variables as ordinal.
The PAF sector-based explanatory variables were initially treated as continuous but this
combined with the lack of valid significance tests produced too many small groups so these
64
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
variables were finally always grouped in a rather ad hoc way into just two groups. The
numerical variables (such as the Experian household income) were generally treated as
ordinal but when this produced 4 or more categories, some groups were usually combined on
the grounds of implausibility – thus I permitted such variables to have U-shaped
relationships with response but no more elaborate patterns than this. A few other groupings
were rejected on the grounds of implausibility.
Predicting household contact4
A contact with a member of a relevant household was made with 9662 of the eligible sample
10674 addresses: a contact rate of 91%.
Eight groups were identified in this model (Figure 3) with contact rates varying between 71%
and 95%. The variables used to define the groups are:
• the Experian variable “Household Composition”
• the sector-level variable, the population dens
• the Standard Statistical Region.
Predicting household co-operation
Of the 9662 contacted households, a household interview was obtained in 6414, a cooperation rate of 66%.
18 groups were identified in this model (Figure 4) with co-operation rates varying between
41% and 85%. The variables used to define the groups are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
the Experian variable, “Lifestage”
the Experian variable, “Mosaic Household Type”
the Experian variable, “Household Income”
the sector-level variable, population density
the sector level variable, % pensioners
the Standard Statistical Region.
Predicting diary response
Of the 14423 eligible persons in the 6414 responding households, 10575 completed one or
two daily diaries, a response rate of 73%. Of these, 435 did not complete an individual
interview.
28 groups were identified in this model (Figures 5.1–5.4) with response rates varying between
52% and 90%. The variables used to define the groups are:
• the household interview variable, household type
• the household interview variable, car ownership
• the household interview variable, the number of children aged under 8
4
Detailed tables showing the results in sections 4.1 – 4.3 can be found at the website address at the start of this
article.
65
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
•
•
•
•
•
the household interview variable, tenure
the Experian variable, “Household Income”
the Experian variable, “Household Composition”
the Experian variable, “Decision Maker”
the Experian variable, “Lifestage”
A separate analysis was made of the 2615 persons who had completed an individual interview
and the 2345 who subsequently completed one or more diaries from the first quarter. Similar
(though not identical) groups were identified in this analysis but, rather surprisingly5, none of
the potential predictors from the individual interview was selected. In view of this, it was
decided to group all of the diary-keepers together as a single group. Thus sex, available from
the household interview, was the only person-level predictor used in this model. As sex was
only used as the final discriminator in two branches of this rather elaborate model and as
there are some advantages in developing a household-level weight, sex was not used at this
stage of the weighting.
Constructing Nonresponse Weights
A preliminary nonresponse weight can be constructed as the product of the reciprocals of
these three response rates. This produces weights that vary from 1.41 to 5.17 with a mean of
2.3 and a standard deviation of 0.5. This broad range of weights is wider than is normally
considered desirable due to the impact on the variance. However, with overall response to the
survey so low, the risk of serious nonresponse bias is high so reducing this risk must take
precedence over increases of variance.
5
124 of the 1162 households containing diary keepers in the first quarter were partial responders
66
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 3. Analysis of Contact Rates
Full Sample
Contact Rate 90.5%
n=10674
Split: Household Composition
Single males, address not matched
Contact Rate 90.1%
n=768
Split: Population Density
Families, ext. & abb. families,
ext. households, mixed homesharers
Contact Rate 93.6%; n=5651
Split: Population Density
PD <= 13
13 < PD <= 63
PD > 63, NI
Contact Rate 90.1%
n=768
Contact Rate 92.3%
n=297
Contact Rate 70.9%
n-323
PD <= 63
Contact Rate 94.4%
PD > 63, NI
Contact Rate 85.3%
n=5126
Split: SS Region
n=525
North, North-west, E Ang
Contact Rate 90.4%
GB remainder
Contact Rate 95.4%
n=1046
n=4080
67
Pseudo-families, single females,
m & f homesharers, multi-occ. dwellings
Contact Rate 89.4%, n=2971
Split: Population Density
PD <= 63
PD > 63, NI
Contact Rate 90.0%
n=2635
Contact Rate 78.0%
n=336
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 4. Analysis of Co-operation Rates
Full Sample
Co-op Rate 66.4%
n=9662
Split: Lifestage (EXP5)
V young fam, mat h-s,
older fam & sing
V young sing, young fam, sing & h-s,
mature fam, older h-s
V young h-s, mature sing,
elderly fam
Co-op Rate 67%; n=3364
Split: Pop Density
Co-op Rate 73%; n=2426
Split: SSR
Co-op Rate 63%; n=2549
Split: HH Income
PD <= 61
Co-op Rate 68%
n=3023
PD > 61, NI
Co-op Rate=58%
n=341
North, Y&H
Co-op Rate 82%
n=340
NW,EM,EA,SW,Sc
Co-op Rate 76%
n=957
WM,SE,Lon,Wal,NI
Co-op Rate 68%
n=1129
Split: SSR
N,WM,EA,SW,Scot
NW,Y&H,EM,SE,Lon,Wa
Co-op Rate 74%
n=1147
Co-op Rate 65%
n=1876
PD <= 61, NI
Co-op Rate 63%
n=2027
Split: % Pensioners
Split: % Pensioners
Pens <=18.6%
18.6% < Pens <= 21.3%
Pens > 21.3%
Co-op Rate 71%
n=551
Co-op Rate 83%
n=264
Co-op Rate 71%
n=332
<= £25000
Co-op Rate 62%
n=2251
Split: Pop Density
<= 16.3% pens
Co-op Rate 68%
n=548
Split: SSR
N,NW,Scot
Co-op Rate 84.7%
n=150
All other regions
Co-op Rate 62%
n=398
68
Elderly sing & h-s
> £25000
Co-op Rate 71%
n=298
Co-op Rate 59%
n=1323
Split: Mosaic hh type
Mos = 1-3, 5-7,9-11
Co-op Rate 55%
n=972
PD > 61
Co-op Rate 52%
n=224
> 16.3% pens
Co-op Rate 61%
n=1479
Split: SSR
N, Scot
Co-op Rate 72%
n=185
NW,Y&H,WM,EM,
EA,SW,Wal
Co-op rate 63%
n=928
SE
Co-op Rate 54%
n=257
London
Co-op Rate 41%
n=109
Mos = 4, 8, 99
Co-op Rate 68%
n=351
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 5.1 Analysis of Diary Completion
Full Sample
Diary Rate 73.3%
n=14423
Split: Household Type
Single person, mar. couple no kids,
cohab couple indep kids
n=4842; Diary rate 74.6%
Split: Car ownership
A
Unrelated adults or families,
Same sex cohab.
n=1510; Diary rate 61.8%
Split:: Decision maker (EXP8)
Young m&f, m-a males,
sharers, old couples
n=793; Diary rate 54.7%
Old m&f, young couples
n=399
Diary rate 63.7%
M-a females & couples
n=318
Diary rate 77.4%
69
Mar. couples + dep. kids,
Cohab. couples no kids
n=3650; Diary rate 76.4%
Split: Decision maker (EXP8)
Mar. couples + indep kids,
Lone parents +indep kids
n=3264; Diary rate 70.8%
Split: HH comp. (EXP4)
B
C
Cohab. couple + dep. kids,
Lone parent + dep. kids
n=1157; Diary rate 80.6%
Split: HH comp. (EXP4)
Fam., pseudo & abb. m. fam,
m&f home-sh, single f.
n=829
Diary rate 84.0%
Ext. fam & hh, mixed h-sh,
abb. f. fam., single m.
n=328
Diary rate 72.0%
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 5.2 Analysis of Diary Completion
A
Split: Car ownership
No car
Car
n=1423
Diary rate 69.2%
Split: HH income
n=3419
Diary rate 76.9%
Split:: HH income
< £15,000
> £15,000
< £5,000
£5,000-£10,000
>£10.000
n=1085
Diary rate 70.4%
n=338
Diary rate 65.4%
n=215
Diary rate 82.3%
n=666
Diary rate 70.0%
n=2538
Diary rate 78.1%
Split: HH comp.
Abb. fam., M-occ.dwellings
Ext. fam., single m.,
m. home-shareers
n=1919
Diary rate 80.6%
70
n=410
Diary rate 73.4%
Pseudo-families
n=209
Diary rate 64.1%
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 5.3 Analysis of Diary Completion
B
Split: Decision Maker (EXP8)
Young m. & sh., m-a sh.,
old females
All couples,
m-a males
Young & m-a f.
Old males & sharers
Diary rate 66.1%; n=401
Diary rate 76.9%; n=3055
Split: HH income (EXP)
Diary rate 89.7%; n=194
< £20,000
£20,000-£25,000
£25,000-£60,000
> £60,000
Diary rate 78.9%
n=1133
Split: Lifestage (EXP)
Diary rate 85.2%
n=229
Diary rate 75.5%
n=1516
Split: Kids under 8
Diary rate 65.5%
n=177
Older singles & fam.
All others
None
One or more
Diary rate 84.8%
n=414
Diary rate 75.5%
n=719
Diary rate 77.5%
n=1209
Diary rate 67.8%
n=307
71
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Figure 5.4 Analysis of Diary Completion
C
Split: EXP4
Families, abb. f. families,
f singles, m. h-sh
All others
Diary rate 67.0%
n=2244
Split: Lifestage
Diary rate 79.0%; n=1020
Split: Lifestage (EXP5)
V yg & yg fam, yg & mat sing,
mat & older h-sh, older fam
V yg h-sh, mat & eld fam,
older & eld sing
V yg & yg fam, yg singles,
yg, mat & eld h-sh
V yg & older h-s, eld fam,
mat, older & eld singles
Diary rate 87.6%
n=482
Diary rate 71.4%; n=538
Split: Tenure
Diary rate 74.0%; n=727
Split: Mosaic pc type (EXP12)
Diary rate 52.3%
n=398
Owned outright, rented
Diary rate 62.2%
Owned with mortgage
Diary rate 79.9%
n=259
n=279
Mature & older families
Diary rate 67.7%
n=1119
Split: Tenure
Mos=1,2,5-7,9,99
Mos=3,4,8,10,11
Owned outright
Diary rate 63.1%
n=363
Diary rate 84.9%
n=364
Diary rate 58.0%
n=274
72
Owned with mortgage.
rented
Diary rate 70.9%
n=845
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Calibration Step
Most ONS general population surveys now calibrate their sample to population totals using
some combination of age, gender and area. The EFS and GHS and the household file of the
LFS all use a household-based method that calibrates to age group by sex in one dimension
and Government Office Region in another. The LFS on the other hand calibrates at the person
level on age group by sex by region in one dimension and Local Authority District in another.
We propose that that the TUS data be calibrated to
A. Age group (8-11, 12-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50,54, 55-59,
60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and over ) by sex totals
B. Government Office Region (plus Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) totals for persons
aged 8 or over
For household level weights, we would want to include all persons in the household,
including those aged under 8, so in that case we should want to replace the first two age
groups in A, above, by the three used for the LFS: 0-4, 5-9 & 10-15.
The calibration was performed using the restricted logit method in CALMAR with the aim of
minimising the range of allowable weights. The input data set contains all persons who
completed at least one day’s diary. This means that when looking at the subgroups who
provided each of the diary days, there will be some shortfall in the population sizes.
Three different sets of individual weights are considered below.
CW1 uses the nonresponse weights developed earlier as prior weights and then calibrates to
person totals via individual characteristics. A very similar set of weights could be derived by
applying a raking or rim-weighting adjustment to the sample frequencies, pre-weighted by the
non-response weights described earlier. This weight in effect treats both the nonresponse
probability and any random departures from the population distributions as characteristics of
the individual and is similar to the weighting method used by the Labour Force Survey.
Although not obviously appropriate here, it is relatively simple to apply so might be preferred
if it gave similar results to the more complex methods considered below.
CW2 uses the nonresponse weights developed earlier as prior weights and then calibrates to
person totals via the characteristics of all respondents within the household. This treats both
the nonresponse probability and random variation as characteristics of the reduced households
containing just those individuals who responded. Although it would seem more natural to use
the characteristics of all persons on the responding households, rather than just the responding
persons, the resulting weight would then under-represent the types of people who did not
respond within those households. If data from individual households are amalgamated for
some analyses, this could also be used as a household-level weight.
CW3 calibrates in two steps. First it uses the nonresponse weights developed earlier as prior
weights and then calibrates to person totals via the characteristics of all persons within the
household. Then it uses the output from this step as a prior weight and calibrates to person
totals via individual characteristics. This seems to mirror most closely the fact that
nonresponse occurs at both the household and person levels but is obviously rather more
complicated to derive than the other alternatives. The weight for the first step of this
calibration process could also be used as an alternative household-level weight but would
73
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
only be appropriate if missing values were permitted or imputed for the missing individuals
within partially-responding households.
Table 26 Summary statistics for these weights using data from the first quarter
Mean
CV
Min/Mean
CW1
21292
46%
0.42
CW2
21292
61%
0.40
CW3
21292
54%
0.35
Max/Mean
10.2
9.7
9.9
Effect on Selected Estimates6
The effect on the 2-digit activity totals for weekdays and separately week-end days using data
from the first quarter were measured and are reported in Table 27 below. The table shows the
unweighted means and the weighted means minus the unweighted means as a proportion of
the unweighted means. Thus, for example, estimates of the mean of SUM01 formed using
weights CW2 and CW3 are 1% lower than the unweighted means. Estimates produced using
the simpler CW1 show substantial differences from those produced by CW3 for many of the
activity codes and therefore the former should not be used for individual estimates. The
differences between the estimates produced by the respondent-within-household weight, CW2
and the two-step person weight, CW3 are less marked and are mainly confined to codes for
study, voluntary work, housework and construction/repairs. Nevertheless, as some of these
may be important inputs to the Household Satellite Accounts, CW3 should probably be
preferred for individual estimates.
Note that as this data has not been fully imputed, the effects of the weighting on the average
activity times could be greater or smaller than those reported here. The effect of applying
CW3 varies between increases of 116% and reductions of 45% in the means of the 2-digit
summary variables. However most of the large proportional changes are confined to codes
with very small means. Nonetheless some changes of up to 15% are noted in some nonnegligible estimates.
6
A fuller list of codes and the effect of the weighting is given on the website.
74
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Table 27 Effect of Weighting on Summary Activity Codes
Variable
Week-day Codes
01
Sleep
02
03
11
12
13
20
21
30
32
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
53
61
62
63
Unweighted Mean
Eating
Other personal care
Main job
Second job
Employment activities
Unspecified study
School or university
Household & family care
Household upkeep
Construction & repairs
Shopping & services
Household management
Childcare (own household)
Help for adult in household
Unspecified voluntary work
Organisational work
Informal help to others
Resting
Physical exercise
Productive exercise
Sports activities
Week-end Codes
01
Sleep
02
03
11
12
13
20
21
30
32
35
36
37
38
39
41
42
53
61
62
63
70
Eating
Other personal care
Main job
Second job
Employment activities
Unspecified study
School or university
Household & family care
Household upkeep
Construction & repairs
Shopping & services
Household management
Childcare (own household)
Help for adult in household
Organisational work
Informal help to others
Resting
Physical exercise
Productive exercise
Sports activities
Unspecified hobbies & games
75
% Change in Weighted
Estimates
CW1
CW2
CW3
513.38
0%
-1%
-1%
78.87
45.15
178.65
1.75
2.97
0.05
36.90
0.36
30.32
6.70
27.48
2.30
19.67
1.35
0.05
2.50
6.18
23.69
17.79
1.33
0.58
1%
1%
4%
6%
2%
-39%
-14%
-21%
-1%
11%
-1%
21%
-7%
-17%
3%
-14%
2%
0%
-4%
-23%
-7%
2%
0%
4%
13%
2%
-45%
-18%
-20%
0%
9%
3%
27%
-4%
-19%
-24%
-13%
5%
0%
-3%
-36%
-20%
2%
1%
4%
12%
0%
-45%
-12%
-22%
-1%
12%
0%
23%
-6%
-16%
2%
-7%
2%
-2%
-3%
-33%
-19%
550.00
0%
0%
0%
93.09
46.75
52.15
1.06
0.61
0.15
3.17
0.68
33.62
10.52
32.30
1.98
20.21
1.30
2.84
7.68
25.62
22.79
1.19
1.05
0.02
1%
0%
6%
95%
6%
29%
-2%
-11%
1%
1%
-4%
-1%
-5%
-9%
6%
1%
4%
-3%
-13%
5%
31%
0%
-1%
5%
118%
6%
-32%
-10%
-36%
2%
-6%
-2%
1%
-2%
-8%
-3%
-2%
6%
-2%
-27%
-6%
36%
0%
0%
6%
116%
4%
-12%
1%
-29%
2%
-1%
-4%
-3%
-3%
-13%
5%
2%
4%
1%
-23%
4%
23%
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Endnote
Although in the above discussion I have attempted to derive the most appropriate set of
nonresponse weights from the available auxiliary data, it is important to note that there
remains a serious risk of substantial residual nonresponse bias in this survey. With a response
rate of less than 50% overall and much less than this in some subgroups it is likely that in the
various groups in which I have classified the respondents the mean values for the various time
use categories for respondents will differ from those for nonrespondents and hence some
substantial biases will remain after weighting.
One of the reasons most commonly cited by people refusing to take part in surveys is lack of
time. Clearly none of our auxiliary variables is directly related to this so it is highly likely that
the probability of nonresponse is related to the substantive topics of the survey and in this
situation of so-called “non-ignorable” nonresponse, weighting will not remove all the bias.
76
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7.3
Complex Standard Errors
This part of the report has been prepared by Patrick Sturgis, University of Surrey, Guildford,
UK
The UK 2000 TUS uses a multi-stage design involving the stratified selection of a sample of
postcode sectors. Addresses selected for the survey are taken only from these sectors and are
thus ‘clustered’. Clustering is almost always used on face-to-face surveys, which are
attempting a national coverage, as non-clustered designs are both impractical from the
perspective of data collection agencies and prohibitively expensive for funders of research.
For a fixed cost, clustering produces more accurate (i.e. more precise) population estimates
than a simple random design would achieve. However, for a fixed sample size clustered
designs are subject to larger standard errors. This is because there tend to be greater
similarities, on most attributes, between members of the same geographical sub-unit than
between independently selected members of the total population. For instance, size of garden,
number of bedrooms and household income are all variables that are intuitively likely to be
more similar within than they are across postcode sectors. Clustering, therefore,
underestimates true population variance and this is reflected in standard errors that are larger
than those that would have been obtained from a simple random sample of the same sample
size.
The UK 2000 TUS sample design also employed stratification in the selection of sample
units. Stratification divides the sample up into separate sub-groups and then selects random
samples from within each group. These are then combined to form the complete issued
sample. Strata are created through the cross-classification of variables contained on the
sampling frame, which are known or believed to correlate with key survey variables. So long
as the latter assumption holds true, stratification will reduce sampling errors, relative to an
unstratified sample design.
A third complex design factor of the UK 2000 TUS is the use of post-survey weighting.
Weighting has been applied to correct for unequal selection probabilities and nonresponse
bias (see documentation on derivation of weights). The main purpose of weighting is to
reduce bias in population estimates by up-weighting population sub-groups that are underrepresented in the sample and down-weighting those that are over-represented in the sample.
A less desirable by-product of weighting is, as with clustering, to under-estimate true
population variance on survey variables, thereby producing standard errors that are smaller
than they should be if this aspect of the design is not explicitly taken into account in their
estimation.
The net effect of clustering, stratification and weighting, therefore, is that the standard errors
of these 'complex' sample designs tend to be different (smaller or larger, but almost always
larger) than those of a simple random sample. The difference in the precision of the estimates
produced by a complex design relative to a simple random sample is known as the design
effect (deff). The design effect is the ratio of the actual variance, under the sampling method
used, to the variance computed under the assumption of simple random sampling. This
number will obviously vary for different variables in the survey – some may be heavily
influenced by design effects and others less so.
The main components of deff are the intraclass correlation or rho, and the number of units
within each cluster. Rho is a statistical estimate of within cluster homogeneity. It represents
77
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
the probability that two units drawn randomly from the same cluster will have the same value
on the variable in question, relative to two units drawn at random from the population as a
whole. Thus, a rho of 0.10 indicates that two units randomly selected from within the same
cluster are 10% more likely to have the same value than are two randomly selected units in
the population as a whole. The design effect is calculated as follows:
DEFF = 1 + rho (n – 1), where:
DEFF is the design effect,
Rho is the intra-class correlation for the variable in question,
and n is the size of the cluster (an average is taken where clusters differ in size).
From this we can see that the design effect increases as the cluster size (in most instances the
number of addresses sampled within a postcode sector) increases, and as rho (within cluster
homogeneity) increases.
A somewhat more readily interpretable derivation of the design effect is the design factor or
‘deft’, which is simply the square root of deff. Deft effectively gives us an inflation factor for
the standard errors obtained using a complex survey design. For example, a deft value of 2,
indicates that the standard errors are twice as large as they would have been had the design
been a simple random sample. Deft can also be used to obtain the effective sample size, neff,
which, as the name suggests, gives for a complex survey design, the sample size that would
have been required to obtain the same level of precision for a simple random sample.
Many statistical software packages (such as SPSS) produce standard error estimates for all
inferential statistics as if they were taken from a simple random sample, ignoring any complex
design factors. This means that, if there is significant within cluster homogeneity on particular
survey variables, standard errors and significance tests produced by such software will be
biased, increasing the likelihood of Type I errors (rejecting a true null hypothesis). The
complex standard errors presented in the Tables in this section of the report, therefore, give an
indication of the extent to which design effects are apparent on a number of key Time Use
Survey variables, particularly the activity codes. This information will be useful for analysts
in determining the extent to which complex design factors need to be taken into consideration
when producing population estimates and tests of statistical significance from the UKTUS
and other TU surveys employing a complex design.
The complex standard errors in the tables available via the link to STATBASE from
www.statistics.gov.uk/timeuse have been calculated using the software package Stata, which
employs the Taylor Series method. The tables deal in turn with a number of different
variables and, for each, the first column shows the point estimate of the mean (or proportion)
for the variable in question. The second column shows the estimated true standard error, that
is the standard error taking into account the effects of clustering, stratification and weighting.
The third column shows the 95% confidence interval around the point estimate using the true
standard error and the fourth column shows the deign factor, deft (the estimated ratio of the
true standard error to the standard error of a simple random sample of the same size). Column
six presents the size of the sample (or sub-sample) on which the estimate is based, while
column 7 shows the weighted sample size. The final column shows neff, the sample size that
would be required using a simple random sample to obtain the same level of precision. Note
that the estimates for children aged 8-15 are calculated as a separate sample and are thus
slightly different to the estimates that would have been obtained had they been estimated as a
sub-group of the full sample.
78
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
The design effects on these variables are, relative to those commonly found on similar
surveys, quite large. The majority of deft values are above 1.2, a value commonly taken to
indicate sizeable variance inflation. Quite a number are above 1.5, indicating an effective loss
of more than 50% of the sample relative to a simple random sample.
Looking at each of the design factors in isolation, the majority of this loss of precision is as a
result of the weights rather than the clustering. Table 28 illustrates this by showing the design
effects estimated for each of the three design factors on their own for the mean time spent
sleeping for men by age (dml3@011). This pattern of effects is representative of the
composition of all the effects presented in tables available on STATBASE From Table 28 we
can see that the effect of stratification is almost non-existent. This is perhaps not surprising
given the aggregated nature of the variables used to produce the stratification classes and their
tangential relation to the prevalence of the activities in question.
Clustering serves to reduce precision for all the estimates in table 28, although for five out of
the seven estimates the relative contribution to the overall design effect is less than that from
weighting.
Table 28 Relative Contributions of Design Factors to Variance Inflation for Mean Time Sleeping for Men
by Age (DML3@011)
Age
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75+
true deft
deft due to stratification
1.6274
1.3043
1.3029
1.2304
1.3881
1.4442
1.5001
deft due to clustering
0.9997
1.0001
0.9997
1.0001
1.0000
0.9996
0.9996
deft due to weighting
1.1720
1.0171
1.1044
1.0901
1.1659
1.2820
1.2756
1.2571
1.2056
1.1906
1.1151
1.1933
1.1834
1.2250
Looking at the breakdown of design effects presented in table 28, we might be tempted to
conclude that the weights should not be used due to the large loss in precision that their
application clearly entails. This, however, would be a mistake as the reduction in bias from
the application of the weights more than outweighs any loss of precision. This can be
demonstrated by estimating the Mean Square Error (MSE) which is the sum of the square of
the true standard error and the square of the bias. It gives us the mean, or expected, difference
between the true population figure we are attempting to estimate and the actual survey
estimate.
Table 29 shows MSE estimates for mean time sleeping for men by age, firstly taking into
account clustering and stratification but not weighting and secondly taking into account all
three design factors. Note that table 28 makes the assumption that the weighted estimates are
unbiased.
Table 29 Mean Square Error Estimates for Mean Time Sleeping for Men by Age
Age
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75+
Estimate
Unweighted
S.E.
bias
MSE
Estimate
Weighted
S.E.
bias
MSE
563.4
521.9
496.1
489.3
497.4
508.4
521.1
5.3
3.5
3.2
3.0
3.4
3.8
5.5
18.8
15.6
10.0
11.4
5.8
2.6
-1.7
379.5
255.3
110.8
137.8
45.0
21.5
33.5
544.6
506.3
486.0
477.9
491.6
505.8
522.8
6.5
3.9
3.4
3.3
3.9
4.4
6.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
41.8
14.9
11.9
10.8
15.1
19.2
35.6
79
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
The significantly higher Mean Square Error estimates for the unweighted data in Table 29
clearly indicate that it should almost always be preferable to apply the weights when making
estimates of activity distributions using the UKTUS, despite the loss in precision that this can
entail. Another way of demonstrating this same point is shown in Figure A.1 which presents
point estimates and associated standard errors for the mean amount of time spent sleeping for
men, broken down by age. This shows that, despite the greater precision of the unweighted
estimates, the majority of the estimated values for the 95% confidence intervals fall outside
the confidence intervals of the estimates for the weighted data.
Figure 6 Mean Time Sleeping by Age for Men and Associated Standard Errors - Weighted &
Unweighted Estimates
600.0
580.0
560.0
540.0
Mi 520.0
ns
(m
ea 500.0
n)
Unweighted
Weighted
480.0
460.0
440.0
420.0
400.0
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75+
Age
References
Blalock, H (1963) Making causal inferences for unmeasured variables from correlations
among indicators. American Journal of Sociology, 69, 53-62.
Campanelli, P, et al (1997) The 1uality of occupational coding in the United Kingdom. In
Fleiss, J (1971) Measuring nominal scale agreement among many raters. Psychological
Bulletin, 76, 378-382.
Kalton, B and Stowell, R. (1979) A study of coder variability. The Journal of the Royal
Statistical Society, Series C, 28, 3, 276-289.
Kish, L (1962) Studies of interviewer variance for attitudinal variables. Journal of the
American Statistical Association, 57, 92-115.
Landis, J and Koch, G (1977) The Measurement of observer agreement for categorical data.
Biometrics, 33, 159-174.
Lyberg et al (eds) Survey Measurement and Process Quality, 437-456, Wiley, New York.
Cohen, J. (1960) A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and
Psychological Measurement. 20 37-46.
Sturgis P and Lynn P (1998) The 1997 UK Pilot of the Eurostat Time Use Survey, GSS
Methodology Series, 11, Government Statistical Service.
80
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Appendix 1 - Advance Letter
Dear Resident,
I am writing to ask for your help with an important study that is being undertaken by National
Statistics. The Office for National Statistics have commissioned an independent research
company, Ipsos-RSL, to find out how people in the U.K. spend their time.
The study will be collecting information about how much time people spend on different
activities, for example, work, leisure activities, housework and caring for others, to name just
a few. This information will be used by government departments, academics and other policy
makers, and will help to shape the provision of national and local services in the future.
During the next couple of weeks an interviewer will call at your home to explain the project
in more detail and answer any questions that you may have. All Ipsos-RSL interviewers carry
official identification cards with photographs. Everything you tell us during the study will be
treated in confidence.
As a thank you for your time, all households who fully participate in the study will receive a
small cash payment.
If you have any initial queries about the research, please call Vivienne Young at Ipsos-RSL
on 020 8861 8025.
Thank you for your help.
Yours sincerely
June Bowman
Time Use Survey Project Manager
National Statistics
81
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Appendix 2 - Interviewer Instructions
SURVEY OF TIME USE
J14720
May 2000
Interviewer Instructions
Contents
1.
2.
3.
Background to the Survey
1
Overall Description of the Interviewer Task
2
2.1
Pre-fieldwork
3
Survey Procedures
4
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
4.
Page
Notifying the Police
The Sample
Contact Procedures
Call back Procedures
Suggested Introduction
Administering Incentives
The Diary Day
Reminders
Language problems
Returning Work
4
4
4
5
6
7
8
9
9
10
Survey Documents
11
4.1
4.2
4.3
11
11
13
13
14
15
16
16
17
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
Advance Letters
Paper SIS
CAPI SIS
4.3.1 The Short CAPI SIS
4.3.2 The Long CAPI SIS
Questionnaires
The Diary
The Work sheet
Show cards
5. The Household Interview in Detail
18
6. The Individual Interview in Detail
23
7. The Proxy Interview
33
8. The Diary, Work sheet and Diary Checklist in Detail
35
9. Questions you may be asked
37
10.Checklist of Survey Documents
38
11.Queries
38
Annex A
Annex B
Annex C
Rules For Interviewing
Selection Numbers for Addresses with 7+ Households
Calling Pattern and Monitoring Schedules
82
39
41
42
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
1.
Background to the Survey
This project is a large-scale survey, beginning June 2000 and continuing until June 2001.
Ipsos-RSL has been commissioned to carry out this survey by the Office for National
Statistics (ONS). Eurostat, the office in Luxembourg responsible for Europe-wide statistics,
has largely designed the survey and the main survey will take place simultaneously in many
European countries. This is the first large-scale survey of time use to be undertaken in the
UK.
Several Government departments have an interest in the survey, namely the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport, the Department of Health, the Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions, the Department for Education and Employment and the Office for
National Statistics. Therefore, some questions have been included in the UK Time Use
Survey specifically for their purposes.
The survey is concerned with how people spend their time. The heart of the survey is a oneday diary, in which respondents are asked to record their activities in ten-minute slots. Each
respondent is to complete two diaries - one for a weekday and one for a weekend day. The
detailed information collected in this diary will allow analysis of a wide range of policyrelated issues of interest both to government departments and academic researchers. In
addition, there is a household questionnaire and an individual questionnaire.
We have already carried out two pilots to test the materials and procedures. In the second
pilot we obtained a response rate of over 60% (based on the number of household interviews
achieved). In the main stage we want to achieve a 65% response.
83
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.
Overall Description of the Interviewer Task
Each assignment consists of 19 or 20 addresses selected from the Postcode Address File
(PAF). Each address has two pre-assigned diary days. These days (days of the week, not
actual dates) are printed on the front of the Sample Issue Sheet (SIS). The two days are never
more than four days apart, and always include one weekday and one weekend day. We would
like each individual aged eight or older in each sampled household to fill in a diary for each of
these two days. It does not matter, however, in which week the diaries are filled in (this is up
to you, the interviewer), as long as they are done for the correct days and in the correct order.
Your task is to make contact with each address (selecting just one household for inclusion if
there is more than one) and attempt a household interview with any householder, i.e., the
person in whose name the property is owned or rented, or with the spouse/partner of such a
person (please note that some properties may be jointly owned or rented). The household
interview is quite short - about 10 minutes on average, though it will vary with household size
and circumstances. It should be noted that in exceptional circumstances the household
interview can be carried out with someone who is not a householder or spouse - the sorts of
circumstances in which we envisage this happening are where you find that somebody apart
from the householder/spouse knows most about the household circumstances (e.g. an adult
son/daughter living with an elderly parent).
There is also an individual interview to be completed with every individual aged 8 or over in
each household. This, too, is quite short, averaging 20 minutes. It will be longer for some
people than for others (e.g. those in employment or those who are particularly active). You
should try to interview as many of the individuals as possible at the same visit at the
household interview. At the very least, you should be able to carry out the individual
interview with the person responding to the household questionnaire - the two interviews can
be introduced to that person as a single interview of 30-40 minutes.
The household interview will identify the household members aged 8 or over. These are the
people eligible for the individual interview, diaries and work sheet. At the end of the
household interview visit, two diaries plus a work sheet should be left behind for each eligible
household member - regardless of whether you have managed to carry out an individual
interview with that person. An incentive will be provided for each eligible individual in order
to encourage his or her co-operation with the research.
If there are any outstanding individual interviews at the household, you should attempt to
achieve these by continuing to call back at the address from the day when the household
interview was achieved and up to seven days after the first diary day for that household. At
this point, you should in any case return to the address to collect the completed diaries and
work sheets. At this visit you should attempt to conduct outstanding individual interviews
with those household members that are present (even if they have not completed diaries). If
this is inconvenient, try to arrange another date when this would be possible. If, however, an
individual refuses to complete the interview or if another appointment cannot be made, then
you should attempt to conduct a proxy interview with another member of the household.
On this final visit to a household, you should check the quality of all returned diaries and work
sheets using the Interviewer Diary Checklist. This should be done on a person-by-person
basis.
Once all interviews for a household are completed and diaries/work sheets collected, these
should be posted back to the office in the same envelope (please put an elastic band around
84
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
the documents - these are provided in your pack). Your task at that household is now
complete.
In summary, your task is to collect the following:
• one household interview (even if the household is not keen to fully participate, we still
want to collect some information)
• 2 diaries for each household member aged 8 or over
• 1 work sheet for each household member aged 8 or over
• 1 individual interview with each household member aged 8 or over (please attempt to
conduct these even if diaries have not been completed on your final collection day)
Note that the Household, Individual and Proxy interviews are to be completed by means of
CAPI. There is also a CAPI version of the Sample Issue Sheet (SIS) that you are expected to
update once a week so that we can monitor interviewer progress throughout the fieldwork
period.
2.1 Pre-fieldwork
Because of the importance of the diary to this study we would like you to be sure that you are
very familiar with it. We are therefore asking you to compete a diary yourselves for a day
before starting work on this job. Likewise we would like you to complete a work sheet (this
can be done so that the last work sheet day coincides with the diary day you complete).
You may also conduct practice household and individual interviews in CAPI. Please note that
you should enter your assigned point number and check digit, and use 999 as the practice
address number. You can use this address number (999) as many times as you wish in order
to practise the interviews.
Note: when prompted at the end of the interviews, you should save your interview as an
actual interview (as opposed to a practice interview), because the household and individual
interviews are linked together. You cannot conduct an individual interview without having
conducted a household interview.
3
Survey Procedures
3.1
Notifying the Police
• You must notify the local police station in the area where you will be working in the usual
way. If you are working in a rural area, or an area in which the local station is not
continuously manned, please post a Police Notification form through the door, specifying
your name, car registration and the dates that you will be in the field.
• PLEASE DO NOT START WORK UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE THIS.
85
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3.2
The Sample
• The sample of addresses has been selected from PAF. Each assignment (19 or 20
addresses) is restricted to within a single postal sector. We therefore know nothing in
advance about the residents of each address.
• We know that there will be “clumps” of deadwood addresses within the sample (PAF
contains roughly 10% deadwood). We expect this, and part of your job is to “root this
out”. There will be no substitute addresses issued.
3.3
Contact Procedures
• Obtaining a high response rate is of vital importance in this survey, so please do your best
to minimise your levels of refusals and non-contacts. Please note that you are expected to
make a minimum of 4 calls in person at an address (preferably more) before giving it up
as a non-contact. At least half of these calls should be made at weekends and in the
evenings.
• A key element to your success on this survey will be to plan your work over the next few
weeks so that you never have too much to do in any one week. We have put together a
Calling Pattern Schedule (Annex C) to help with this. Essentially, you should aim to
contact all addresses in your assignment in the first week of fieldwork. You should have
made at least 4 calls to each non-contacted address in the first 3 weeks of fieldwork,
otherwise you will be left with far too much to do at the end of the fieldwork period.
• You should attempt the household interview at the earliest opportunity and combine this
with the individual interview for that respondent wherever possible. This can be
introduced as a 30 to 40 minute interview about “you and your household”. Remember
that the household interview should be conducted with any householder or householder’s
spouse or with an allowable substitute (i.e. where the substitute knows most about
household matters).
• PLEASE NOTE: We are very keen to collect at the very least a household interview for
each address - even if household members are not keen to complete the diary part of the
survey. Please conduct the household interview and leave diaries, work sheets, pens, etc
for all members of the household.
• You need to take into the account the diary days assigned to each address. The first diary
day (Day 1 on the SIS) must always come before the second (Day 2 on the SIS). So if the
days are Thursday (first) and Saturday (second) and you do the household interview on a
Friday, the first diary should not be filled in before the following Thursday.
• At the same visit you should:
-
attempt individual interviews with anyone else who is at home;
-
leave behind diaries, work sheets and pens for all persons aged 8 or over
(identified from the household interview), remembering first to complete the front
of the diary in full;
86
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
-
if there are children aged 16 or under in the household, you will need to obtain the
consent of a responsible adult that they may be interviewed and complete the
diaries. Please make sure that a responsible adult signs a Child Consent Form
for each child aged 8 - 16, before their participation in the survey;
-
after the household has agreed to fully participate (i.e. you have successfully
placed diaries and worksheets for all eligible individuals), you should hand over
the advance incentive as a one-off sum. This consists of £5 for each eligible
individual to complete two diaries and a work sheet, plus an additional £5 for the
person who completes the household questionnaire
-
arrange a pick up date – this should be as soon after the date that work sheet
completion ends (i.e., seven days after the first diary day). Use the appointment
cards included in your pack to arrange a convenient time. Try to arrange for this
to be at a time when as many household members as possible will be in, so that
you will be able to go through a diary/work sheet checklist in their presence.
• After each visit to an address, make sure you complete the Calls Record box on the front of
the paper SIS. We have put together an overview of your assignment (this is included in
your pack), which lists all the addresses and allows you to mark where you are up to with
each. Use this to keep track of progress at each address (in terms of diaries placed,
individual interviews obtained), as you will need this information in order to provide a
weekly update of your progress via the CAPI SIS.
• As a general point, we foresee that some parents may be reluctant to include younger
children (aged say, 8 - 9 years) in the study, as this may end up placing an additional
burden on their time (reminding them to fill in diaries, helping them complete diaries, etc.).
In response to this, we have created a shorter version of the diary for children aged 8-13,
which should be easier to complete. However, there may still be some reluctance on the
part of parents, but please encourage them to fill in as much of the diary as they feel able to
(i.e. so that we gather some key information about the time use of younger household
members).
3.4
Call back procedures
• If there are any outstanding individual interviews to be done, you should attempt to call
back at the address up to and including your pick-up visit date.
• If you have obtained a phone number for the household (as part of the household
interview), you may also telephone the household to remind them to fill in the diaries and
work sheet: this should be done the day before each diary day if possible (see section 3.8
below). However, if you are making call back visits in order to get outstanding individual
interviews then the reminder can be combined with a call back visit if you prefer.
• You should in any case be calling back as soon as you can after seven days have passed
since the first diary date to collect the diaries and work sheets. At this visit, look through
the diaries (using the Diary checklist as a guide) and work sheets to make sure they have
been filled in. If anything has been missed out, please ask the sample member to fill it in
there and then if possible.
87
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• Remember to arrange the call back in advance with respondents. You have been supplied
with appointment cards to remind respondents when you will be returning.
3.5
Suggested Introduction
• We are aware that this survey may be a difficult one to “sell” on the doorstep, as it is not
about a single, clearly focused topic. However, the potential uses of the survey data are
many, and we believe that it should be possible to persuade sample members of the
usefulness of the survey. Feedback from interviewers that worked on the two pilots
indicates that a positive attitude when placing the diaries, etc is very helpful – “assume”
people are going to participate.
• To assist you and to provide additional information to households, we have put together an
information leaflet, which summarises the reasons behind the survey and the potential
long-term benefits that may arise from the study. It may be useful to leave this leaflet with
households, so that they have a chance to think about participating. However, you should
provide all participating households with a copy of the leaflet at some point.
• All households have been written to in advance of your call to warn them that interviewers
will be calling (please see letters in your Pack).
• We suggest that you introduce the survey as “a national scientific study of how people
spend their time”. Say that the survey is paid for by the Office for National Statistics - the
Government department that is responsible for The Census and The National Accounts,
amongst other things. Overall, it is important to stress that the survey results will be of
enormous benefit both at a national and local level. For example, the results will be used
by many different Government departments and independent academics to look at national
and local trends in services, people’s habits, etc.
• The way in which people spend their time is likely to vary greatly between sub-groups of
the population. Consequently, the aspects of the survey likely to appeal will also vary, so
you will have to tailor your approach carefully. For example, if the person you are
speaking to seems to be rather harassed (perhaps a mother with young children in the
background, or somebody obviously in employment who has been difficult to get hold of),
it may help to say that the survey is concerned with “the pressures on people’s time”:
“We know that lots of people don’t have much spare time and that pressures on people’s time
may be increasing. We want to get an overall picture of what those pressures are and how
much time people have to spend on different sorts of things.”
On the other hand, if the person appears to be retired it may be more appropriate to say the
survey is concerned with “what kinds of things people are able to do, and what they choose to
do with their time.”
You might want to mention some examples of the uses to which the data might be put:
· We want to find out exactly how much time people spend on things like childcare and
housework, so that they might get proper recognition for their efforts;
88
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
· We want to find out the extent to which people rely on help from friends, relatives and
neighbours for things that they might think should be provided by the Government or local
Councils;
· We want to see what sorts of people are working very long hours, and what sorts of people
have no job at all. Collecting reliable figures might help towards attaining a fairer
distribution of employment.
• Feedback from the pilot studies showed that some respondents wanted to know why they
had been selected for the survey. The survey is based on a random sample design –
people’s addresses have been selected at random from the Postcode Address File for
inclusion in the survey. We know nothing about the people at each address, but by
drawing a random sample we make sure that the survey includes many different sorts of
people who will have different time uses. No-one is being deliberately “picked on” or
“left out” of the survey.
3.6
Administering Incentives
• We are offering an incentive for households to take part in the study. This is only for
households who agree to fully participate in the survey, i.e. those for whom you manage to
place diaries and work sheets for all eligible members. You may use this as a “carrot” to
encourage the participation of all eligible individuals, by saying that the household will
receive £X (i.e. the maximum incentive that the household could receive) if everyone takes
part.
• Once you have obtained the household interview, handed over the diaries/work sheets and
explained how these should be completed, please administer the incentive (only one
payment will be made per household).
• The incentive is £5 for each eligible household member (i.e. all those aged 8 years and
above) to complete an individual interview, 2 diaries and the work sheet, with an additional
£5 for the person who completes the household interview. For example, if you visit a
household containing 4 eligible members where you manage to place diaries, you will hand
over the following:
1 household interview (£5)
4 individual interviews, 8 diaries (2 per person), 4 work sheets
(4 x £5)
Total incentive payment due = £25
• The incentive will be paid by means of cash (unless we are requested to pay in a different
way). Interviewers will be supplied with an advance from which initial incentives may be
paid. Additional sums will be paid into your account as and when required.
• NOTE: We will not be paying an incentive to households who agree to be interviewed,
but who do not agree to complete diaries and work sheets.
• When an incentive is paid, please complete a Confirmation Form and ensure that this is
signed both by you and the recipient of the incentive (this should be the householder or
89
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
their spouse/partner). Hand over the incentive in the envelope provided, together with a
“with compliments” slip.
• As a general point, if households are reluctant to take part because they feel that the
payment will affect their benefits, then you may reassure them that this is NOT the case.
Indeed, state benefits are unaffected by receiving a small monetary incentive, as this is not
considered remuneration for work, rather it is a gift and may be regarded as a “windfall”.
• If you have any specific queries about administering incentives, please contact Jackie
Boswell on 0208 861 8596.
3.7
The Diary Day
• The two days of the week for which the diaries should be completed appear on the SIS
label. You may choose which week within the fieldwork period the diaries are completed,
but the diaries must be completed for the days of the week specified, and in the order
specified (i.e. diary Day 1 must come before diary Day 2 - you should not switch the
ordering of the two days). Please also note that all household members must complete
diaries on the same days within the same week.
• The first diary day cannot be any earlier than the day after you complete the household
interview. Once the household interview is completed, the first diary should be completed
on the next day of the week corresponding to the first diary day. The second diary should
be completed on the following day of the week corresponding to the second diary day.
• However, there are still two situations in which the days may be postponed:
·
Despite the diaries being left behind, nobody in the household filled them in that day.
In this case, if possible, the second day should not be postponed, but the first day
postponed by seven days. If the second day has also already passed, then both diary
days can be postponed by seven days or, if necessary, fourteen days;
·
One (or more) member of the household is temporarily absent, but will be back or
contacted within two weeks of the household interview. In this case, the days should
be postponed for all household members by seven or fourteen days.
• Please note the following:
· If one or more household members did fill in the diaries on the correct days, but one or
more did not, then those who did not should be asked to try to fill in diaries retrospectively
to the best of their ability. The diary days should not be postponed for those people. It is
essential that all household members fill in diaries relating to the same days.
· If one (or more) member of the household is temporarily absent, cannot be contacted to get
the diaries to them, and will not return within two weeks of the household interview, then
that person will be unproductive for the diaries, but the diary days should not be postponed
for other household members.
• PLEASE NOTE: if the diary day(s) for the household fall during a time when they are on
holiday, celebrating (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Ramadan), etc., we are still interested in their
time use during these periods. For example, if a family is (or individual members are)
going away on holiday during the week in which you have asked them to fill in diaries, the
90
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
diaries and work sheets should be taken along and filled in to reflect their activities during
that time. In such circumstances, it is worth pointing out that question 8 at the back of the
“over-14s” diary may be used to note why the diary day is unusual in any way.
3.8
Reminders
• Households for whom a phone number has been obtained may be called the day before
each of the two diary days. However, we are aware that in some cases you may consider
this to be counter-productive, therefore we leave this to your discretion. As a general point,
several interviewers working on the pilot studies made great use of the telephone to keep
track of households, and this proved a useful time saving device.
• If you make phone calls, the first call will be to remind respondents to fill in the first diary
(diaries) and to remind them to fill in the work sheet(s). The second call will be to remind
them to fill in the second diary (diaries) and also to continue filling in the work sheet(s).
• Of course, if the household interview is only completed on the day before the first diary
day, then the first reminder call can be omitted.
• If you fail to make the call (or to get an answer) on the designated day, then you might try
again the next day (the diary day). If you know in advance that you are not going to be able
to make the call on the designated day (hopefully this won’t happen often), then it may be
worth calling the day before that (i.e. two days before the diary day).
• In addition to the above, two useful suggestions were made in the interviewer briefing:
•
you might phone the day after the first diary day to ascertain whether household members
had completed diaries and to remind them when to complete the second diary;
•
phone before you return to pick up diaries to remind them you will be coming and also to
remind them that you would like to arrive at a time when as many household members as
possible will be present.
3.9
Language problems
If your selected household contains any individuals who cannot read/speak English, please do
as follows:
• use another household member (aged 12 or over) to act as translator when conducting
interviews;
• ask another household member to complete diaries on behalf of people who cannot
read/write English (obviously in close consultation with the selected people);
• failing the above, see if you can return yourself soon after each diary day (preferably the
next day) and, in the presence of a family member who can act as a translator, administer
the diary yourself - asking them to recall what they did on the diary day.
• Please note that the household interview should be done with a householder or their
spouse/partner, even if they cannot speak English. In such circumstances, use another
member of the household to translate on their behalf.
If you come across a household in which there is no-one who is able to act as a translator,
please contact Jackie Boswell for further advice.
91
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3.10
Returning Work
• Work is to be returned in two ways:
• electronically: the CAPI SIS and CAPI scripts
• by post (for all paper documents).
• The CAPI SIS is to be updated and modemed back to Ipsos-RSL once a week - every
Thursday throughout the fieldwork period. Please don’t forget to modem your CAPI
interviews back at the same time. (Please note: you can modem in CAPI interviews - both
household and individual - even if you have not yet obtained all the individual interviews
for that household).
• Please use an elastic band to keep all paper documents for each household together. Once
you have collected all the documents for one household, please return these in one of the
envelopes provided as soon as possible. Please include the paper SIS with the paperwork
for each household.
• Please remember to include Child Consent Forms and Confirmation of Incentive forms
with each household’s bundle of paperwork.
• In exceptional circumstances, households may return diaries to Head Office directly.
Please contact Jackie Boswell for further advice in these circumstances.
92
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4.
Survey Documents
4.1
Advance Letters
• Advance letters will have been sent out to all addresses in your assignment the previous
week. You should have five spare copies, which may be shown to respondents in your
introduction to “jog” their memory. If somebody asks you to leave the letter with them,
please do so and request more copies from the field office.
4.2
Paper SIS
• Your sample is issued on Sample Issue Sheets (SIS) - one for each address in your
assignment. This document is used to:
1. provide you with details of each sampled address;
2. record outcomes of your efforts to carry out fieldwork at each address.
• This is a very important document and you must ensure that you update the Calls Record
box in full whenever you visit an address. You should also complete the final section of
the document when you have completed calls at an address.
Front Page
Pre-printed at the top of the front page you will find the sampled address. Underneath the
address you will find a Multiple Household selection digit to be used for selecting households
(if more than one at the address).
At the top of the front page you will also find details of field area, sampling point number,
address number, interviewer details and a space for recording the household telephone number
when you are prompted to do so in the household interview.
Beneath this is the Calls Record table. Please ensure that you complete this carefully after
every call that you make (both telephone calls and those made in person). The CAPI version
of the SIS will prompt you for these details when you have finished at the address.
Underneath this you will find a space for any notes you wish to make about this address.
Page 2 & 3: Household/Address Outcome
Q1
• Use this to record deadwood outcomes - i.e. where the address is not a normal
residential address. Note that institutions (e.g. halls of residence, nurses homes,
etc) are excluded from the survey, but remember to check for private residential
accommodation in institutions (e.g. caretakers’ or wardens’ flats).
• Business premises are also excluded, but again check for private residential
accommodation at business addresses (e.g. flats above shops).
• If the address is traceable, residential and occupied ring A and go to Q2.
Q2-4
• If there is more than one household living at this address select one only for
inclusion in the survey. If there are 2-6 households, select by means of the
93
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
selection card provided in your Pack. If more than 6 households at an
address, refer to annex B of these instructions
• Use this to record the outcome of your attempts to conduct the household
interview. Remember that the household interview is to be conducted with a
householder or householder’s spouse/partner - in other words with a person in
whose name the property is owned or rented, or with the spouse/partner of
such a person.
• If the household interview is unproductive, use one of the non-response codes
to record the reason for this (q5b).
Q5
PLEASE NOTE:
1) The definition of an institution (or communal establishment) is as follows: “an
establishment providing managed residential accommodation. ‘Managed’ means full-time
or part-time supervision of the accommodation. Small hotels and guest houses are defined
as communal establishments is they have capacity for 10 or more guests, excluding the
owner/manager and his or her family”.
2) Please refer to p.18 of these instructions for full details about what constitutes a
“household”
3) As mentioned earlier, we expect that some points will have a higher rate of deadwood
than others. This is usual with samples drawn from PAF, and part of your job is to root
this out. We will not be issuing substitute addresses.
Individuals’ Outcome (page 4)
The table at question 7 is used to record final outcomes for eligible individuals (all those aged
8+) in the household. It is very important that you complete this page when you have finished
making calls at an address.
ACCURATE COMPLETION OF THIS PAGE IS ESSENTIAL. THIS INFORMATION
IS USED TO LINK DIARIES WITH INTERVIEW DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE
INFORMATION ON FIELDWORK OUTCOMES.
Q7
Q7a-c
Q10a
Q11a
• You only need to complete this grid when you have conducted the household
interview and work is complete at this address. At the end of the household
interview you will be prompted to copy person numbers and names from the
computer screen onto the SIS. Enter these details at the top of this grid.
ACCURACY IS PARAMOUNT.
• There is a line at the top of the grid for you to tick when you have obtained
written parental consent for each child under 16 years taking part in the survey.
Tick the relevant box for each child.
• When you have finished making calls at an address, complete a, b and c for
each eligible household member. This information will be input into the CAPI
SIS when work is complete at an address.
At your pick-up visit we would like you to check each diary and work sheet for
“completeness” (see diary checklist), and amend materials accordingly in the
presence of household member. Record the outcome of your efforts to do so here.
The total due in the household is £5 per person who completes diaries and a work
94
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
and b
4.3
sheet, plus an extra £5 for the person completing the household interview.
CAPI SIS
This is labelled J14720ss on the computer.
The CAPI SIS should be completed at home. You should access it for every household in
your assignment every Thursday throughout the fieldwork period, and modem this back to
the office, even if it is just to say that you have not yet attempted to contact the household.
In essence, there are two “routes” through the CAPI SIS. The short route provides a brief
update of progress (in terms of how many calls have been made at the address, number of
individual interviews obtained, numbers of diaries/work sheets placed and picked up), while
the long route will only be taken once for each address, and only when work is complete at
that address.
In summary, every Thursday, you will provide Ipsos-RSL with an update of your progress at
each address via the short CAPI SIS. This will continue every week until you have finished
work at an address, at which point you will be routed through the longer version (see section
4.3.2)., and this will be the last time that you enter CAPI SIS information for that household.
4.3.1
CAPI SIS – short route (update)
(SN1, SN2, INTNUM) - You will be required to enter the point number (and check digit),
address number and your interviewer number.
(QA/QB) - You will be asked whether you have yet contacted the address (if “no”, program
closes), and the number of visits made.
(QC) - At this point you will be asked whether work has completely finished at that address,
and this will determine which route you follow through the SIS. If work is not yet completed
(“no” at QC), you be routed to QD.
(QD) – Has h/hold interview been conducted yet (if “no” – close of program; if “yes”, routed
to input a matching number taken from the household interview which you will have entered
on the front page of the paper SIS). Please take care when entering the matching number.
(INDINT) – number of individual interviews conducted
(DYPL) – number of diaries placed
(WKPL) – number of work sheets placed
(DYCT) – number of diaries collected
(WKCT) – number of w/sheets collected
95
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4.3.2 CAPI SIS – long route (only completed once per address, when work is finished at
that address)
(SN1, SN2, INTNUM) - You will be required to enter the point number (and check digit),
address number and your interviewer number.
(QA/QB) - You will be asked whether you have contacted the address and the number of
visits made.
(QC) - At this point you will be asked whether work has completely finished at that address,
and this will determine which route you follow through the SIS. If work is completed (“yes”
at QC), you be routed to HA1.
HA1 - Is this address traceable, residential and occupied? (If “yes” routed to HA5, if “no” give
reasons why not and no further entries needed for this address).
HA5 - Has a household interview been conducted at this address yet? If “no” give reasons
why not; if “yes” entering matching number from h/hold interview, already entered on the
front of the paper SIS). It is vital that you enter this accurately as this will provide the link
between the household grid information and the record of individual household member
outcome in the CAPI SIS. (However, if you find you have entered the wrong matching
number the computer will prompt you with a list of all household interview respondent names
with their respective matching numbers so you should be able to recover the situation!).
The matching number will enable the computer to prompt you with the names of all eligible
individuals so that you can record their final outcome codes. For each eligible person you will
be prompted to enter the code ringed at each of Q7a, Q7b and Q7c on the paper SIS.
Q10 and 11 – Please say whether you have administered a check list for each individual’s diaries/work
sheet and record the incentive paid to the household.
You will also be asked to enter the calls information from the front of the paper SIS
Please note: once you have coded 1 at question QC (i.e., all work at that address complete),
and modemed the full version of the SIS to the office, that is the last time that you will need to
provide CAPI SIS information for that address (see following example). At this point, you
should return all paperwork for that address to Head Office.
Example
The following example shows how the number of addresses for which you need to modem the
CAPI SIS decreases as fieldwork progresses. Initially, the interviewer modems a CAPI SIS
update for all 20 addresses in the point. The following week (week 2), the final outcomes for
4 addresses are decided, and a full CAPI SIS is modemed back to Head Office for each of
these addresses (no further CAPI SIS information will be modemed back for these addresses).
A CAPI SIS update is modemed back for the remainder of the addresses (16).
In week 3, the final outcomes for 4 of the remaining 16 addresses are decided, and a full CAPI
SIS is modemed back to Head Office for each of these addresses (no further CAPI SIS
information will be modemed back for these addresses). A CAPI SIS update is modemed
back for the remainder of the addresses (12).
96
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
In week 4, the final outcomes of 8 addresses are decided. Again, a full CAPI SIS is modemed
back for these addresses, and this is the final time that CAPI SIS information will be required
for these addresses. For the remaining 4 addresses, the interviewer provides a CAPI SIS
update.
In week 5, there is a final outcome for the remaining addresses, and a full CAPI SIS is
modemed back to Head Office for each.
WEEK
NUMBER OF
ADDRESSES
FINAL OUTCOME
(full CAPI SIS)
NO FINAL OUTCOME
(CAPI SIS update)
1
2
3
4
5
20
20
16
12
4
0
4
4
8
4
20
16
12
4
0
4.4
NUMBER OF
ADDRESSES
REMAINING
20
16
12
4
0
Questionnaires
There are two main questionnaires - the household questionnaire and the individual
questionnaire. These are both in CAPI.
• The household questionnaire will always be the first questionnaire you will use at any
address. It collects summary information about individual household members, plus
supplementary information about the household.
• The individual questionnaire is a longer and covers a variety of topics such as current
employment and/or study, voluntary work, leisure activities and sport, general health, child
care and caring for others. The version for under-16s is shorter, because it omits the
questions on employment, study and qualifications. CAPI will automatically route you
through a shorter individual questionnaire for under 16s.
• There will be some instances where you will not be able to contact an individual in a
household to conduct an individual interview (or an individual may consistently refuse to
take part in such an interview). To allow for this section 7 (and annex A “Rules For
Interviewing”) contains a list of situations in which you may conduct a Proxy Interview.
• Note that the names of the CAPI questionnaires on your computers are:
-Household interview:
J14720hh
-Individual questionnaire: J14720d
-Proxy Interview:
J14720px
• Please note that when interviewing children (aged under 16), you will need to obtain
permission from parents before you do so (please complete a child consent form). You
may also find that you have to collect this information from a parent by proxy, depending
on the ability / willingness of the child to answer the questions.
97
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4.5
The Diary
• The one-day diary of activities requires sample members to record what they are doing on
each of the two diary days in ten-minute slots. There are two versions of the diary - one for
children aged 8-13 and one for respondents aged 14 and older. It is essential that all
persons in the same household complete the diaries on the same day. The two diary days
must correspond to the days of the week specified on the front of the SIS.
• When leaving diaries for children (aged under 16) please obtain permission from parents
before you do so (complete a child consent form and tick the relevant box in the grid at Q7
on the paper SIS once permission is granted for the child to take part in all aspects of the
survey). You may also find that you have to ask a parent to complete the diary on the
child’s behalf depending on the ability / willingness of the child to do it him/herself.
• It is preferable that diaries (and work sheets) are completed using a black biro, and you
have been supplied with around 40 in your interviewer pack. Please leave one pen for
each eligible member of a household, and explain its purpose to respondents.
• Note: the last two pages of the diary consist of a number of tick box and open-ended
questions. Please point these out to respondents, and instruct them to mark their answers
with an “X” (rather than a tick).
4.6
The Work Sheet
• This is a single sheet, to be used as a self-completion document by each person in the
sample (including children). The purpose is to include the hours spent on paid activities of
any kind (from a paper round to a full-time salaried job) in the course of seven days. These
seven days should begin with the first diary day. Again, it is preferable that the work
sheet is completed using a black biro.
• We also wish to find out how people travel while at work or at school. There is a separate
row on the sheet for respondents to record this information. Please note: we do not need
to know about time spent travelling to and from work or school, only travel done during
the course of work/school hours. The main mode of travel should also be noted (in terms
of time spent using that form of transport).
• The sheets should be handed over at the same time as the diaries, remembering to enter the
point number, address number and person numbers first. Please also write the person’s
first name at the very bottom in the space provided; this should help ensure that the right
person fills in each sheet.
• To assist respondents and make sure they start the work sheet on the first diary day, please
write in the day and date of the first diary day on the front of the work sheet. On the A3
sheet, please list the relevant 7 days and dates down the side of the sheet.
• When leaving work sheets for children (aged under 16) please obtain permission from
parents before you do so (make sure a child consent form has been completed and tick the
relevant box in the grid at Q7 on the paper SIS once permission granted for the child to
take part in all aspects of the survey). You may also find that you have to ask a parent to
98
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
complete it on the child’s behalf depending on the ability / willingness of the child to do it
him/herself.
4.7
Show cards
• These are produced in two sets, one for the household interview and one for the individual
interview. In addition you will be supplied with a selection card, which you use to select a
household at multi-household addresses (using the selection digit printed under the address
box on the front of the paper SIS).
99
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
5.
The Household Interview in Detail
• This is labelled J14720hh on the computer.
• This must be completed before any individual interviews at the household. It must be
completed face-to-face, and can be done with the householder or their spouse.
• The structure of the interview is as follows:
Details of individuals in household
|
Housing and household appliances
|
Household vehicles
|
Home produce and DIY
|
Help received
|
Household income
|
Telephone number and accommodation type
A to G: Household Members:
• This sequence of questions collects information about each household member (including
children aged under 8 years old). Note that a household is defined as a group of people
who use the accommodation as their only or main residence, and who either share at least
one meal a day or share a living room or sitting room.
Household members include:
• Anyone living at the address for more than 6 months, but who has a main address
elsewhere
• Anyone searching for a permanent address in this country, unless they are making a
holiday or business visit only and remain resident abroad
• Three or fewer boarders in a landlord’s household.
• Children aged 16 or under who reside at boarding school during term time.
They exclude:
• Adult children (aged over 16) who live away for work or study and only come home for
holidays
• Anyone away from the address continuously for 6 months or more
• Those who have their own living accommodation as well as the use of a shared
communal living room e.g. warden assisted flats, granny flats.
• If four or more boarders resident, exclude all boarders from the landlord’s household
(each boarder should be regarded as a separate household in their own right)
• Lodgers (these are treated as separate households)
100
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Please note: a boarder is defined as someone who rents a room in a home, but shares at least
one meal a day with the rest of the household. A lodger is defined as someone who rents a
room in a home, but does not share meals with the rest of the household on a daily basis.
Please also note that in the case of children who are at boarding school during term time, an
individual interview should be attempted (if they happen to be at home), otherwise a proxy
interview should be collected. Diaries and work sheets should be posted to these children if
they are at school on the diary days, together with an envelope for their return. In such
situations, please contact Jackie Boswell for additional materials.
B: Name of Household members
Note that names of household members should be listed in the following order:
• the household interview respondent;
• other household members in descending age order.
Please prompt for full name of household interview respondent. First names are sufficient for
other household members.
C-G
Having entered names you will then be prompted for sex and date of birth of each household
member. You will then be asked to confirm the age of each with the respondent. Please
estimate age if this information is refused.
The remainder of this section asks for ethnic origin and the relationships between different
household members.
H-J
These questions relate to non-household members staying for 7 nights or more. Please refer
carefully to the definition of household member (above) when deciding whether or not to
count somebody as a household member or not.
If more than one non-household member is staying at the household, answer J for the one who
is staying for the longest.
Q2a and 2b
These questions establish in whose name the accommodation is owned or rented. In the case
of joint tenancies or ownership, question 2b asks which person has the highest income. If the
named parties have the same income, this is allowed.
There may be instances where no-one in the accommodation is the named owner or renter (for
example, where a house is owned by the parent of a household member who is at university,
or where there are squatters). In these cases, please use the following guidelines:
•
•
If one (or more) members of the household is (are) related to the owner OR
employed by the owner, code that (those) person(s) as the named owner/renter.
None of the household members are related to or employed by the owner of the
accommodation (e.g. where there are squatters). In this instance, all adults within
the household are considered to hold equal tenure, and should all be coded as the
people in whose name the accommodation is owned or rented.
101
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Q3a and Q3b - Housing Tenure:
These questions are asking for the formal legal tenure of the household. If, for example, the
household is a single widow living in a house bought by her son (in his name) who is living
elsewhere, she should be coded as living rent-free even though she may regard herself as an
owner-occupier. Similarly, a household paying a contribution to upkeep but not formal rent
should be coded as rent-free. This could arise, for example, if a parent lived in a granny flat
as a separate household.
• People who own their home with a lease count as owners. It does not matter that they pay
ground rent.
• Shared ownership means paying partly for a mortgage and partly rent, so that if the person
moves he/she will get some of the proceeds from the sale, according to how much of the
original cost has been paid off. Include people who have now fully paid off the mortgage
portion.
• People living in tied accommodation will be code 4 or 5 at Q3a, depending on whether they
explicitly pay rent, and code 06 at Q3b.
• If rent is paid entirely by someone else, for example by housing benefit, this is not “rentfree”. This should be code 4.
• Housing Action Trusts (HATs) are schemes set up by the local council, and the council still
owns the property. So if a respondent says they are in a HAT, this should be code 4 at Q3a
and code 1 at Q3b.
• If the property is let through an agent, Q3b refers to the owner not the agent.
• Use code 5 at Q3b only if the household member and landlord were friends before they
were tenant and landlord, not if they have become friendly since then.
Q4 - Household Appliances:
Note that when asking about TV sets, if the response is “yes”, you will have to probe for
whether that is one or more than one. This does not apply to the other parts of the question.
Q5 - Access to the Internet:
Note that we are interested in people’s access to the Internet at home.
Q6a-Q6g - Motor vehicles
Notes on vehicle types (Q6d):
• cars include minibuses, motor caravans, “people carriers”, and 4-wheel drive passenger
vehicles.
• light vans include pick-ups and those 4-wheel drive vehicles, Land Rovers and jeeps that
do not have side windows behind the driver
• motorcycles include mopeds
• invalid tricycles should be coded as “other” motor vehicles
Notes on private ownership/company cars (Q6e):
• privately owned includes being bought on hire purchase and lease cars if the contract is
made directly between the individual and the leasing company
102
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• used continuously, i.e. for private as well as business purposes, by a self-employed person
who owns his/her business and uses the vehicle as if owned, although the respondent may
state that it is owned by the company
• a company car is any car for which someone in the household pays company car tax; it
includes cars supplied by an employer, spouse’s employer, etc.; it also includes lease cars if
the contract is made between the individual’s employer and the leasing company
• company cars provided exclusively for company business (i.e. where no private usage is
permitted) should be excluded at Q6a
• cars purchased from an employer should be coded as privately owned.
Q8 - DIY
• Please note that the word “accommodation” in q8a refers to the whole premises in which
the household resides, i.e, the house or flat plus any garden, outbuildings, etc.
Q9 - Help Received:
• Note the distinction between help from people doing it as part of their normal paid work
(e.g. hiring a professional decorator) and someone who was not doing it as part of their
normal paid work (e.g. a friend who helps out with the decorating).
• Also note that a household may have received any of the named types of help from
somebody who helped as part of their normal work and from somebody else who was not
doing as part of their normal paid work.
• If queried, “last 4 weeks” means the 28 days up to and including yesterday.
Q11 - Questions on childcare
• We would like to find out who is mainly responsible for childcare within the household.
Only one adult in a household with more than one adult needs to answer specific childcare
questions in the individual interview.
• However, there may be situations in which different adults are responsible for the care of
different children, and wish to answer specific questions themselves. In this case, you may
code all relevant adults accordingly.
End of interview
Note that at the end of the interview the CAPI program will ask you to do two very important
things.
• First you will be presented with person numbers and names of household members aged 8+
on the screen and instructed to copy these into the individual outcome grid on the paper SIS
(Q7 - at the top of the individual outcome grid). Please do this very carefully. This is
vital for linking diaries and work sheets to the CAPI interviews.
• Second, you will be presented with a number labelled matching number on the screen. It
is vital that you copy this accurately onto the top right of the front page of the SIS. You
103
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
will be prompted for it during the computer SIS procedures and during the individual
interviews. Again accuracy is paramount: if you get this number wrong the computer
will not be able to link the household questionnaire to the SIS and the individual
questionnaire.
104
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6.
The Individual Interview in Detail
• Remember this is labelled J14720d on the computer.
• This should be completed for each individual over the age of 8 in the household. It should
be done face-to-face if possible. Failing that, it can be done by telephone, or as a last
resort, you should attempt to conduct a Proxy Interview (see annex A “Rules For
Interviewing”, and section 7 for further details). It is preferable, but not essential, to do the
individual interview before the first diary has been completed.
• There are two variants of the individual questionnaire - one for all people aged 16 and over,
and one for under-16s (the CAPI questionnaire automatically routes the different sets of
questions for respondents aged 16+ and those aged 8-15).
• Note that when interviewing children (aged under 16), you will need to obtain permission
from parents before you do so (make sure a child consent form is signed and please tick the
relevant box in the grid at Q7 on the paper SIS). You may also find that you have to collect
this information from a parent by proxy, depending on the ability/willingness of the child
to answer the questions.
• The structure of the questionnaire is the same in each version. The under-16s questionnaire
differs mainly in that certain sections are omitted. The structure is as follows:
Adult Questionnaire
Under-16s Questionnaire
Current employment
|
Looking for work
|
Receipt of benefits
|
Education and training
|
Voluntary work
|
Help and service for others
|
Leisure activities
|
Health
|
Childcare
|
Caring for others
|
Classification
Current employment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Voluntary work
|
Help and service for others
|
Leisure activities and sport
|
Health
|
Caring for others
|
Nationality
105
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Q1 - Any Paid Work:
• There is no minimum number of hours or requirement for work to have been classed as
“regular” or “usual”: Any paid work counts.
• Please note that work done as part of a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) should be
included. LETS is a local system by which people exchange goods and services
(essentially work for one another for payment “in kind” using a locally devised
“currency”).
• Self-employment counts if the respondent works in a business, practice or farm for the
purpose of earning a profit, even if they are not in fact making a profit or taking any wages
out of the business.
• Student nurses and nurses training under the Project 2000 scheme are not doing paid work,
they are studying (see Q22 to Q25).
Q2 - Away from a Job:
• If respondent has been away from the job for a long time, only code “yes” if there is
definitely a job for them to return to.
• Someone in casual work who happens not to have done any work last week should be
coded “no” at Q2 unless they are guaranteed further work (as opposed to merely expecting
it). Seasonal workers should similarly be coded “no” if they are currently out of work
because it is out of season.
Q3a and Q3b
• These questions are included to identify “unpaid family workers”, people whose work
contributes directly to a business, farm, or professional practice, owned or operated either
by themselves or by a relative, but who receive no pay or profits (e.g. a wife doing her
husband’s accounts or helping with the family farm or business).
• However, we are interested only in people who work for a business owned or operated by
themselves or by relatives. Unpaid voluntary work for a charity, etc should not be
included.
Job questions (Q4 et seq)
• These questions refer to either work undertaken in the reference week or (if they were not
working during the reference week) to the respondent’s most recent period of paid work.
• If the respondent was doing more than one job they should decide which was the main one.
If they are unable to decide, the main job should be the one in which the greatest number of
hours are usually worked. Respondents who changed jobs in the reference week should
regard the job held at the end of the reference week as their main one.
Q4
106
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• We need detailed answers so that we can code them in the office. Please probe vague
answers.
• Note that we are interested in an activity, not a title, name or vague heading (e.g. motor
trade, health care, leisure industry are insufficient).
Other notes:
• if manufacturing probe for product and raw material;
• if processing probe for end product;
• if distribution probe for main product that is distributed, and whether it is wholesale or
retail;
• if respondent works in an office probe for what activity office the does;
• employees of specialist service / contract firms should be coded according to what their
employer does - e.g. a cleaner working for a cleaning contractor should be coded to the
cleaning industry and not to the industry of the offices cleaned;
• the industry of self-employed people should be coded according to their own type of work
(e.g. a self-employed typist working on a building site should be coded as working in the
typing industry and not the building industry. (However, if (s)he was employed by the
building firm, then (s)he would be coded to the building industry.)
Q8a
• If the respondent says that they had both managerial and supervisory duties, code the one
they see as being their main duty.
Q8b and Q13b - Number at Workplace:
• We want to know the total number of employees at the “local unit of the establishment” at
which the respondent works. The “local unit” is usually a single building, part of a
building, or a self-contained site. It is the total number of employees at this unit that we
want, not just the number in the respondent’s section or department. If a respondent works
from a central base or depot (e.g. sales rep, service engineer), the answer is the number of
people who work at or from the central location. Note that many people who work “from
home” have a base office or depot that they communicate with. It may even be true of
some people who work “at home”. If in doubt, accept respondent’s view of whether there
is a wider establishment outside the home that they belong to for work purposes.
Q8c - Full-time or Part-time:
• There is no definition of the number of hours involved. It is the respondent’s perception:
does he or she consider it to be a full-time or part-time job?
Q8d and e
• Work shifts are defined as two or more distinct periods of work between which employees
are regularly rotated. A respondent is considered to work shift work if they regularly work
two or more different shifts (e.g. mornings one week and afternoons the next).
107
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• There are many shift work patterns in the UK and the names for different types of shift work
may vary from area to area.
Information about the shift work categories are given below:
Three-shift working: The 24-hour day is usually divided into three working periods morning, afternoon, and night. Someone doing this kind of shift work will usually, but not
always, do one or more weeks of mornings, followed by one or more weeks of afternoons,
followed by one or more weeks of nights.
Continental shifts: Sometimes called metropolitan shifts, this is a continuous three-shift
system that rotates rapidly, e.g. three mornings, followed by two afternoons, followed by
two nights. There is usually a break between shift changes.
Two-shift system with earlies and lates or double day shifts: Normally two shifts of
eight hours each, e.g. 0600-1400 and 1400-2200. The worker usually alternates between
shifts, often weekly, but it can be at longer intervals.
Sometimes night and sometimes day shifts: It is recognised that other alternating systems
of days and nights exist, apart from those referred to above. Use this code for any other
pattern of working which involves working shifts both during the hours of daylight and at
night.
Split shifts: These are full shifts divided into two distinct parts with a gap of several hours
in between. Often used in passenger transport, catering, and service industries, where there
is a need to meet peak demands at different times of the day.
Morning shifts: If full-time, most commonly 0600-1400. Use this code only if the
morning shift is the only shift worked. Use also for part time during the morning.
Evening shifts: Most commonly between 1500 and 2400 if full time. Also used for a parttime shift from 1700-2100 or from 1800-2200. Part-time evening shifts are often called
twilight shifts.
Night shifts: These are full time shifts, usually between 1800 and 0600, and usually
continuing after midnight. Use this code only for permanent night work.
Weekend shifts: This should be used for working during the day on Fridays, Saturdays,
and Sundays (0600-1800), when there is no other work.
Other type of shift work: Use this only if you are satisfied that none of the other codes are
applicable.
Q9 - Special working hours arrangements
Flexitime Employees can vary their daily start and finish times each day. Over an
accounting period (usually four weeks or a month), debit and credit hours can be carried
over into another accounting period. Variable start and finish times alone are NOT
enough for a flexitime system. There must also be a formal accounting period.
108
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Annualised hours The number of hours an employee has to work are calculated over a
full year. Instead of say 40 hours per week, employees are contracted to work 1900 hours
per year (after allowing for leave and other entitlements). Longer hours are worked over
certain parts of the year and shorter hours at other periods. Variations in hours are
related to seasonal factors or fluctuation in demand for the company’s goods or services.
Term-time working Respondents work during the school or college term. Unpaid
leave is taken during the school holidays, although their pay may be spread equally over
the year.
Job-sharing This is a type of part-time working. A full-time job is divided between,
usually, two people. The job-sharers work at different times, although there may be a
change over period.
Both Nine-day fortnights and Four-and-a-half day weeks working arrangements
involve the 5-day working week being compressed into fewer full days. Such
arrangements refer to FULL-TIME working only.
- Nine-day fortnights involve individual employees having one day off, every other
week. The actual day off may vary so long as the employee keeps to an alternative
pattern of one five day week followed by a four-day week; or the employee may work for
nine days on the trot and then have five days off.
- Four-and-a-half day weeks typically involve the normal working week finishing early
on Fridays. The short day need not necessarily be Friday but this is the most obvious and
common day.
Zero hours contract is where a person is not contracted to work a set number of hours,
and is only paid for the number of hours that they actually work.
NB: Nine-day fortnights and four-and-a-half day weeks do not apply to PART-TIME working. Do
not read them out for those working part-time. The other arrangements may apply to part-time
workers.
In most cases a respondent who has any of these particular working hours arrangements will
immediately recognise the terms and will require no further explanation. If a respondent asks what
is meant by the terms it is unlikely they have any of these working hours arrangements and should
be coded 9.
Q14a-Q14f - Hours Worked:
• If the work pattern is not based on a week, get an average over the last four weeks.
• If the respondent has been off work for some time - sick, or on maternity leave, for
example - take the usual hours worked before the current spell of being off work.
• Apprentices, trainees and others in vocational training should exclude time spent at school/
college or any special training centre outside the workplace.
109
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• If a respondent has recently started a new job, usual hours should relate to what they expect
them to be in the future.
• If a respondent is “on-call” for 24 hours a day, this does not represent 24 hours of work.
The hours we want are those when the respondent is actually working.
• Include hours worked at home if the work is part of the job (even if it is unpaid overtime).
Q21a , q21d, q21e, q21f, q21g, q21h - Benefits:
• Note that the benefits listed at these questions must be in the respondent’s own name.
Benefits received only by other household members do not count.
Q26 - Voluntary work:
• At part (a), there are two qualifying criteria. The first is that the work must have been done
either through, or on behalf of, a group or organisation of some sort.
The
group/organisation could be anything from a small, local group (e.g. a tenants’ association)
to a large national organisation (e.g. Age Concern). The work might either directly benefit
the group/organisation, or might be intended by the group/organisation to help others.
Self-help groups are included.
• The second criterion is that the work must be intended to be of benefit to some person or
people outside of the respondent’s own household. These people do not need to be
identifiable, so improving the environment or helping animals are included.
• At part (c), ask the respondent to just read out the codes that apply (if they don’t do this
unprompted). That way, you get them to work out which category it falls in to. If they
cannot do this, then ask them to describe what they do and code it yourself if possible. If it
is not immediately obvious to you which code to use, then just write down as much detail
as possible.
• Part (d) is asking for the number of distinct occasions on which help was given, rather than
the number of times a particular task was performed. So, if the voluntary work was
answering the telephone at the office of a charity, for example, we do not want to know the
number of times they answered the telephone, but the number of occasions on which they
went to the office for a session of answering the phone.
• At part (e), record the number of hours or minutes as appropriate. Answers do not need to
be highly precise. The number of hours will suffice, except for things which took less than
an hour. If a respondent answers, “3 hours”, just enter 3 when prompted for hours, and
zero when prompted for minutes. But if they answer, “3 and a half hours”, enter 3 when
prompted for hours and 30 when prompted for minutes. But do please probe vague
answers such as “less than an hour” or “about 5 or 6 hours or so”.
• Sometimes people answer that an ongoing activity (e.g. looking after a child) lasted several
days. You will see that you are offered the option of answering in days to take account of
this possibility.
Q27 - Help and services for others
110
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• The action has to be intended to benefit someone outside the household. The difference
from Q26 is that Q27 is about things not done through a group or organisation, but just as
an individual (or a couple of individuals, or a family etc.).
• If more than one kind of help given to the same person, enter all kinds of help at (c) and the
total number of times help given at (d). For example, if respondent had cooked lunch for
an elderly neighbour on each of the last four Sundays, and also done shopping for that
person on two occasions, then enter “cooked lunch and did shopping” at c and enter “6” at
d.
• Part (f) refers to monetary payments: payments in kind are excluded.
Q29- Leisure activities:
• To count, the visit must have been for the purpose of watching/ listening/ visiting/ using
the facilities. Going to one of these places because the respondent happens to work there
does not count.
• Also for concerts, plays and ballet/modern dance, please exclude cases when the
respondent went as a participant rather than a member of the audience (e.g. sang in a
concert, as opposed to going to listen).
Q31 - Sports activities
• This show card contains a lengthy list of physical activities.
respondent reads the whole list.
Please ensure that the
• We want to include participation in these activities for any reason - for example, someone
who cycles to work because this is a convenient mode of transport should be counted as
having cycled.
Include:
• indoor and outdoor sports/activities
• sports/activities done at home/work, schools or college
• sport/activities done abroad
• sport/activities done for pleasure, health, exercise, to save money, to raise funds for charity
• sport/activities done as part of a job (e.g. gym teacher, professional diver)
Exclude:
• organising sports unless also taking part
• watching sports
• escorting/supervising children taking part in sports activities
• gardening
• refereeing and coaching
Q31c
• This asks about number of days. Therefore if someone plays tennis twice in one day, this
counts as one day
111
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Q35a - f Health problems expected to last for more than a year
These questions are for everyone, including the elderly. However, if respondents over the age
of 75 years become distressed by the questions, then do not proceed with this section.
Q35a
• The year should commence at the onset of the health problem/disability regardless of the
reference week. If the disability is, or is likely to be, recurrent, or occurs sporadically (for
example epilepsy), Q35a should be coded ‘Yes’ if it is likely to recur after twelve months.
• If a respondent says that they 'don't know' how long their illness is likely to last, try and
establish whether or not they think that their problem/disability will last more than a year.
• If the respondent does not know how long the problem will last because they are suffering
from a terminal illness or serious illness and the length is dependent on how successful a
course of treatment will be (for example, if someone is suffering from cancer and how long it
will last depends on how well they respond to chemotherapy) code Q35a as ‘Yes’.
• For those health problems arising from a single event or infection this should be a
straightforward enquiry. Where there is a recurring health problem (e.g. back pain), and the
respondent is affected by it for a few weeks and then has a period of remission: if the
respondent is likely to experience the affects again 12 months or more afterwards then they
should be coded ‘Yes’ at this question.
Q35b/c - Does the heath problem affect the kind/amount of work that can be done
Q35b
• Allow the respondent to decide whether a health problem/disability limits the kind of paid
work which they can do. If the respondent seeks clarification, they should be advised not to
limit the assessment to the paid work (if any) which they do at present.
Q35c
• Again, allow the respondent to decide whether a health problem/disability limits the amount
of paid work which they can do. This records whether a disability affects the amount of paid
work undertaken, or might be undertaken, by the respondent. This is not restricted to the
respondent’s current job, nor to respondents who are currently employed.
Q35d - Type of heath problem
• Code 4 - difficulty in seeing should not be considered a disability if it is effectively
compensated for by wearing glasses or contact lenses
• Code 5 - difficulty in hearing should be considered without the use of a hearing aid
• Code 7 - severe disfigurements excludes those arising from tattooing or body piercing, but
would include scars, birthmarks, limb or postural deformation or diseases of the skin.
• Code 8 - excludes hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis), except where it aggravates the effects
of an existing condition.
112
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• Code 14 - specific learning difficulties includes conditions such as dyslexia or dyscalcula;
severe learning difficulties covers mental impairments or mental handicap
• Code 15 - Mental illness includes a wide range of conditions related to mental functioning,
but these should be a clinically well-recognised illnesses. Mental illnesses that should be
excluded are; the tendency to commit arson or to steal, the tendency to physically or sexually
abuse others, exhibitionism or voyeurism.
• Code 16 - Progressive illnesses should be recorded if there is some effect on the respondent’s
normal day-to-day activities, even if it is minor at the time of interview. If the respondent has
been diagnosed with a progressive illness, but they are not suffering from any symptoms
which affect their activities yet, then they should not be included. Addiction to or
dependency on alcohol, nicotine, drugs or other substance (unless resulting from the
substance being prescribed for the respondent) should not be included.
Q35f - limiting day to day activities
• The qualifying statement concerning medication or treatment includes:
Þ the use of a prosthesis i.e. any artificial device attached to the body as an aid, for example, an
artificial limb, a heart pacemaker, or a hearing aid (exclude spectacles or contact lenses);
Þ the use of any other form of aid or equipment such as a wheelchair.
• If someone says their condition does not have any affect on them because it is kept under
control by treatment, they should still be coded as ‘Yes’ if it would have an effect without the
treatment. For example, some people take medication and experience no impairment in their
quality of life as a result, but without that medication they would die. These should be coded
‘Yes’.
• Normal day-to-day activities are those which are carried out by most people on a daily basis,
and we are interested in disabilities/health problems which have a substantial adverse effect
on respondent’s ability to carry out these activities.
• There are several ways in which a problem may affect the respondent’s day to day activities:
Mobility - for example, unable to travel short journeys as a passenger in a car, unable to walk
other than at a slow pace or with jerky movements, difficulty in negotiating stairs, unable to use
one or more forms of public transport, unable to go out of doors unaccompanied.
Manual dexterity - for example, loss of functioning in one or both hands, inability to use a
knife or fork at the same time, or difficulty in pressing buttons on a keyboard
Physical co-ordination - for example, the inability to feed or dress oneself; or to pour liquid
from one vessel to another except with unusual slowness or concentration.
Problems with bowel/bladder control - for example, frequent or regular loss of control of the
bladder or bowel. Occasional ‘bedwetting’ is not considered a disability.
113
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects (for example, books, kettles, light
furniture) - for example, inability to pick up a weight with one hand but not the other, or to
carry a tray steadily.
Speech - for example, unable to communicate (clearly) orally with others; taking significantly
longer to say things. A minor stutter, difficulty in speaking in front of an audience, or unable to
speak a foreign language would not be considered impairments.
Hearing - for example, not being able to hear without the use of a hearing aid, the inability to
understand speech under normal conditions or over the telephone.
Eyesight - for example, while wearing spectacles or contact lenses, being unable to pass the
standard driving eyesight test; total inability to distinguish colours (excluding ordinary red/green
colour blindness); or inability to read newsprint.
Memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand - for example, intermittent loss of
consciousness or confused behaviour; inability to remember names of family or friends; unable
to write a cheque without assistance; or an inability to follow a recipe.
Perception of risk of physical danger - for example, reckless behaviour putting oneself or
others at risk; mobility to cross the road safely. This excludes (significant) fear of heights or
underestimating risk of dangerous hobbies.
Q37 to Q44: Childcare
• The respondent(s) selected to answer the childcare questions in the household diary (at
Q11), will automatically be asked the child care questions in the individual questionnaire.
• Forms of childcare will be asked about each child aged 0-14 specified in the household
questionnaire at Q11 as being the responsibility of that individual. For each form of
childcare the respondent will be asked a set of questions.
Q52 - Caring activities:
• “Personal care” includes washing, grooming, dressing.
• “Physical help” includes both physically supporting the person being cared for and also
doing physical tasks that the person is unable to do themselves, such as lifting and carrying
things.
Q55 - Marital Status
• The aim is to obtain the legal marital status, irrespective of any de facto arrangement. The
only qualification to this is that you should not probe the answer “separated”. Should a
respondent query the term, explain that it covers any person whose spouse is living
elsewhere because of estrangement (whether or not the separation is legal). A person
whose spouse has been working away from home for a long period, for example on a
contract overseas or in the armed forces, should still be coded as married and living with
spouse if the separation is not permanent.
114
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• At q56, you may code “no” without asking the question only if all members of the
household are too closely related for any to be living together in a de facto marital
relationship or if it is a one-person household.
115
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7.
The Proxy Interview
• We envisage that you will only need to use the Proxy script in a very small number of cases
(if at all). Annex A details full instructions regarding interviewing, however, the following
points summarise the cases in which a Proxy interview may be conducted.
• When collecting diaries from a household (on the prearranged day), if an individual
interview still remains outstanding, a Proxy interview will be conducted in the following
circumstances:
i. the individual in question is present has completed the diaries, but refuses to
complete the individual questionnaire at that time. On making a further attempt to
arrange one more visit, if the individual is still unwilling, a proxy interview can be
conducted with a responsible household member (ideally, the main household
contact or a responsible adult).
ii. the individual is present and has not completed the diaries, the interviewer will
attempt to administer individual interview and the diaries, requesting that the
respondent completes the diaries retrospectively for the same days as other
household members. (However, if it is a one person household, the diaries may be
completed in the following week on the allotted days). If not willing, the
interviewer can attempt a proxy interview with a responsible household member.
Diary placement will not be attempted again.
iii. The individual is NOT present and has completed the diaries. The interviewer will
attempt a proxy interview at diary collection with a responsible household member.
iv. The individual is NOT present and has NOT completed the diaries. The
interviewer will still attempt a proxy interview at diary collection with a responsible
household member.
• Please note: we envisage that in rare circumstances it may be possible/preferable for
Carers to complete household and individual interviews on behalf of a respondent, and to
also complete diaries (e.g. if respondents are extremely ill or senile). Please contact
head office for permission to proceed in this way, and to receive further guidelines.
116
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
•
The Proxy interview is essentially a shortened version of the individual interview, and
follows a similar format to the adult and child versions, namely:
Proxy Questionnaire
Under-16s Proxy Questionnaire
Current employment
|
Looking for work
|
Receipt of benefits
|
Education and training
|
Voluntary work
|
|
|
|
Health
|
|
Caring for others
|
Classification
Current employment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Voluntary work
|
|
|
Health
|
Caring for others
|
Nationality
117
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• The first page of the script differs from the individual interview, in that you will be asked
to complete a series of questions about the interview before it starts. You will be prompted
for
•
the name of the household member for whom the responses will be given
•
the name and reference of the person supplying the responses
• Please note: if a Carer (i.e. a non-household member) completes the Proxy interview,
their person number should be entered as “null”.
119
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
8.
The Diary, Work sheet and Diary Checklist in detail
Diaries
• There are two versions of the diary - one for individuals aged 14 and over, and a simpler
version for those aged 8 to 13.
• Two copies of the diary should be completed by each individual aged 8 or over in each
household - one for each of the diary days given on the SIS. There are eight diary pages to
complete (3 hours on each page), plus two pages of questions at the back. Please read
through the instructions page of the diary yourself before you begin work. Make sure you
are familiar with what respondents are being asked to do.
• Ideally, closed questions at the back of the diary should be marked with an “X” (as
opposed to a tick). Please remember to ask respondents to use the black biro provided
when completing their diaries.
• Please be sure to enter point, address and person numbers on the front of the diary
(copied from the paper SIS). Then tick one box to show if the diary is for day 1 or day 2,
enter diary completion date and tick a box to show to which day of the week the diary
relates.
• At the bottom of the front page (under the dotted line) you will see a space for the name of
the diary keeper and another for the day to which the diary relates. Please complete this
information, specifying the exact day and date, and whether this is Day one or Day two. It
is there to ensure that the right respondent completes the diary on the right day. Once the
diaries are returned to the office the names will be detached from the diaries so that they
cannot be identified.
Work sheet
• This is used to record hours spent in main job or full time education and in other paid work
for the seven days running up to and including the second main diary day. There is also
space for respondents to record the time they spent travelling during working or school
hours, and a box to indicate the main method of travel (in terms of time spent) during that
day.
• Please be sure to enter point, address and person numbers on the front of the work sheet
(copied from the paper SIS) using a black biro pen. At the bottom of the front page, enter
respondent’s name and day, date and month of diary Day one.
• Please enter each of the seven days (with corresponding date and month) down the left
hand side of the work sheet proper. Remember that the first of the 7 days should be the
first main diary day. For example, if the first diary day is Thursday 16 March, day 7
should be Wednesday 22 March.
• Some respondents will not have done any paid work or been involved in full-time
education over the relevant seven days. Please ask them to tick the relevant box on the
bottom left of the main recording page. NOTE: you should collect a work sheet for
everyone over the age of 8 within the household, whether or not they do paid work or are
in full-time education.
• Please remind respondents that it is better to complete the diary and work sheet using the
black biro pen supplied (one should be left for each eligible household member).
120
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
• There may be situations in which it is not immediately clear how the line denoting time
should be drawn on the work sheet. For example, if a person works from 8.05am to
12.20pm, the line should be drawn from 8.00am to 12.15pm. In other words, if the
majority of a 15 minute period is worked or spent in education, include the whole 15
minute slot. On the other hand, if only a minority of a 15 minute period is spent working/
in education, do not include the time slot.
Children
• When leaving diaries/work sheets for children (aged under 16) please obtain permission
from parents before you do so. Make sure that a child consent form has been signed, and
tick the relevant box per child in the grid at Q7 on the paper SIS to indicate that you have
obtained verbal permission from a responsible adult.
• You may also find that you have to ask a parent to complete the diary/work sheet on the
child’s behalf depending on the ability/willingness of the child to do it him/herself.
Interviewer diary checklist
• When you make your pick-up call you should make every effort to check each diary and
work sheet that have been completed in the presence of the relevant respondent. Go
through the materials in the respondent’s presence, using the diary checklist as a guide.
Please complete q10a on the paper SIS to record whether you have done this.
• As a general point, if parents/responsible adults have completed diaries on behalf of their
children, we need to know this. Question 6 on the final page of the children’s diary asks if
help was given when completing the document. If help was given, please write on the
diary itself who assisted the child (e.g. parent, grandparent, older brother, etc), and give
their person number.
• Similarly in the case of the work sheet, if someone other than the person named on the
work sheet completed this document, please could you mark this clearly. For example, the
name box might read:
Name: Annie Other (filled in by Mrs S Other)
121
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
9.
Questions you may be asked
Who is paying for this?
National Statistics - a Government department concerned with collecting reliable data about
all aspects of life in this country.
Whose idea was it?
Many different people have helped to design the survey, including Eurostat (the Europe-wide
organisation for statistics), a number of UK government departments, academic researchers
and the independent researchers from Ipsos-RSL.
What is the point of it?
The survey results will be of enormous benefit both at a local and national level. The results
will be used by many different Government departments, health professionals, charitable
organisations, and also to independent university-based analysts.
For example, in order for organisations to plan services, schemes and facilities more
effectively, they need to know more about the pressures on people’s time and what kinds of
things people are able to do, and what they choose to do with their time.
Other examples:
· We want to find out exactly how much time people spend on things like childcare and
housework, so that they might get proper recognition for their efforts;
· We want to find out the extent to which people rely on help from friends, relatives and
neighbours for things which they might think should be provided by the Government or
local Councils;
· We want to see what sorts of people are working very long hours, and what sorts of people
have no job at all. To have some reliable figures might help towards getting a fairer
distribution of employment.
Is it really confidential?
Yes, of course! We are bound by the ethics of the MRS - no-one outside of Ipsos-RSL and
National Statistics will know who has taken part in the survey, and the data collected will
only be used for research purposes. The reports of the survey and the data handed over to
analysts will not include anybody’s name or address. Names and addresses will be separated
from questionnaires and other survey documents as soon as we have linked all the documents
together.
You want to sell me something, don’t you?
No! Ipsos-RSL is an independent research company. We carry out research into all kinds of
social issues - housing, health, diet and so on - and we never sell anybody anything. Neither
do we pass your name or address on to anybody else who might want to sell you something.
122
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
10.
Checklist of Survey Documents
These are the supplies that you should have:
Number
SIS (paper)
Advance letter spares
Information leaflets
One-day diary (adult)
One-day diary (child)
One-week work sheet
Interviewer diary checklist
Paper copy of Household Questionnaire
Paper copy of Individual Questionnaire
Paper copy of Child Individual Questionnaire
Paper copy of Proxy Questionnaire (adult)
Paper copy of Proxy Questionnaire (child)
Set of show cards (household)
Set of show cards (individual)
Set of show cards (child)
Selection card
Assignment overview
Appointment cards (two versions)
Child consent forms
Confirmation of incentive forms
Police Notification forms
With compliments slips and envelopes
(for incentives)
Black biros
Administration pack
19/20
5
20
50
8
25
25
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2 packs
10
18
10
18 of each
40
1
For this survey, it is particularly hard for us to predict how many of each document you will
need, as the number of 8-15 year-olds will vary greatly between sample points, so please
monitor your supplies very carefully, and ask for more if it seems that you are likely to run
out.
11. Queries
If you have any queries or difficulties please contact head office at the names and numbers
provided.
Now you have read the Time Use Interviewer Instructions, please claim your £5 fee.
123
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Annex A: Rules For Interviewing
(including the rules of administrating an individual proxy interview)
Interviewers will:
Diary Placement
1. Attempt no less than 4 visits in person to each address to make initial contact
2. On initial contact with the household the interviewer will conduct the household interview
and individual interview with a ‘main/responsible’ householder. If it is not convenient at
that time the interviewer will arrange for a time to call back. If the householder refuses,
the interviewer will leave additional literature and ask the householder if they may contact
them again at a later date.
3. Once the household interview is completed the interviewer will conduct individual
interviews with all other eligible household members present. Exceptions to this are:
a) If it is an unsuitable time for the individual respondent (e.g. they are on their way
out)
b) If the number of present eligible household members is such that, conducting all
individual interviews becomes impractical for the interviewer and/or household.
(This situation is like to arise if the number eligible household members presents
exceeds 4 and the duration of the interviewing will be over 3 hours, the limit of the
duration of the interviewer’s visit after this time will be at the discretion of the
interviewer).
c) An eligible individual refuses to be interviewed
Under these conditions the interviewer will attempt to arrange another time for interview.
If the individual continues to refuse to agree to take part (point c). The interviewer will
leave additional literature and then call back (either by telephone or in person) to see if the
household members have changed their minds.
4. Once the household interview is completed. The interviewer will leave the required
number of diaries and worksheets for the household, and explain the requirements to the
household contact and eligible individuals present. Incentives will also be administered.
5. If on initial contact eligible household members are not present the interviewer will
arrange a time with the household contact that is best to call back in order to obtain an
interview. A telephone number will be left so that outstanding individuals may contact the
interviewer if the arrangement is unsuitable. If more than one individual interview is
outstanding, the interviewer will attempt to return when all outstanding individuals are
present. If considered appropriate the interviewer can leave additional literature with the
household.
6. The interviewer can attempt to conduct any outstanding interviews, either prior, during or
after diary completion. If an individual interview remains outstanding on subsequent
visits, the interviewer will attempt to contact them directly by telephone, to arrange a
suitable time for another attempt visit (please also see rules for proxy interviews).
124
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Diary Collection
7. If an individual interview still remains outstanding when the interviewer collects the
diaries (on the prearranged day), one final attempt will be made to conduct the interview in
person. There are five situations identified:
• The individual is present has completed the diaries and completes the individual
questionnaire
• The individual is present has completed the diaries and refuses to complete the individual
questionnaire at that time. The interviewer will make an attempt to arrange one more
visit, if still unwilling a proxy interview can be conducted with a responsible household
member, if possible the main household contact or a responsible adult.
• the individual is present and has not completed the diaries, the interviewer will attempt to
administer individual interview and the diaries, requesting that the respondent completes
the diaries retrospectively for the same days as other household members. (However, if it
is a one person household, the diaries may be completed in the following week on the
allotted days). If not willing, the interviewer can attempt a proxy interview with a
responsible household member. Diary placement will not be attempted again.
• The individual is NOT present and has completed the diaries. The interviewer will
attempt a proxy interview at diary collection with a responsible household member.
• The individual is NOT present and has NOT completed the diaries. The interviewer will
still attempt a proxy interview at diary collection with a responsible household member.
125
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Annex B: Selection Numbers for Addresses with 7+ Households
Total number of
Households
ê
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
0
5
2
8
3
7
7
13
4
8
10
1
6
8
10
9
7
6
19
15
5
18
25
8
12
1
2
4
3
5
4
7
6
11
4
7
8
5
18
2
13
9
14
7
6
22
3
23
22
10
2
1
7
4
3
6
10
4
3
7
1
3
9
14
7
7
5
15
12
12
14
17
5
28
24
126
3
2
5
5
2
1
4
9
6
5
2
5
10
7
12
3
16
19
15
14
25
8
9
1
17
4
1
7
5
2
4
7
1
9
11
2
16
10
15
5
18
11
8
9
18
11
26
21
9
2
5
6
2
9
1
10
6
2
1
9
9
12
15
4
20
1
22
10
3
9
4
13
16
13
25
6
7
2
8
9
8
4
1
14
2
12
4
3
9
16
1
4
2
7
24
16
21
11
5
13
SELECTION DIGIT
(see label on SIS)
7
8
9
6
6
4
7
1
2
4
3
7
8
7
10
5
7
6
2
6
6
7
12
8
7
5
10
6
3
15
5
13
6
13
6
2
13
17
7
12
1
6
11
17
3
8
11
20
3
19
10
5
20
4
1
8
8
2
5
2
2
12
19
7
10
9
10
19
4
16
20
6
3
7
15
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Annex C: Calling Pattern Schedule
• We have already undertaken two pilot studies for the Time Use Survey. This showed that
the most successful interviewers were those who managed to organise their time and
materials efficiently from day one. For this reason, we have put together a Calling Pattern
schedule to assist you when organising your fieldwork.
• Obviously, there will be cases where it is not feasible to adhere to the Calling Pattern
schedule, but we advise that you try to do so if at all possible. Your aim is to reduce
excessive journeying between addresses, by attempting to collect as many individual
interviews at your first contact with the household (or when conducting the household
interview).
• You will see that there is also a Monitoring Schedule running alongside your Calling
Pattern Schedule. This is for the benefit of Regional Controllers and Time Use Coordinators, who will be closely monitoring the response to the survey.
• Please refer to Annex A “Rules For Interviewing” in the Interviewer Instructions for details
on the exact procedure for interviewing during the survey, including the rules about when
to conduct interviews by proxy.
The following points were noted by interviewers during the initial pilots, and are included
here to further help you when organising your time.
• If a household wants you to call back at a more convenient time, decide in advance which
day would be convenient for you to re-visit, and make appointments accordingly.
• Some interviewers found that providing an explanation of the survey, then offering
households time to think about whether to take part (i.e. not pressurising them there and
then, and offering to call back or telephone) was helpful. Indeed, most people agreed on
the spot.
• You may wish to leave your own “calling card” containing your telephone number for
households that prove difficult to contact.
• When arranging pick up days for diaries and other materials, decide in advance which day
is most convenient for you, and arrange appointments accordingly with every eligible
household in that area. This will save considerable journey time.
• Allow at least one hour between appointments.
• Ring households to remind them when you plan to return and pick up materials. It is also
worth ringing them between visits to remind them to complete their diaries. You may also
find it useful to ring households to arrange/confirm times to collect outstanding individual
interviews.
• Once paperwork is checked, assemble diaries and SIS sheets by household (bundle
together using an elastic band) and return to Head Office.
• List all SIS serial numbers being returned - return a copy with package and keep copy for
your files.
127
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
WEEK ONE
Day/date
Interviewer’s Task
Monitoring Task
Week one
• Work out distribution of addresses, using a map if necessary. Put calls
into running order
• Work out how you are going to tackle the call pattern in your diary. Set
aside the times that you will be working on the assignment in advance.
• Check that you have all materials necessary for the project. Spend some
time organising the various materials into a logical order, so that you are
not left without important materials when in the field. Take additional
materials, e.g. your own diary for making appointments.
• Practise completing a diary and work sheet so that you are prepared for
questions.
• When first in field do a “round robin” of every address to eliminate
deadwood, etc.
(1) Attempt initial contact with as many addresses as possible. If
appropriate make use of information leaflet to persuade households
to participate.
(2) At each successful address, conduct household interview and as
many individual interviews as possible. Leave diaries and work
sheets and arrange appropriate times to return. Administer
incentives.
(3) Ensure that call record on paper SIS is completed for each address
that you call on, and use Assignment Overview to keep you up to
date with diary placement etc
Thursday,
week one
• Complete CAPI SIS. Modem SIS and completed interviews to office.
128
• Remind all interviewe
SIS for ALL ISSUED
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
WEEK TWO
Day/date
Interviewer’s Task
Monitoring Task
Week 2
• By now, should have made initial contact with the vast majority of
addresses in your sample.
• Call backs to addresses where left literature to secure participation.
Repeat points 2 - 3.
• Figures from Week on
• Review work underwa
- No info for a h/hold, in
should have modemed
- Low household contact
• Report back to Jackie
set of figures.
• Start collection of completed diaries and work sheets.
(4) Attempt to conduct outstanding individual interviews, or arrange
alternative times.
(5) Once collected all documentation for one household, bundle together
(use elastic bands provided) and post to the office. Make sure paper
SIS has final individual outcome code at this stage.
Thursday,
week 2
• Complete CAPI SIS. Modem SIS and completed interviews to office.
129
• Remind all interviewe
SIS for ALL ISSUED
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
WEEK THREE
Day/date
Interviewer’s Task
Monitoring Task
Week 3
• Continue call-backs to addresses where left literature to secure
participation. Repeat points 2 - 3.
• Figures from Week tw
• Review work underwa
- No info for a h/hold, in
(should have modemed
- Low household contact
- Low completed househ
rate
• Report back to Jackie
second set of figures.
• Continue to collect diaries and other paperwork. Repeat points 4 - 5.
May need to conduct proxy interviews.
Thursday,
week 3
• Complete CAPI SIS. Modem SIS and completed interviews to office.
130
• Remind all interviewe
SIS for ALL ISSUED
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
WEEK FOUR/FIVE
Day/date
Interviewer’s Task
Week 4
• Continue to collect diaries and other paperwork. Repeat points 4 - 5. May
need to conduct proxy interviews.
Thursday
week 4
Week 5
• Complete CAPI SIS. Modem SIS and completed interviews to office.
Thursday
week 5
• Final completion of CAPI SIS. Modem SIS and completed interviews to
office.
• “Mopping up” period - collection of outstanding diaries, work sheets and
individual interviews. At this stage, conduct outstanding individual
interviews by proxy if possible.
131
Monitoring Task
• Figures from W
Monday.
• Review work u
- No info for a h/
contact (should
h/holds)
- Low completed
- check individua
• Remind interv
paperwork to o
• Report back to
on third set of
• Remind all int
CAPI SIS for A
• Figures from W
Monday.
• Review outstan
- Allowing extra
- Re-issuing poin
• Remind interv
paperwork to o
• Report back to
on fourth set o
• Remind interv
modem back th
ISSUED ADD
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Appendix 3 Activity Coding List
Time Use Activity coding list for the UK
This coding frame follows that developed by Eurostat for the Harmonised European Time
Use Study. Some adaptions to the wording have been made to make codes more
understandable within the UK and 4 digit codes have been added in areas of particular interest
to the UK. When the data was coded a 0 was added to the 3 digit code so that all entries have
4 digits, although SPSS ignores leading zeroes, so 010 ‘Unspecified sleep’ appears on the
data file as 100 and 100 ‘Unspecified employment’ appears as 1000.
Main and secondary activities
0 PERSONAL CARE
000 Unspecified personal care
01
SLEEP
010 Unspecified sleep
011 Sleep
012 Sick in bed
02
EATING
021 Eating
03
OTHER PERSONAL CARE
030 Unspecified other personal care
031 Wash and dress
039 Other specified personal care
1
EMPLOYMENT
100 Unspecified employment
11
MAIN JOB
111 Working time in main job
112 Coffee and other breaks in main job
12
SECOND JOB
121 Working time in second job
122 Coffee and other breaks in second job
13
ACTIVITIES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT
130 Unspecified activities related to employment
131 Lunch break
139 Other specified activities related to employment
1391 Activities related to job seeking
1399 Other specified activities related to employment
2
STUDY
200 Unspecified study
21
22
210
211
212
219
SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY
Unspecified activities related to school or university
Classes and lectures
Homework
Other specified activities related to school or university
FREE TIME STUDY
221 Free time study
132
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3
HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY CARE
300 Unspecified household and family care
31
32
33
34
310
311
312
313
314
319
FOOD MANAGEMENT
Unspecified food management
Food preparation
Baking
Dish washing
Preserving
Other specified food management
320
321
322
323
324
325
329
HOUSEHOLD UPKEEP
Unspecified household upkeep
Cleaning dwelling
Cleaning yard
Heating and water
Various arrangements
Disposal of waste
Other specified household upkeep
330
331
332
333
339
MAKING AND CARE FOR TEXTILES
Unspecified making and care for textiles
Laundry
Ironing
Handicraft and producing textiles
Other specified making and care for textiles
340
341
342
343
344
349
GARDENING AND PET CARE
Unspecified gardening and pet care
Gardening
Tending domestic animals
Caring for pets
Walking the dog
Other specified gardening and pet care
35
CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS
Unspecified construction and repairs
House construction and renovation
Repairs of dwelling
Making, repairing and maintaining equipment
3530 Unspecified making, repairing and maintaining equipment
3531 Woodcraft, metalcraft, sculpture and pottery
3539 Other specified making, repairing and maintaining equipment
354 Vehicle maintenance
359 Other specified construction and repairs
36
SHOPPING AND SERVICES
360 Unspecified shopping and services
361 Shopping
3610 Unspecified shopping
3611 Shopping mainly for food
3612 Shopping mainly for clothing
3613 Shopping mainly related to accommodation
3614 Shopping or browsing at car boot sales or antique fairs
3615 Window shopping or other shopping as leisure
3619 Other specified shopping
362 Commercial and administrative services
363 Personal services
369 Other specified shopping and services
350
351
352
353
133
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
37
HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
371 Household management not using the internet
372 Household management using the internet
3720 Unspecified household management using the internet
3721 Shopping for and ordering unspecified goods and services via the internet
3722 Shopping for and ordering food via the internet
3723 Shopping for and ordering clothing via the internet
3724 Shopping for and ordering goods and services related to accommodation via
the internet
3725 Shopping for and ordering mass media via the internet
3726 Shopping for and ordering entertainment via the internet
3727 Banking and bill paying via the internet
3729 Other specified household management using the internet
38
CHILDCARE OF OWN HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
380 Unspecified childcare
381 Physical care and supervision
3810 Unspecified physical care & supervision of a child
3811 Feeding the child
3819 Other specified physical care & supervision of a child
382 Teaching the child
383 Reading, playing and talking with child
384 Accompanying child
389 Other specified childcare
39
HELP TO AN ADULT HOUSEHOLD MEMBER
391 Help to an adult household member
3910 Unspecified help to an adult household member
3911 Physical care & supervision of an adult household member
3914 Accompanying an adult household member
3919 Other specified help to an adult household member
134
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4
VOLUNTEER WORK AND MEETINGS
400 Unspecified volunteer work and meetings
41
42
43
410
411
412
419
ORGANISATIONAL WORK
Unspecified organisational work
Work for an organisation
Volunteer work through an organisation
Other specified organisational work
INFORMAL HELP TO OTHER HOUSEHOLDS
Unspecified informal help
Food management as help
Household upkeep as help
Gardening and pet care as help
Construction and repairs as help
Shopping and services as help
Help in employment and farming
Childcare as help
4270 Unspecified childcare as help
4271 Physical care and supervision of a child as help
4272 Teaching the child as help
4273 Reading, playing & talking to the child as help
4274 Accompanying the child as help
4279 Other specified childcare as help
428 Help to an adult of another household
4280 Unspecified help to an adult member of another household
4281 Physical care and supervision of an adult as help
4284 Accompanying an adult as help
4289 Other specified help to an adult member of another household
429 Other specified informal help
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
430
431
432
439
PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES
Unspecified participatory activities
Meetings
Religious activities
Other specified participatory activities
135
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
5
SOCIAL LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT
500 Unspecified social life and entertainment
51
510
511
512
513
514
519
SOCIAL LIFE
Unspecified social life
Socialising with household members
Visiting and receiving visitors
Feasts
Telephone conversation
Other specified social life
52
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE
520 Unspecified entertainment and culture
521 Cinema
522 Theatre and concerts
5220 Unspecified theatre or concerts
5221 Plays, musicals or pantomimes
5222 Opera, operetta or light opera
5223 Concerts or other performances of classical music
5224 Live music other than classical concerts, opera and musicals
5225 Dance performances
5229 Other specified theatre or concerts
523 Art exhibitions and museums
524 Library
5240 Unspecified library
5241 Borrowing books, records, audiotapes, videotapes, CDs, VDs etc. from a
library
5242 Reference to books and other library materials within a library
5243 Using internet in the library
5244 Using computers in the library other than internet use
5245 Reading newspapers in a library
5246 Listening to music in a library
5249 Other specified library activities
525 Sports events
529 Other specified entertainment and culture
5291 Visiting a historical site
5292 Visiting a wildlife site
5293 Visiting a botanical site
5294 Visiting a leisure park
5295 Visiting an urban park, playground or designated play area
5299 Other specified entertainment or culture
53
RESTING – TIME OUT
531 Resting – Time out
136
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6
SPORTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
600 Unspecified sports and outdoor activities
61
62
63
PHYSICAL EXERCISE
610 Unspecified physical exercise
611 Walking and hiking
6111 Taking a walk or hike that lasts at least 2 miles or 1 hour
6119 Other walk or hike
612 Jogging and running
613 Biking, skiing and skating
6131 Biking
6132 Skiing or skating
614 Ball games
6140 Unspecified ball games
6141 Indoor pairs or doubles games
6142 Indoor team games
6143 Outdoor pairs or doubles games
6144 Outdoor team games
6149 Other specified ball games
615 Gymnastics
616 Fitness
617 Water sports
6170 Unspecified water sports
6171 Swimming
6179 Other specified water sports
619 Other specified physical exercise
620
621
622
629
PRODUCTIVE EXERCISE
Unspecified productive exercise
Hunting and fishing
Picking berries, mushroom and herbs
Other specified productive exercise
SPORTS RELATED ACTIVITIES
631 Sports related activities
6310 Unspecified sports related activities
6311 Activities related to sports
6312 Activities related to productive exercise
137
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7
HOBBIES AND GAMES
700 Unspecified hobbies and games
71
72
ARTS
710 Unspecified arts
711 Visual arts
7110 Unspecified visual arts
7111 Painting, drawing or other graphic arts
7112 Making videos, taking photographs or related photographic activities
7119 Other specified visual arts
712 Performing arts
7120 Unspecified performing arts
7121 Singing or other musical activities
7129 Other specified performing arts
713 Literary arts
719 Other specified arts
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
729
73
HOBBIES
Unspecified hobbies
Collecting
Computing – programming
Information by computing
7230 Unspecified information by computing
7231 Information searching on the internet
7239 Other specified information by computing
Communication by computing
7240 Unspecified communication by computer
7241 Communication on the internet
7249 Other specified communication by computing
Other computing
7250 Unspecified other computing
7251 Unspecified internet use
7259 Other specified computing
Correspondence
Other specified hobbies
GAMES
730 Unspecified games
731 Solo games and play
732 Games and play with others
7320 Unspecified games and play with others
7321 Billiards, pool, snooker or petanque
7322 Chess and bridge
7329 Other specified parlour games and play
733 Computer games
734 Gambling
739 Other specified games
138
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
8
MASS MEDIA
800 Unspecified mass media
81
810
811
812
819
READING
Unspecified reading
Reading periodicals
Reading books
Other specified reading
82
TV AND VIDEO
821 Watching TV
8210 Unspecified TV watching
8211 Watching a film on TV
8212 Watching sport on TV
8219 Other specified TV watching
822 Watching video
8220 Unspecified video watching
8221 Watching a film on video
8222 Watching sport on video
8229 Other specified video watching
83
RADIO AND MUSIC
830 Unspecified listening to radio and music
831 Listening to radio
8310 Unspecified radio listening
8311 Listening to music on the radio
8312 Listening to sport on the radio
8319 Other specified radio listening
832 Listening to recordings
139
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
9
TRAVEL AND UNSPECIFIED TIME USE
90
900
901
911
913
914
921
923
931
936
937
938
939
941
942
943
944
950
951
952
961
962
963
971
972
981
982
989
TRAVEL BY PURPOSE
Travel related to unspecified time use
Travel related to personal business
Travel in the course of work
Travel to work from home and back only
Travel to work from a place other than home
Travel related to education
Travel escorting to/ from education
Travel related to household care
Travel related to shopping
Travel related to services
Travel escorting a child (other than education)
Travel escorting an adult (other than education)
Travel related to organisational work
Travel related to informal help to other households
Travel related to religious activities
Travel related to participatory activities other than religious activities
Travel to visit friends/ relatives in their homes (not respondent’s household)
Travel related to other social activities
Travel related to entertainment and culture
Travel related to physical exercise
Travel related to hunting & fishing
Travel related to productive exercise other than hunting & fishing
Travel related to gambling
Travel related to hobbies other than gambling
Travel to holiday base
Travel for day trip/ just walk
Other specified travel
994
995
996
997
998
999
Punctuating activity
Filling in the time use diary
No main activity, no idea what it might be
No main activity, some idea what it might be
Illegible activity
Unspecified time use
140
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
With whom time is spent
For respondents aged 14 and over:
Alone or with people not known to the respondent
Children up to 9, living in the household
Children aged 10 – 14 living in the household
Other household members
Other persons, known to the respondent
For respondents aged 8 – 13:
Alone or with people not known to the respondent
Parent(s)
Other household members
Other persons known to the respondent
141
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Location and mode of transport
0
Unspecified location
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Unspecified location (not travelling)
Home
Second home or weekend house
Working place or school
Other people's home
Restaurant, café or pub
Sports facility
Arts or cultural centre
The country/ countryside, seaside, beach or coast
Other specified location (not travelling)
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Unspecified private transport mode
Travelling on foot
Travelling by bicycle
Travelling by moped, motorcycle or motorboat
Travelling by passenger car as the driver
Travelling by passenger car as a passenger
Travelling by passenger car – driver status unspecified
Travelling by lorry, or tractor
Travelling by van
Other specified private travelling mode
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Unspecified public transport mode
Travelling by taxi
Travelling by bus
Travelling by tram or underground
Travelling by train
Travelling by aeroplane
Travelling by boat or ship
Travelling by coach
Waiting for public transport
Other specified public transport mode
31
Unspecified transport mode
32
Illegible location or transport mode
142
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Activity coding list extended with definitions, notes and examples
Main and secondary activities
Note: Secondary activities are coded according to the same activity list as main activities.
0
PERSONAL CARE
000 Unspecified personal care
01
SLEEP
010 Unspecified sleep
011 Sleep
Definition
Sleep at night or daytime.
Time in bed before and after sleep, when no other activity is specified.
Note: Resting is included in 531 Resting - Time out.
Examples
Changed bed during night (from one bed to another bed)
Fell asleep on the couch
My parent woke me up, still in bed
Nap
Waiting for sleep to come
Waiting to get out of bed after awakening
Waking up, and still in bed
012 Sick in bed
Definition
Incapacitated in bed.
For sick, elderly or disabled in bed, when no other activity is specified.
Examples
In hospital, under anaesthetic
Lying in bed because of sickness, old age
02
EATING
021 Eating
Definition
Eating meals regardless of place, distinctions can be made by using a 'location'
code.
Eating snacks, ice cream, sweets etc.
Drinking coffee, tea, juice, beer, wine, spirits etc.
Examples
Eating dessert
Eating dinner
Eating lunch at home, at work, in restaurant, during a visit etc.
Eating supper
Got drunk
Had a beer
Had a pizza
Had a sandwich
Had food
Nibbling other food
143
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
03
OTHER PERSONAL CARE
030 Unspecified other personal care
031 Wash and dress
Definition
Activities the respondent does for her/himself.
Toilet (WC) activities.
Also activities (cutting hair, manicure etc.) done free of charge for the respondent
by a member of the family, a relative, a friend etc.
Getting out of bed and Going to bed are included here.
Note: Time in bed before and after sleep when no other activity is specified is
included in 011 Sleep
Examples
Brushing teeth
Changing clothes
Evening, morning chores
Feet massage (done by her/himself)
Make-up
Manicure, pedicure
Personal hygiene
Sauna
Shaving
Skin care
Taking a bath
Taking a shower
Washed face, hands and feet
Washing, drying and doing hair
039 Other specified personal care
Definition
Personal care for health reasons for her/himself.
Receiving health care from a family member or friend.
Sexual activities.
‘Private activities’ as suggested in the diary instructions.
Note: Paid services for personal care (e.g. visits to a doctor etc.) are
included in 363 Personal services
Note: Services given to somebody else e.g. cutting hair or medical care are
included in 381 Childcare: Physical care and supervision and 391 Help to
an adult household member.
Examples
Aerosol for asthma
Couple relation
Insulin injection
Intimacy
Monitoring blood pressure, sugar level, home diagnostic tests
Personal medical care at home
Preparing and taking medicines
Put weekly consumption of medicine/pills in a medicine cassette
Taking medicine
Took a sun-bath in the solarium (at home)
Wound treatment
144
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
1
EMPLOYMENT
Note: According to ILO actual hours worked should include (ILO 1993, 84):
1. Hours actually worked during normal periods of work
2. Time worked in addition, and generally paid at higher than normal rates
(overtime)
3. Time spent at the place of work on activities such as preparation of the
workplace, repairs and maintenance, preparation and cleaning of tools, and
preparation of receipts, time sheets and reports;
4. Time spent at the place of work waiting or standing-by for such reasons as
lack of supply of work, breakdown of machinery, or accidents, or time spent at
the place of work during which no work is done but for which payment is made
under a guaranteed employment contract; and
5. Time corresponding to short rest periods at the workplace, including tea
and coffee breaks.
Note: Working time applies to work done in paid job and in a family business
or property, also as 'unpaid family member'. It also applies to work done by
people who do not regard themselves as employed, e.g. children and elderly
people
Note: Select the appropriate category according to the following rules:
1. If the respondent has no second job according to the individual
questionnaire, code under 111 Main job.
2. If the respondent has a second job according to the individual
questionnaire, but indicates in the diary that the work in fact concerns the
main job, code under 111 Main job.
3. If the respondent has a second job according to the individual questionnaire
and indicates in the diary that the work concerns the second job, code under
121 Second job.
4. If the respondent has a second job according to the individual
questionnaire, but doesn’t indicate in the diary if the work concerns the main
job or second job, code under 111 Main job.
100 Unspecified employment
11
MAIN JOB
111 Working time in main job
Definition
Time spent on main job, including: working over-time, work brought home, paid
practical training, training during work. Unspecified main job is also included in
this category.
Note: Travelling due to work, during or outside working hours, is included in
911 Travel as part of/during main job. Trips to/from work are included in
913 Travel to/from work.
Note: Unpaid practical training in connection with studies and school-based
part of an apprenticeship is included in 211 Classes and lectures.
Examples
Accident at work
Business meeting during lunch break
Corrected written tests (teacher)
Inevitable break, e.g. because of shortage of material, power-supply failure
Meeting with a business partner after working hours
Phone-call at home concerning work
Planning tomorrow’s lessons (teacher)
Preparations for work
Student’s work or contractual work, when paid.
Taking and giving back work-material, tools etc.
112 Coffee and other breaks in main job
Definition
Breaks during working hours due to personal reasons, e.g. need for rest, smoking,
personal phone call, using Internet for personal reasons. The activity during the
break is coded as secondary activity.
145
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Note: Breaks due to working conditions are included in 111 Working time
in main job.
Examples
Had a rest and read newspapers
Phoned my child
Used computer to pay personal bills
146
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
12
SECOND JOB
Definition
Second job; work on own account when it is secondary job.
Extra work which is paid for.
Note: Work for an organisation is included in 411 Work for an
organisation even if some minor fee is paid.
121 Working time in second job
Definition
Time spent on second job including: working over-time, work brought home, paid
practical training, training during work.
Note: Travelling due to work, during or outside working hours, is included in
912 Travel as part of/during second job. Trips to/from work are included in
913 Travel to/from work.
Note: Unpaid practical training in connection with studies and school-based
part of an apprenticeship is included in 211 Classes and lectures.
Examples
Selling at a flee-market stall
122 Coffee and other breaks in second job
13
ACTIVITIES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT
Definition
Activities connected with own employment but not the actual work, which is
included in 11 Main job or 12 Second job.
130 Unspecified activities related to employment
131 Lunch break
Definition
Lunch break (at work), to be coded in the main activity column only if no other
activity is specified.
Note: People can do different things during their lunch breaks. The
respondent is asked to report on her/his activities during lunch break (e.g.
eating lunch, shopping etc.). Each such activity is coded with the appropriate
code in the 'Main activity' column, and we use the contextual code 131 in the
'Secondary activity' column, to indicate that the activity was performed during
lunch break.
Note: It is of interest to preserve information for easy calculation of the gross
length of the working day. As lunch breaks may be included in the gross
working day, this calculation will be facilitated if they are marked.
Note: If it is not specified in the diary what the respondent did during the
lunch break, then the code 131 should be used also in the main activity
column.
Example
In this example you can see how to use code 131.
Main activity
Main job
Lunch break: eating lunch
Lunch break: eating lunch
Lunch break: shopping
Main job
Secondary activity
111
021
021
361
111
131
131
131
End of example
147
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
139 Other specified activities related to employment
1391 Activities related to job seeking
Definition
Activities connected with seeking job for oneself
Examples
Calling or visiting a labour office or agency
Job interviews
Updating CV
Reading and replying to job advertisements
Working on portfolio
1399 Other specified activities related to employment
Definition
Activities connected with own employment, except work itself and job
seeking. Activities not paid for, e.g. time spent at the place of work before
starting or after ending work.
Note:Work brought home is included in 111 Main job or 121 Second job.
Note:Packing a bag at home for work next day or putting out clothes is
included in 324 Various arrangements
Examples
Changed clothes, showered before/after work at the place of work
Reading workplace newsletter (in own time)
Visiting a future working place
148
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2
STUDY
200 Unspecified study
21
SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY
Definition
Studies at primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions as part of the
formal education system, including general and vocational training.
210 Unspecified activities related to school or university
211 Classes and lectures
Definition
Besides classes and lectures also is included laboratory work, unpaid practical
training, retraining courses, and short breaks at school/university.
Note: Does not include lunch breaks and longer free periods, which should
be coded according to actual activity.
Examples
At school etc. with no activity mentioned
At the cinema, theatre with school (during school hours)
Exams
School sports day
212 Homework
Definition
Homework, study in library. Reading for exam.
Note: Preparing for school, e.g. arranging the bag is included in 324
Various arrangements.
Examples
Gathering plants for school
Preparing for a test
Studying together with a school mate
Was tested on the homework
219 Other specified activities related to school or university
Definition
School related activities not including studying, e.g. waiting in the schoolyard for
school to start, when other activities are not mentioned.
Examples
Appointment at school
Called my teacher
Visited the studies supervisor
Waiting in the school yard for a ride home
22
FREE TIME STUDY
221 Free time study
Definition
Studies during free time.
Note: Does not include studies during working hours, which are included in
111 or 121 Working time in main/second job.
Examples
Administrative courses (typing, accounting)
Artistic courses (painting, music, etc.)
Exercising for piano lesson
Correspondence studies
Driving school
Language courses, incl. courses on TV or radio (821 TV or 831 Radio should be coded as
secondary activities)
Music lessons
Preparing for courses: homework related with these courses
Professional training courses, not in connection with work
Sewing class
Talked with the supervisor
149
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3
HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY CARE
Note: Includes work done for the respondent’s own household, which at the
same time is possibly also done for another household.
- If the activity was done for another household only, then choose the
appropriate code under 42 Informal help to other households.
- Codes have been defined so that activities regarded as SNA activities are
distinguished from those remaining outside the SNA production boundary.
- All paid activities or activities connected with employment are included in
1 EMPLOYMENT, e.g. purchasing or repairing for the family
enterprise.
- If help is provided to a family member in a family enterprise then this
activity is coded as Work (111 or 121).
300 Unspecified household and family care
Examples
Doing housework
Working outdoors
31
FOOD MANAGEMENT
310 Unspecified food management
311 Food preparation
Definition
All activities in connection with food preparation. Also includes setting the table.
Examples
Brewed coffee
Cleaning fish
Cooking
Heated up some food
Made meals, snacks, drinks to own children
Preparation of coffee, snacks, aperitifs, meals etc.
Prepared a lunch box
Serving food to other people
Turned on the oven
312 Baking
Definition
All activities in connection with baking.
Examples
Making a pie, pastry, tart, sweets etc.
313 Dish washing
Definition
Also includes activities before and after washing up, e.g. drying up, placing
vessels etc.
Examples
Cleared the food back to the fridge
Cleared the table after breakfast/lunch/snacks/dinner/supper/coffee
Loaded/unloaded the dishwasher
314 Preserving
Definition
All activities in connection with preserving, freezing and canning, e.g. cleaning
berries, boiling jam or fruit-syrup. Preparing food, when only for later use.
Examples
Churn milk to make cheese etc.
Cleaned mushroom
Killing a pig/chicken for later use, when it is not part of one’s job on a farm
Prepared food to put in the freezer
Preparing/bottling of home made wine, brandy, beer etc.
Sorting out of potatoes for preserving
Storing fruits in the basement
319 Other specified food management
150
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
32
HOUSEHOLD UPKEEP
320 Unspecified household upkeep
Examples
Cleaning, with no distinction if it is dwelling, cellar, garage or yard
321 Cleaning dwelling
Definition
Vacuuming, washing/waxing floors, washing windows, making beds, tidying,
arranging the home etc.
Separating papers, bottles, tins etc.
Examples
Airing of bedclothes
Beating rugs
Collected the children’s toys
Putting away the cleaning kits
Tidied up wardrobes
Took out rubbish, waste
322 Cleaning yard
Definition
Cleaning yard or pavement, clearing away snow, also composting waste etc.
Examples
Cleaned around garden pool area
Cleaned patio furniture
Power washed the roof or the walls of the house
Raking together dead leaves
Swept the entrance
Unblocking outside drains
323 Heating and water
Definition
Supply of heating and water.
Woodcutting and collecting firewood.
Note: Repairs of appliances are included in 353 Making and repairing
equipment.
Examples
Bringing water for laundry
Carrying water
Checked the boiler
Heating up of sauna
Lit the boiler
Preparing the heating material
Warming water for bath
Went down into the cellar and put firewood in the boiler
324 Various arrangements
Definition
Various kinds of arrangements of tasks at home, in a weekend house, in a hotel
etc.
Call for goods and putting in order. Relates to own goods or those belonging to
household members.
Examples
Arranging clothes for the morning
Arranging purchases
Carrying out garden furniture
Checking of mousetraps
Checking camping equipment
Collecting up mail from post box
Decorating house for a festival/ party
Hanging up curtains
Loading and unloading the shopping to/from the car
Looking for lost items
Moving to a new place to live
Opening/ unwrapping gifts
Packing and checking children’s school bags
Packing/ unpacking for a trip
151
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Packing/unpacking for a removal
Packing for school or work
Packing/unpacking hobby equipment
Papered books
Preparation of clothes for the next day
Preparing the satchel
Putting food products into refrigerator
Putting up Christmas tree
Putting up posters
Setting up video recorder to record from TV
Tending indoor flowers
Watered indoor flowers
Wrapped up gifts
325 Disposal of waste
Definition
Activities designed to remove recycling or waste products from the dwelling and
its environs.
Note: Taking rubbish out (of the house) is coded as 321 Cleaning the
dwelling.
Examples
Took rubbish to dump
Took box of bottles to recycling bin
329 Other specified household upkeep
Definition
Activities of short duration that do not fit into the previous categories.
Examples
Closed curtains and blinds
Closed/opened doors or windows
Locked the door
33
MAKING AND CARE FOR TEXTILES
330 Unspecified making and care for textiles
331 Laundry
Definition
Hand wash, loading and unloading washing machine, hanging out, putting away
(when not ironed or mangled) etc.
Examples
Emptied the drying cupboard
Folding sheets and putting them into the cupboard
Hand-washing, soaking, rinsing
Sorting of laundry
332 Ironing
Definition
Ironing and mangling.
Tasks connected with ironing and mangling.
Folding and putting things into the wardrobe (after ironing or mangling).
Examples
Put laundry in drawer
Sorting/folding clothes
333 Handicraft and producing textiles
Definition
Includes only making new products – not repairing clothes etc. – as this
distinction is needed for household satellite accounts.
Examples
Stitching
Crocheting
Lace making
Quilting
Sewing
Weaving rag-carpets
Making new clothes, curtains etc. using a sewing-machine
152
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Sewing
153
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
339 Other specified making and care for textiles
Definition
Repairing clothes
Repairing and polishing shoes
Putting seasonal clothes to storage
Examples
Alteration of clothes
Changed a zip
Cleaned wellingtons
34
GARDENING AND PET CARE
Definition
Gardening and animal tending activities, which are not done in connection with
farming.
Note: Guidelines on how to code borderline farming activities
There can be a problem how to code activities connected with Gardening or
Tending domestic animals, when they are on the borderline to farm work.
Therefore a set of additional questions has been included in the household
questionnaire, asking if the household grows any
plants/cereals/crops/vegetables or keeps/breeds any animals in order to sell
products, which are the outcome of such activities. Select the appropriate
category according to the following rules:
1. If farm work for different reasons is not reported in the individual
questionnaire as main or second job (E.g. formal status is student,
pensioner etc.; the farm does not make enough profit; fear of tax
authorities), but according to the household questionnaire the household
sells the products on the market then farming activities connected with
tending plants are included in Work (111 or 121) for all members of the
household.
2. If farm work is reported as main or second job by at least one household
member and according to the household questionnaire the household sells
the products, which are the outcome of farming activities, on the market
then farming activities for all members of the household are included in
Work (111 or 121)
3. Unpaid help provided to a farmer by a non-household member (the
respondent) is included in 4286 Help in employment and farming.
340 Unspecified gardening and pet care
341 Gardening
Definition
Kitchen gardening - tending vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes etc. Also harvesting.
Tending outdoor flowers, mowing the lawn etc.
Also tending flowers on a grave.
Note: Tending indoor flowers is included in 324 Various arrangements.
Note: Raking together dead leaves is included in 322 Cleaning yard.
Examples
Collecting rose hips
Forestry for private use (not for firewood)
Planting vegetables
Ploughing
Pulling weeds
Tending apple trees
Trimming of hedge
Watering the garden
Working in the garden
342 Tending domestic animals
Definition
Keeping domestic animals when products are intended only for own use.
Note: Riding is included in 619 Other specified physical exercise.
154
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Examples
Bee-keeping
Feeding domestic animals
Grooming of own riding horse
Tending hens, rabbits, sheep etc.
343 Caring for pets
Definition
Feeding and washing pets, taking care of aquarium/terrarium etc.
Examples
Chased the cat back home
Groomed the dog
Playing with cat
Took pet to the vet
Training of a dog
Was at a vet, dog school or in a dog show with own pet
344 Walking the dog
Definition
Walking the dog regardless the time spent.
Examples
In the forest with the dog
349 Other specified gardening and pet care
35
CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS
350 Unspecified construction and repairs
351 House construction and renovation
Definition
Major changes to the house, including construction of a new building or major
extension and/or alteration, e.g. restoration of a bathroom. Includes construction
and renovation of dwelling, garage, outhouse etc.
Includes only activities inside the SNA production boundary.
Note: Activities concerning farm buildings are included in Work (111 or
121).
Examples
Adding insulation to walls
Garage construction work
Installing electricity
Lagging of a bored well
Put up drain-pipes
Restoration of a kitchen
352 Repairs of dwelling
Definition
Minor changes of the house, not belonging to SNA.
Various repairs of the dwelling, garage, outhouse etc.
Includes re-plastering walls, repairing roofs, painting, papering walls, carpeting,
interior decoration, repairs of fittings etc.
Examples
Installation of light fittings
Mounted window-frames
Opened a blocked-up sink
Panelling a ceiling
Tearing down wardrobes (before repairs)
Tiled above the stove
353 Making, repairing and maintaining equipment
3530 Unspecified making, repairing and maintaining equipment
3531 Woodcraft, metalcraft, sculpture and pottery
Definition
Any activity where a product is made or created, either for decorative or
practical purposes; production of utensils and durables etc.
Note: Assembling furniture and equipment from “flat-pack” purchases is
155
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
coded as 3539 Other specified making, repairing and maintaining
equipment.
Examples
Cabinet making
Carving
Turning a wooden bowl
Welding a metal brace
156
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3539 Other specified making, repairing and maintaining equipment
Definition
Repairing furniture and household goods, furnishing,
Repairing and maintaining tools.
Assembling furniture and equipment from pre-packaging.
Note: Repairing farming equipment is included in Work (111 or 121).
Examples
Changed electric bulbs
Changed the clocks to winter time
Changing a lamp
Cleaned and oiled sewing machine parts
Cleaned the kitchen fan
Loading batteries of mobile phone
Repairing a lamp
Repairing children’s toys
Replacement of the batteries
Sharpened kitchen knives
Tended garden tools
354 Vehicle maintenance
Definition
All maintenance of vehicles and appliances of a household: cars, cycles, boats etc.
done by oneself.
Examples
Changed tyres on the car
Docking of boat for the winter
Drove the car into the garage
Getting to know my (new) car
Put my bike in the outhouse
Renovation of vintage cars
Repaired the motorcycle
Tended the car
Washing, cleaning and waxing car by oneself in service station
359 Other specified construction and repairs
36
SHOPPING AND SERVICES
Definition
Errands presuming visits to offices, institutions etc.
Note: Arranging or supervising outside services at home (e.g. phone calls to
institutions) is included in 371 Household management.
360 Unspecified shopping and services
361 Shopping
Definition
Shopping consumer goods, as drinks, newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, candies
etc.
Including also half-durable consumer goods.
Buying clothes, shoes, books etc.
Purchasing for maintenance and repair.
Also circling round and looking at things at shops, flea markets etc.
Purchasing capital goods, such as a dwelling, a car, furniture, and household
appliances.
Note: Shopping farming goods is included in Work (111 or 121).
3610 Unspecified shopping
3611 Shopping mainly for food
Examples
Bought snack food from a kiosk
Bought a loaf of bread and packet of cigarettes at the local shop
Shopping at supermarket
Was at a food store
Was at the market
157
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3612 Shopping mainly for clothing
Examples
Bought a dress
Looked at clothes
Tried on clothes in a shop
3613 Shopping mainly related to accommodation
Examples
Bought plants for the garden
Looked at an apartment for sale
Shopped at DIY store
Was at estate agents
3614 Shopping or browsing at car boot sales or antique fairs
Definition
Shopping at organised events.
Examples
Bought an antique doll at fair
Was at car boot sale
3615 Window shopping or other shopping for leisure
Definition
Shopping where the respondent indicates they had no aim of buying
anything. Use this code only where it is clear there is no intent to purchase.
Examples
Browsing in a book store
Killed time wandering around the shopping centre
Inspecting a car at a car store
3619 Other specified shopping
Examples
Bought a present
Fuelling a motor vehicle
Purchasing medicines
Purchasing tickets (for the cinema, swimming pool, etc.)
Rented a video film
362 Commercial and administrative services
Definition
Commercial services like laundry, tailor, shoemaker etc.
Visiting post office, bank, bank advisor, accountant, lawyer, insurance adviser,
municipality authorities, police station, centre for car inspection, travel agency,
labour office or agency etc.
Auto services, automatic car wash, repair and other auto services
Note: Phone calls to institutions etc. are included in 371 Household
management.
Note: Own work on car done in a garage or at home is included in 354
Vehicle maintenance.
Note: Activities (calling the veterinary, talking to veterinary etc.) in
connection with Veterinary services for cattle (if it is on a farm) are included
in Work (111 or 121).
Examples
Car inspection at car inspection centre
Check-in to the hotel
Fetched a package at the post office
Fetched shoes at the shoemaker’s
Got money/ statement from cashpoint
Had oil change and greasing of the car in a garage, as paid service.
Hotel services
Paying bills at ATM
Raising money at cash machine
Visited travel agency
Waiting at customs
Was at decoration service
158
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
363 Personal services
Definition
Individual services that do not belong to household production according to the
3rd party criterion, i.e. tasks that can not be delegated to anybody else, and that
should not be included in household production.
Visiting a doctor, dentist, physiotherapist etc. for own medical care.
Visit to a saloon, beauty parlour, barber shop, for own personal services such as
haircut or hair styling, solarium, manicure, pedicure etc. (as paid service). Also
includes waiting.
Examples
Doctor visited me at home
Facial care
Having one's navel pierced
Visited the maternity ward
Waiting in the doctor’s waiting-room
Was at the hospital (as a patient)
369 Other specified shopping and services
37
HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
371 Household management not using the internet
Definition
Planning and arranging, budgeting, paperwork, making a shopping list, arranging
and supervising outside services at home.
Phone calls to institutions, correspondence with authorities, etc.
Shopping by phone.
Note: Visiting the bank, post office etc. is included in 362 Commercial and
administrative services
Note: Management in connection with farming is included in Work (111 or
121).
Note: Visiting the shop etc. is included in 361 Shopping
Note: Shopping farming goods is included in Work (111 or 121).
Note: Computing for household management i.e. using the internet is
included in 372 Household management using the internet
Examples
Attendance during repairs (supervision)
Bank services by phone
Booking cinema tickets from home
Called the paint shop
Checking of bookkeeping
Filling in of bank giro forms
Ordered a pizza by phone
Planned a journey
Planned a party
Planned food purchases, meals
Planned weekend program for the family
Supervised plumber/ repair men
372 Household management using the internet
Definition
Making household arrangements using the internet. Computing for household
management
3720 Unspecified household management using the internet
3721 Shopping for and ordering unspecified goods and services via the
internet
Example
Shopped on internet
3722 Shopping for and ordering food via the internet
Example
Ordered groceries from Sainsburys.co.uk
3723 Shopping for and ordering clothing via the internet
Example
Looked for school blazer for my son on world wide web
159
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3724 Shopping for and ordering goods and services related to
accommodation via the internet
Examples
Found a plumber for my area on the internet
Ordered more paint from B&Q’s website
3725 Shopping for and ordering mass media via the internet
Examples
Shopped at Amazon.com
Ordered CD’s via the internet
Ordered DVD on the internet
3726 Shopping for and ordering entertainment via the internet
Example
Made reservation for theatre tickets by internet
3727 Banking and bill paying via the internet
3729 Other specified household management using the internet
Examples
Planned a journey using the internet
Made reservation for air tickets by Internet
38
CHILDCARE OF OWN HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
Definition
Care given by parents, and older children taking care of younger siblings.
Note: The upper age limit of a child is 17 years.
Note: Childminding for another household only is included in informal help
to other households, 428 Childcare as help.
380 Unspecified childcare
Examples
Helped the children
381 Physical care and supervision
Definition
Feeding, dressing, washing and preparing children for bed, etc.
Supervision indoors or outdoors.
3810 Unspecified physical care & supervision of a child
3811 Feeding the child
Example
Breast-fed my child
3819 Other specified physical care & supervision of a child
Examples
Babysitting my younger sister
Changed diapers
Combed my child’s hair
Holding my child in my arms
Putting my children to bed
Taking care of a sick child
Waking up my child
Was at the playground with the children (supervision outdoors)
Watching children (including my own) playing in the playground, on the yard
Watching my child’s physical training
382 Teaching the child
Definition
Help with homework, guiding in doing things.
Examples
Checked homework
383 Reading, playing and talking with child
Note: Siblings talking with each other is included in 511 Socialising with
household members.
Note: Siblings playing together is included in 732 Parlour games
Examples
Entertained the children
Playing games with the children
160
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Read a story for the children/for my sister
384 Accompanying child
Definition
Accompanying child to a doctor.
Waiting at a sports centre, musician lesson etc., if no other activity than waiting is
specified.
Visiting school, nursery. Parents' meetings at school.
Note: If any other activity than waiting is specified, the actual activity should
be coded. Time spent on travel is coded 938 Transporting a child.
Examples
Attending end of term celebration at school
At school with my child
Talking with a carer, teacher etc. in presence of child
Visiting babysitter
389 Other specified childcare
Examples
Listened to my daughter playing the piano at home
Put video on for kids
39
HELP TO AN ADULT HOUSEHOLD MEMBER
391 Help to an adult household member
Definition
Adult assistance and care (except housework). Physical care of a sick or elderly
adult; Washing, cutting hair, massaging; Mental help, information and advice;
Accompanying an adult to a doctor. Visits to hospitals.
Note: Housework tasks are coded according to the activity, e.g. cooking for a
family member is included in 311 Food preparation.
Note: Help to an adult belonging to another household is included in 423.
3910 Unspecified help to an adult household member
3911 Physical care & supervision of an adult household member
Examples
Cut my husband’s hair
Waking up adults (husband, wife, etc.)
3914 Accompanying an adult household member
Example
Went with wife to ultrasound appointment
3919 Other specified help to an adult household member
Example
Showed an adult household member how to fill in a form
161
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
4
VOLUNTEER WORK AND MEETINGS
400 Unspecified volunteer work and meetings
41
ORGANISATIONAL WORK
Definition
Working as a volunteer free of charge or for a minor fee.
410 Unspecified organisational work
411 Work for an organisation
Definition
Work done for an organisation, not directly for an individual.
Work for groups and associations, as well as work for school and kindergarten,
and neighbourhood groups etc.
Work as a committee member.
Administrative work.
Preparing activities, work for events.
Baking etc. for the organisation, working in the canteen.
Repairs and other odd jobs for the organisation.
Voluntary fire brigade.
Bookkeeping for clubs.
Giving information, distributing leaflets.
Activities connected with collecting money for the organisation.
Note: If volunteer work is done directly for the individual (e.g. delivering
meals etc.) then it is included in 412 Volunteer work through an
organisation.
Examples
Board meeting
Checked an order list for the bandy team
Collected material for a board meeting
Computer work for the hockey club
Counted and delivered ordered clothes (for the riding club)
Distribution of meeting notices
Election night activities
Environmental care and animal protection
Fetched/sold Bingo lottery tickets
Preparing for the council meeting
Recruitment of sponsors
Sorted clothes (sale for the riding club)
Sorted correspondence of the club
Working with the organisation’s newsletter
412 Volunteer work through an organisation
Definition
Work is directed to people via an organisation, volunteer work. Care of elderly
and disabled via an organisation.
Delivering meals. Teacher or course instructor.
Coach, referee etc. in sports and gymnastics.
Leader of a youth group, e.g. scout leader.
Work in a childcare group.
Leading or organising self-help group.
Note: Informal help to private households is included in 42 Informal help to
other households and is coded according to the actual activity.
Examples
Activities as member of religious helping groups: hospital visitation, feeding the poor, support
groups, etc.
Coached handball team
Coaching sports
Donating of blood
Helped at the refugee centre
Helping with organised activities in the baths and clearing up the bathing-place
Leading religious youth group
Meeting with the youth section
Road maintenance in a voluntary group
419 Other specified organisational work
162
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
42
INFORMAL HELP TO OTHER HOUSEHOLDS
Definition
Direct help given by the respondent to another household, and not arranged by an
organisation
Note: Should be coded as secondary activity if the activity is done for the
respondent's own household at the same time.
420 Unspecified informal help
Examples
Helping a neighbour
Helping a relative
421 Food management as help
Definition
Help to another household with cooking, baking, preserving, dishwashing, and
other activities that are included in 31.
Examples
Baked for my old parents
Helped the hostess with the cooking
Washed dishes during the visit
422 Household upkeep as help
Definition
Help to another household with indoor and outdoor cleaning, laundry and ironing,
and other activities that are included in 32 and 33
Examples
Helped with removal
Watered indoor flowers at the neighbour’s
423 Gardening and pet care as help
Definition
Help to another household with walking the dog, gardening, and other activities
that are included in 34.
Examples
Feeding a neighbours dog
Moving the lawn for the old mother
424 Construction and repairs as help
Definition
Help to another household with constructing a house, repairing a car, and other
activities that are included in 35.
Examples
Helped with repairing the roof of the neighbour’s
Made a toy for the grand children
425 Shopping and services as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 36.
Examples
With mother to doctor
With neighbour to buy a car
426 Help in employment and farming
Definition
Unpaid help provided by the respondent to a person of another household with
that person’s paid work, or to another household with farming activities.
Examples
Help with milking, tending cattle/cows/calves
Helped on my uncle’s farm
Helped my sister to clean the office
163
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
427 Childcare as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 38.
Examples
Unpaid childminding
4270 Unspecified child care as help
4271 Physical care and supervision of a child as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 381
4272 Teaching the child as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 382
4273 Reading, playing & talking to the child as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 383
4274 Accompanying the child as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 384
4279 Other specified child as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 389
428 Help to an adult of another household
Definition
Adult assistance and care, and other activities that are included in 39.
Examples
Assistance offered by lending money
Giving mental support to a friend
Visiting an old people's home, hospital etc.
4280 Unspecified help to an adult member of another household
4281 Physical care & supervision of an adult as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 3911
4284 Accompanying an adult as help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 3914
4289 Other specified help to an adult member of another household
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 3919
429 Other specified informal help
Definition
Help to another household with activities that are included in 33 Making and
care for textiles, and in 37 Household management, and also with other
specified activities that are not included in 421-428.
43
PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES
Definition
Attending meetings free of charge or for a minor fee.
430 Unspecified participatory activities
431 Meetings
Definition
Attending meetings and other organisational activities when not in a position of
trust. Concerns all kind of meetings etc. arranged by social, political, scout and
other organisations, informal clubs and groups.
Note: Parent's meeting is included in 384 Accompanying child.
Examples
Helped Organise program in a Scout camp
Parent-teacher meetings (without the child)
Political party meeting
164
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
432 Religious activities
Definition
Visiting church, synagogue, mosque or other temple.
Participating in religious ceremonies like wedding ceremonies, funerals.
Religious practise, praying, reading holy books, religious ceremonies, also at
home.
Listening to religious service (also on TV, radio and video; media as secondary
activity).
Note: The wedding party after the ceremony is included in 513 Feasts.
Note: Singing in church in a choir is included in 712 Performing arts.
Examples
Attended mass
Attending Sunday school, confirmation class
Listening to recordings of religious ceremonies
Participating in ceremonies of baptism, confirmation, first communion
Religious meeting
Religious practice carried out in a small group
Studying the bible with family
439 Other specified participatory activities
Examples
Voting
Witness in court
165
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
5
SOCIAL LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT
500 Unspecified social life and entertainment
51
SOCIAL LIFE
510 Unspecified social life
511 Socialising with household members
Definition
Socialising with household members only, when other activities are not
mentioned.
Within household, when not visiting
Note: Parents socialising with own children is coded as 383 Reading,
playing and talking with child.
Examples
Argued with my big sister
Said goodbye to my family
Teasing my brother
512 Visiting and receiving visitors
Definition:
Socialising with friends and relatives at home or in their home. Family members
can also be present.
Note: The respondent is asked to report on her/his activities during
visiting/receiving visitor’s time (e.g. eating, watching TV, playing games etc.).
Each such activity is coded with the appropriate code in the 'Main activity'
column.
The code 512 is used in the 'Secondary activity' column, to indicate that the
activity was performed during visiting/receiving visitor’s time.
If it is not specified in the diary what the respondent did during
visiting/receiving visitors, or if only socialising is mentioned, then the code
512 should be used in the main activity column.
Example
In this example you can see how to use code 512.
Main activity
Went for lunch to my sister
Eating lunch
Eating lunch
Washed the dishes
Discussed
Walked home
Secondary activity
901
021
021
421
512
901
End of example
Examples
My family came to visit
Had a visitor
Visited my friend
166
Talked with my sister
-“-“-“-
512
512
512
512
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
513 Feasts
Definition
Together with family members, friends, relatives etc.
Private occasions at or outside home
Weddings, funerals, confirmation parties, graduations and big anniversaries.
Parties of working place, organisations etc.
Note: Occasions in church, synagogue, mosque or other temple are included in
432 Religious activities.
Note: Attending children’s parties at school or nursery is included in 384
Accompanying child.
514 Telephone conversation
Definition
Conversations with members of the family, friends, relatives etc.
Note: Phone calls to institutions, shops etc. are included in 371 Household
management. Phone calls in connection with job are included in 111
Employment.
Examples
Listened to the messages on the answering machine
Reading, writing, sending text messages by mobile phone
519 Other specified social life
Definition
Together with friends, relatives etc. Family members can also be present.
Examples
Clubbing
Conversation with neighbour
Conversations with relatives in a cafeteria
Outdoors with friends
Was at a pub with a friend
Was together with friends
52
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE
Definition
As spectator/listener.
520 Unspecified entertainment and culture
521 Cinema
Definition
Watching movies in cinema or movie club.
Waiting for the doors to open.
Note: Ordering a ticket is included in 371 Household management, and
buying the ticket is included in 361 Shopping.
522 Theatre and concerts
Definition
Also opera, musical, operetta, ballet, dance performance. Live music concert,
street performance etc.
Examples
Dance (ballet, modern dance, and other dance)
Live music (concert, chamber recital, jazz, rock concert etc.)
Music theatre (opera, light opera, musicals and other music theatre)
Other Performance (street theatre, multi-media etc.)
Plays
5220 Unspecified theatre and concerts
5221 Plays, musicals or pantomimes
Definition
Watching live plays, musical theatre or pantomime
5222 Opera, operetta, light opera
167
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
5223 Concerts or other performance of classical music
Definition
Watching a live classical music performance.
Examples
Concert
Chamber recital
5224 Live music other than classical concerts, opera and musicals
Definition
Watching live musical performances other than classical music
performances
Examples
gig, pop, rock or jazz concerts,
attending blues or folk club
5225 Dance performances
Definition
Includes ballet, modern or contemporary dance.
5229 Other specified theatre or concerts
Examples
Street theatre
multi-media performance
523 Art exhibitions and museums
524 Library
Definition
Borrowing books, records, audiotapes, videotapes etc.
Using a computer in the library. Reading newspapers or listening to music in the
library.
Note: Studies in a library are included in 212 Homework or in 221 Free
time study and courses.
5240 Unspecified library
5241 Borrowing books, records, audiotapes, videotapes, CDs, VDs etc. from
a library
Example
Borrowed a book from the school library
5242 Reference to books and other library materials within a library
Example
Searching for a book
5243 Using the internet in the library
Definition
Using library provided computer facilities to access the internet
Example
Sent e-mail to my friend in the library
Surfed the net in the library
5244 Using computer in the library other than for internet
Definition
Using library provided computer facilities except to access the internet.
Example
Using the library computer to find a book
5245 Reading newspapers in the library
5246 Listening to music in the library
5249 Other specified library activities
525 Sports events
Definition
Attending a sports event, e.g. car race, trotting race, football game etc. (including
breaks).
168
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Note: Watching sports events on TV is included in 821 TV. Accompanying
own child at a sports centre is included in 384 Accompanying child if just for
exercising, not competition.
Examples
Boxing, Wrestling, Martial arts
Cricket
Horse (horse racing, show jumping, polo, dressage, etc.)
Looked at friends playing indoors bandy
Looked at the tournament of the child.
Motor sports (car/motorcycle racing, rallying, scrambling, time trials etc.)
Rugby union, Rugby league
Soccer, American football
529 Other specified entertainment and culture
5291 Visiting a historical site
Examples
Cathedral, church, abbey
Stately homes etc. (castles, monuments, historic houses)
Ancient monuments, archaeological site,
Industrial heritage site
5292 Visiting a wildlife site
Examples
Zoos,
Aquarium, sea-life centre
Wildlife park, animal park, safari park, farm-park
5293 Visiting a botanical site
Examples
Botanical garden,
Arboretum
5294 Visiting a leisure park
Examples
Theme park, pier
Fair ground,
Circus, fete, carnival
5295 Visiting an urban park, playground, designated play area
5299 Other specified entertainment or culture
Examples
Car shows
Greyhound racing
Consumer events
Dog sports (e.g. greyhound racing)
Factory visits (e.g. brewery)
Fashion show
One off special event (e.g. tall ships race)
Was on a visit to the fire-brigade
53
RESTING – TIME OUT
531 Resting – Time out
Definition
Doing nothing, just sitting, reflecting, relaxing, resting, waiting, meditating,
smoking, sun bathing, thinking, talking to /scratching a cat or dog etc.
Examples
Admiring a full-blown flower
Bored myself
Cooling off
Did not do anything special
Gathering of strength
Just let the time pass
Just listening to birds
Killed time
Lay in bed after lunch and rest
169
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Lazed around
Lounging
Lying in sun
Philosophised (alone)
To be at the beach
Took it easy
Tried to get to know myself
Waited for the children to come
Walking within the house or around it
Watched an aquarium
Watched through the window
Watching e.g. aeroplanes, people in general, boats
170
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6
SPORTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Note: Includes activities for physical exercise, but not trips with a special
purpose (e.g. on foot to work).
600 Unspecified sports and outdoor activities
61
PHYSICAL EXERCISE
610 Unspecified physical exercise
Examples
Attended a sport course
Attended training
Exercised a little
611 Walking and hiking
Definition
Walking in town, in the countryside etc.
Looking into shop windows during a walk.
Note: Walking the dog is coded 344 Walking the dog.
Examples
Picked flowers in the nature during a walk
Strolled in town
Taking a walk with the child in the neighbourhood
Took a nature walk
Watched birds during the walk
6111 Taking a walk or hike that lasts at least 2 miles or 1 hour
6119 Other walk or hike
612 Jogging and running
613 Biking, skiing and skating
Definition
For exercise.
6131 Biking
6132 Skiing or skating
Examples
Alpine skiing, snow boarding
Cross-country skiing
Roller skating, In-line skating
Ski jumping
614 Ball games
Definition
Football, rugby, volleyball, basketball, tennis, squash, badminton, table tennis, ice
hockey, bowling, golf, etc. including practice and organised training sessions, as
well as “muck around” games at social gatherings.
Examples
Football training
Kicked ball
Playing handball
Playing land hockey
Playing soccer
6140 Unspecified ball game
6141 Indoor pairs or doubles games
Definition
The following games are included in this category: indoor bowels, ten pin
bowling, squash, table tennis and badminton.
6142 Indoor team games
Definition
The following games are included in this category: football indoors
(including 5 a side), volleyball and basketball.
Note: Where the term “football” is written without further information,
code to 6144 Outdoor team games.
Note: Solo practice of the skills involved in an indoor team game should
be coded as 6149 Other specified ball game
171
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6143 Outdoor pairs or doubles games
Definition
The following games are included in this category: outdoor bowels
(including lawn bowels), tennis and golf.
6144 Outdoor team games
Definition
The following games are included in this category: rugby, American
football, football outdoors (including 5 a side), Gaelic sports, cricket,
hockey and netball.
Note: Solo practice of the skills involved in an indoor team game should
be coded as 6149 Other specified ball game
6149 Other specified ball game
Definition
Includes any ball game not included in the definitions for the above
categories. Also includes solo practice of the skills needed for team games
listed in the above categories.
Examples
Australian rules football
Baseball
Croquet
Ice hockey
Practiced hitting hockey ball (alone)
Softball
615 Gymnastics
Definition
Organised program or at home. All types of gymnastics, aerobic, yoga etc.
Examples
Back gymnastics
Exercised Qi Gong
Morning gymnastics at home
Stretching
616 Fitness
Definition
Exercise in fitness centre/gym or at home using equipment.
Examples
Body building
Exercised aerobics
Treading an exercise bike
Weight-lifting
617 Water sports
6170 Unspecified water sports
6171 Swimming
6179 Other specified water sports
Definition
Rowing, sailing, windsurfing etc.
Example
Water gymnastics
619 Other specified physical exercise
Examples
Archery
Karting
Dancing
Exercised judo, karate etc.
Go-cart racing
Motor sports
Mountain climbing
Riding
Shooting targets and clay pigeons (i.e. shooting not including hunting)
62
PRODUCTIVE EXERCISE
172
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
620 Unspecified productive exercise
621 Hunting and fishing
Examples
Gutting and skinning in the forest
Sprat-nets into the lake
Waited for the moose
622 Picking berries, mushroom and herbs
Examples
Picking aromatic plants
629 Other specified productive exercise
Definition
Other productive activities of monetary value belonging to SNA.
63
SPORTS RELATED ACTIVITIES
631 Sports related activities
6310 Unspecified sports related activities
6311 Activities related to sports
Definition
Activities related to sports and physical exercise, e.g. assembling and
readying sports equipment or changing clothes at the sports centre. Does not
include active sports and travel.
Note:
Packing equipment, clothes etc. at home is coded 324 Various
arrangements.
Examples
Waited for the gymnastics to start
Chose a horse
Unpacked jogging/training equipment at the sports centre
Working at the stables (not for own horse)
6312 Activities related to productive exercise
Definition
Activities related to those activities coded as 62. Does not include active
productive exercise or travel.
Examples
Cleaned nets
Cleaning of hunting gear
173
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7
HOBBIES AND GAMES
700 Unspecified hobbies and games
71
ARTS
710 Unspecified arts
711 Visual arts
Definition
Activities connected with creating paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics,
graphics, pottering etc. at home or in a club.
Also visual arts created by the help of a computer.
Note: Studying arts during free time or during extra mural activities for a
course is included in 221 Free time study.
7110 Unspecified visual arts
7111 Painting, drawing or other graphic arts
Example
Painting china
7112 Making videos, taking photographs and related photographic activities
Example
Video-filmed children
Edited digital photographs on computer
7119 Other specified visual arts
Note: Textile related handcrafts are coded 3331 Textile related
handcrafts
Note: Woodcraft, metalcraft, ceramics, sculpture and pottery are coded
353 Making, repairing and maintaining equipment
712 Performing arts
Definition
Singing, acting, playing alone or in a group.
Producing music.
Also performing arts created with help of a computer.
7120 Unspecified performing arts
7121 Singing or other musical activities
Examples
Choir practising in church
Played music on the keyboard
Played the clarinet in an orchestra
Played the piano
Playing in a band
Practised with the orchestra
Sang a little
Singing in a choir
Singing karaoke.
Warmed up before concert
7129 Other specified performing arts
Examples
Live-role-play
Performed in drama
713 Literary arts
Definition
Writing novels, poetry, personal diary etc.
Literary arts, also when use of computer is mentioned.
Examples
Wrote a book
Wrote down memorable moments (concerts etc.)
Note: Filling in the Time Use diary is coded 995 Filling in the time use
diary.
719 Other specified arts
174
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
72
HOBBIES
720 Unspecified hobbies
721 Collecting
Definition
Collecting stamps, coins etc.
Examples
Exchanged ice hockey cards
Sorting stamps
722 Computing – programming
Definition
Programming, fixing and repairing the computer.
Examples
Assembling of computer
Fixed the computer
Installing a computer game
723 Information by computing
Definition
Seeking, reading information by means of a computer, via network (e.g. netsurfing) or other data medium (e.g. encyclopaedia on CD-ROM).
Note: Household management computing is included in 371 Household
management.
7230 Unspecified information by computing
7231 Information searching on the internet
Note: Booking, shopping and ordering goods using the internet is coded in
372 Household management using the internet
Example
Surfed the net
Downloaded MP3 file from the internet
7239 Other specified information by computing
Example
Used Encyclopaedia CD ROM
724 Communication by computing
Definition
Reading, writing and sending messages using a computer
7240 Unspecified communication by computing
7241 Communication on the internet
Definition
Reading and writing electronic messages
Examples
Chatting in on-line chat rooms
Checked mail in the computer
Sent e-mail
7249 Other specified communication by computing
Example
Typing a letter using a word processing package
725 Other computing
Definition
Unspecified computing or specified computing not mentioned above. Includes using the
internet when no further detail is supplied.
7250 Unspecified other computing
7251 Unspecified internet use
Example
Called the internet
7259 Other specified computing
Examples
Sat by the computer
Tapped at the computer keyboard
Worked at the computer (when not in employment)
726 Correspondence
Definition
Writing and reading personal letters, faxes etc.
Note: e-mail is included in 724 Communication by computing.
175
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Note: Reading old letters is included in 819 Other specified reading.
Examples
Audio letters
Writing Christmas cards
729 Other specified hobbies
Definition
Hobbies not included in the previous categories, research as hobby, genealogy,
assembling apparatus, watching and sorting photos, slides etc.
Note: Handicraft is included in 333 Handicraft and producing textiles
Note: Woodcraft is included in 353 Making and repairing equipment.
Examples
Chemical experiments
Framing slides
Looked at slides on projector
Making miniatures (aircraft, etc.)
Put pictures into a photo album
Typing (where no other information is provided)
Watched movies via film-projector
73
GAMES
730 Unspecified games
Examples
Played a game
731 Solo games and play
Definition
Crosswords, patience etc. solo games.
Playing with dolls, toys, cats, dogs, etc. alone.
Examples
Assembled a jigsaw puzzle (when alone)
Pinball (playing machine)
Practised card tricks
732 Games and play with others
Definition
Plays and games indoors and outdoors.
Children playing with each other or adults
Note: Games as gambling are included in 735 Gambling.
Note: Live role games are included in 712 Performing arts
Note: Parent playing with own child aged up to 17 is included in 383
Reading, playing, talking with child.
7320 Unspecified games and play with others
7321 Billiards, pool, snooker and petanque
7322 Chess and bridge
7329 Other specified games and play with others
Examples
Cards, dice, dominoes and other board games.
Darts
Noughts and crosses
Backgammon
733 Computer games
Definition
Computer and video games.
Examples
Playing Nintendo, Play-station
Playing patience on the computer
734 Gambling
Definition
Lotto, tote etc.
Also playing cards specified as gambling.
Examples
Betting (on-course and in betting shop)
176
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Bingo
Gambling at casino
Have played in the shop
In betting shop
National Lottery
Playing cards for money
Pools
Slot (jackpot) machine
739 Other specified games
177
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
8
MASS MEDIA
800 Unspecified mass media
81
READING
810 Unspecified reading
Examples
Reading of post
Read in bed
811 Reading periodicals
Definition
Reading daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly etc. publications - newspapers,
magazines.
Reading local/national/international newspapers.
Note: Reading, strictly connected with work, is included in Work (111 or
121).
Note: Reading newspapers in a library is included in 5244 Reading
newspapers in a library
Examples
Comics
Free distribution papers
Read a hunting journal
Read afternoon papers
Read cartoons
Read computer journal
Read the morning papers
Reader’s digest
Reading a scientific journal
812 Reading books
Definition
Novels, life stories, instructional books etc.
Note: Reading, strictly connected with work, is included in Work (111 or
121).
Note: Reading for an exam is included in 212 Homework.
Note: Reading the Bible is included in 432 Religious activities.
Examples
Looking in the encyclopaedia
Reading a biography
Reading a romance
819 Other specified reading
Definition
Brochures, advertisements etc.
Examples
Looked in a clothes catalogue
Read a furniture catalogue
Read a post order catalogue
Read old personal letters
Read travel catalogues
Reading of user instructions
82
TV AND VIDEO
821 Watching TV
Note: Following courses (language courses etc.) on TV is included in 221
Free time study. Watching TV is coded as secondary activity.
Note: Watching religious services on TV is included in 432 Religious
activities. Watching TV is coded as secondary activity.
8210 Unspecified watching TV
8211 Watching a film on TV
178
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
8212 Watching sport on TV
8219 Other specified watching TV
Examples
Watched news on TV
Watched sit-com on TV
Listened to music on TV
Teletext
822 Watching video
Definition
Watching video when specified.
Includes videotaped TV-programs and borrowed films.
8220 Unspecified watching video
8221 Watching a film on video
8222 Watching sport on video
8229 Other specified video watching
Examples
Watched video of the grandkids on the beach
Watched wedding video
83
RADIO AND MUSIC
830 Unspecified listening to radio and music
Examples
Listened to music
831 Listening to radio
Definition
Listening to the radio: music, news, commentaries etc.
Note: Following courses (language courses etc.) on radio is included in 221
Free time study. Listening to the radio is coded as secondary activity.
Note: Listening to religious services on radio is included in 432 Religious
activities. Listening to the radio is coded as secondary activity.
8310 Unspecified listening to radio
8311 Listening to music on the radio
8312 Listening to sport on the radio
8319 Other specified listening to radio
Example
Listened to chat show on the radio
832 Listening to recordings
Definition
Listening to CDs, cassettes, tapes, and records, mini discs and music downloaded
from internet sites.
Note: Listening to recordings in the library is coded 5245 Listening to
music in the library
Examples
Recording music
Taping, audio books
Listened to music on MP3 player
179
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
9
TRAVEL AND UNSPECIFIED TIME USE
Note: This group includes two different types of codes, which are 1) codes for
travel related to its main purpose, and 2) auxiliary codes for activities that can
not be classified as belonging to any of the groups 0-8.
Note: In this group is also included 995 Filling in the Time Use diary.
90
TRAVEL BY PURPOSE
Definition
Movements between two localities, except when the activity is physical exercise
like jogging, walking the dog or just walking. See also part 2.2.6. Definition and
coding of journeys.
Note: When several activities are done at the same location the main purpose
will define the trip. E.g. travel in connection with a visit is coded 951 Travel
to visit friends at home, in connection with help to another household is
coded 942 Travel related to informal help to another household..
Note: When the activity is mixed with the trip no subjective distinction
between activity and travel should be made. The main rule is to code the whole
episode by the activity. E.g. went shopping is coded 361 Shopping.
900 Travel related to unspecified time use
901 Travel related to personal business
Definition
Includes travel to eat /drink alone or to sleep or rest outside the home. Includes
travel away from workplace to eat/ drink during a work break.
Note: travel to order or collect a take-away meal is coded 936 Travel
related to shopping.
Note: meeting friends over dinner/ drinks, where the main purpose was to
meet should be coded as 951 Travel related to other social activities.
Similarly, visiting friend/ relatives to eat should be coded as 950 Travel to
visit friends/ relatives in their home (even though visiting is coded as a
secondary activity).
Note: where eating/ drinking or sleep at the end of the journey is followed by
another activity at the same location (e.g. a residential conference) then the
travel should be coded as relating to the main purpose.
911 Travel in the course of work
Definition
This applies to all journeys made as part of a person's paid job which are to / from
a place other than the usual place of work. Thus all work-related journeys of
people without a usual place of work or who work from home are coded 'in course
of work'.
Journeys made during working hours not connected with the person's job (e.g.
shopping) are not included as 'in course of work' journeys. Journeys made outside
the person's working hours, which are part of his job, are included, however.
Journeys made to collect or deliver goods of any kind during the course of a
person's work, without which purpose the journey would not have been
undertaken, are not included in the survey. 'In course of work' applies only to
those journeys that require the person to move him/herself from one place to
another.
A visit to a hotel (or other overnight stopping place), as a base for business trips,
should be coded 'in course of work'.
913 Travel to/ from work
Definition
This code should only be used for journeys to or from usual place of work where
the starting point of the journey (or the end point) is the respondent’s home.
180
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Note: All other work journeys must be coded 911 Travel in course of work.
This includes work-related travel for persons who have no usual place of work,
and travel for persons who work mainly from home.
Note: Where a person is travelling to unpaid voluntary work this should be
coded 941 Travel related to organisational work.
Note: For those who have more than one place of work, this code is only used
for journeys to/from the one that is the usual place of work (to/from home).
Journeys to the other work places are coded as 911 Travel in course of work.
Note: A journey from a person's usual place of work to another office as part
of his job is coded as 911 Travel in course of work.
Note: Any journey made to work from a place other than the respondent’s
home is coded 914 Travel to work from a place other than home.
914 Travel to work from a place other than home
921 Travel related to education
Definition
This applies to journeys of school children and students to their schools/ colleges.
It is used for full-time students, students on day release and part-time students
following vocational courses (i.e. to do with their career or occupation).
Include trips to move to student lodgings.
Note: Journeys to and from schools / colleges by teachers as their places of
work are not included here but are coded as 913 Travel to/ from work.
Note: Journeys to schools/colleges by other people attending meetings (e.g.
P.T.A.) are coded as 941 Travel related to organisational work or 943
Travel related to participatory activities as appropriate.
Note: where the destination is known to be a hobby course (i.e. not for
vocational purposes) then code the travel to 952 Travel related to
entertainment and culture.
923 Travel escorting to/ from education
Definition
This code is used for persons taking another adult or a child for education (i.e. to
school or university). It should only be used if the person has no purpose of
his/her own for the journey.
931 Travel related to household care
Definition
Travel related to:
31 Food management
32 Household upkeep
33 Making and care of textiles
34 Gardening and pet care
35 Construction and repairs
Note: If the respondent is travelling to another household to conduct
activities related to household care for them, this travel should be coded as
942 Travel related to informal help for other households.
936 Travel related to shopping
Definition
All journeys to shops are included here whether anything was bought or not, even
when there was no intention to buy (i.e. window shopping only). Ordering or
collecting a take-away meal is also included.
181
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Where shopping for one’s own household is combined with shopping for another
household, the travel is included in this code.
Note: Where the respondent is travelling to shop solely for another
household, code to 942 Travel related to informal help to other households.
Examples
By car to the shopping centre
937 Travel related to services
Definition
Journeys which a person makes for his/ her own benefit which are not sport,
entertainment or social.
Includes travel to visit the doctor, dentist, optician, chiropodist and hospital; as
well as travel to services such as hairdressers, betting shops, vets, solicitors,
banks, post office and estate agents.
Include an elderly person going to a day centre and a child going to a childminder
or nursery/ playschool.
938 Travel escorting a child (other than education)
Definition
Travel associated with childcare where the child is not accompanied/ transported
to education.
Where escorting children from another household is combined with escorting
children from the respondent’s own household, the travel is included in this code.
Note: Where the respondent is escorting children from another household
only, code to 942 Travel related to informal help to other households.
Examples
Taking own children to sports, practise etc.
Accompanying a child to playground
939 Travel escorting an adult (other than education)
Definition
Travel associated with help to an adult member of the household, when they are
not accompanied/ transported to education.
Note: where the respondent is travelling with the purpose of helping an adult
household member (i.e. they are doing something – not just escorting) then
code the travel to 901 Travel related to personal business.
Examples
Driving spouse to work
941 Travel related to organisational work
942 Travel related to informal help to other households
943 Travel related to religious activities
Definition
Travel related to activity code 432 only.
944 Travel related to participatory activities other than religious activities
Definition
Travel related to any 43 activity other than 432
.
950 Travel to visit friends/ relatives in their homes (not respondent’s household)
Definition
182
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
This applies to journeys to visit friends, relatives and acquaintances in private
homes, whether these visits are for pleasure or social obligation, and where the
duration of the visit does not exceed three nights.
Include journeys to visit friends/ relatives in hospital if the hospital is their usual
place of residence only.
Note: If the journey is to a private home but the duration of the visit will be
for four or more nights, code as 981 Travel to holiday base.
Examples
Went to chat with a neighbour
951 Travel related to other social activities
Definition
This code is used if the journey is to meet friends etc. elsewhere than in a private
home but where the main purpose is still to socialise with the particular persons,
rather than visit a particular place.
Include journeys to visit friends/ relatives in hospital where the hospital is not
their usual place of residence.
952 Travel related to entertainment and culture
961 Travel related to physical exercise
Definition
Travel to any of the following activity codes
61 Physical exercise
6310 Unspecified sports related activities
6311 Activities related to sports
If the journey purpose is combined watching and participating in sports, then
participation takes priority for coding purposes
Note: Trips to participate in table tennis, darts, snooker or other parlour
games are coded as 950 or 951 as appropriate.
962 Travel related to hunting & fishing
Definition
Travel related to activity code 621 only.
963 Travel related to productive exercise other than hunting & fishing
Definition
Travel related to activity codes 62 except 621. Travel related to activity code
6312.
971 Travel related to gambling
Definition
Travel related to activity code 734 only.
972 Travel related to hobbies other than gambling
Definition
Travel related to:
71 Arts
72 Hobbies
All 73 activity codes (Games) except 734
81 Reading
82 TV and video
183
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
83 Radio and music
981 Travel to holiday base
Definition
This applies to journeys made to/from any holiday.
‘Holiday base’ applies to a stay of at least one night in a hotel, boarding house,
caravan, holiday cottage etc. for leisure/recreation purposes. 'Holiday base' is also
used for a stay of 4 or more nights in private homes with friends or relatives.
Note: In the case of a day trip or other journey made whilst away on holiday,
the purpose is the same as if the trip had been made from home, so a trip to the
shops from a holiday cottage would be coded 936 Travel related to shopping.
Note: A one-day trip just for a visit to the theatre or to a sports event, for
shopping, etc. should be coded by purpose where possible, even if the travel
itself lasts longer than the activity that is the purpose of the trip.
Examples
By train to spend a night in a hotel
Interrail in Germany
Went to my sister’s home for vacation
982 Travel for day trip/ just walk
Definition
This applies to journeys for pleasure purposes within a single day (i.e. no
overnight stop) not codeable as social, entertainment, etc. It applies where the
journey itself is the pleasurable activity (e.g. a scenic drive or non-specific
sightseeing).
Day trips will often need to be treated as round trips.
Walking pleasure trips are included providing they on public highways.
Note: Yachting, motor sport, jogging, gliding or any transport undertaken
with a physical fitness or competitive aspect is classified as a 61 code as
appropriate and not included in this category.
Examples
Drove around the village with the car
Going for a drive - with no purpose whatsoever
Sight seeing
Travelling around, car tours, etc.
Went to sea/was at sea
989 Other specified travel
Definition
Includes travel that cannot be coded into one of the travel purpose categories
above.
Example
Learning to drive
184
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
AUXILIARY CODES
994 Punctuating event
Definition
Momentary events that do not describe activities of the respondent, and which
may or may not be followed by a change in the respondent’s main activity.
Examples
Husband came home
Child went to school
Doorbell rang
995 Filling in the time use diary
Definition
Activities related to the Time Use survey itself.
Examples
Contacts with the interviewer
Helped the child with the Time Use diary
996 No main activity, no idea
Definition
No main activity listed, and no idea what it might be.
997 No main activity, some idea
Definition
No main activity listed, but some idea of what the activity might be (e.g. where
there is no citation mark).
998 Illegible
Definition
Where there is a main activity, but it cannot be interpreted because of illegible
handwriting.
999 Unspecified time use
Where main activity legible, but it is completely unspecified in the code frame,
and therefore impossible to code even to 1 digit
Example
Did a little bit of everything
Spent the evening at home
Was at home
Was on holiday
Came home, went out (if it is not possible to add it to the previous or the following activity)
185
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
With whom time is spent
Note: Each group of persons is regarded as a single variable in the 'with whom' variable.
For respondents aged 14 and over:
Alone or with people not known to the respondent
Children up to 9, living in the household
Children aged 10 – 14 living in the household
Other household members
Other persons, known to the respondent
For respondents aged 8 – 13:
Alone or with people not known to the respondent
Parent(s)
Other household members
Other persons known to the respondent
186
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Location and mode of transport
Location is travel when the main activity is also coded as travel.
Note: Codes 20-29 are reserved for private transport and codes 30-36 for public transport.
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
Unspecified location
Unspecified location (not travelling)
Home
At home, in the yard, in the garden of a one-family or a terraced house.
Work place if working at home.
Second home or weekend house
Own or rented
Working place or school
Own work place or school
For a farmer when working outside the yard, in the field or forest.
Other people's home
Also weekend house of another household
Restaurant, café or pub
Sports facility
Examples
Sports centre
Swimming pool
Fitness centre
Gym
Football ground
08
Arts or cultural centre
Examples
Museum
Art gallery
09
The country/ countryside, seaside beach or coast
Examples
Country parks
National parks
Forests & forest paths
Long distance paths
10
Other specified location (not travelling)
Child’s school
Commercial centre
Green market
In the office
In the shop
In the street
Spouse’s work place
11
12
13
14
Unspecified private transport mode
Travelling on foot
Travelling by bicycle
Travelling by moped, motorcycle or motorboat
Examples
Snowmobile
15
16
17
18
19
Travelling by passenger car as the driver
Travelling by passenger car as a passenger
Travelling by passenger car – driver status unspecified
Travelling by lorry, or tractor
Travelling by van
187
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
20
Other specified private travelling mode
Examples
Kick-sledge
Roller-skating
Rowing
Travelling by horse
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Unspecified public transport mode
Travelling by taxi
Travelling by bus
Travelling by tram or underground
Travelling by train
Travelling by aeroplane
Travelling by boat or ship
Travelling by coach
Waiting for public transport
Other specified public transport mode
31
Unspecified transport mode
32
Illegible location or mode of transport
Definition
Where there is location or mode of transport information listed, but it cannot be
interpreted because of illegible handwriting.
188
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Appendix 4 Coding Instructions
Time Use Coding Instructions
This document contains the rules for coding Time Use diaries. These instructions encompass
those developed by Eurostat, together with additional guidelines for non-conforming or
ambiguous situations. Throughout the document there are illustrative examples to aid coders,
and the final section contains further specific examples of how to use the Activity Coding
List.
1.
•
•
What constitutes an acceptable diary for coding?
Diaries that do not contain any main activity information should not be scanned.
These diaries should be labelled “blank”, and a note of their reference numbers taken.
If, on first glance, less than half of the diary day contains main activity information for
coding purposes, these diaries should be put to one side, and the research team will
arbitrate regarding which diaries should be coded.
189
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2. The Code System
The activity code system is hierarchical with four levels, as illustrated below.
Example 1
3 HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY CARE
300 Unspecified household and family care
31
FOOD MANAGEMENT
310 Unspecified food management
311 Food preparation
312 Baking
.
.
More third level categories
.
319 Other specified food management
32
.
.
MORE SECOND LEVEL CATEGORIES
.
36
SHOPPING AND SERVICES
360 Unspecified shopping and services
361 Shopping
3610 Unspecified shopping
3611 Shopping mainly for food
3612 Shopping mainly for clothing
.
.
.
MORE FOURTH LEVEL CATEGORIES
.
.
.
MORE THIRD LEVEL CATEGORIES
.
.
. MORE SECOND LEVEL CATEGORIES
.
.
39 …
At the highest level the 1-digit code 3 represents Household and family care. This is one of
10 first-level activity categories in the code system. As a general rule the first digit in a code
defines the first-level activity category.
Within each first-level activity category there can be 1 to 9 second-level activity categories,
defined by the first two digits. In the example above, code 31 represents the second-level
activity category Food management.
Within each second-level activity category there can be 1 to 9 third-level activity categories.
The first third-level activity category under 31 Food management in the example above is
310 Unspecified food management.
Within some third-level activity categories there can be up to 10 fourth-level activity
categories. The first fourth-level activity category in the example above is under 361
Shopping. This is 3610 Unspecified Shopping.
190
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
The principal task in the coding process is to assign 4-digit (or 3-digit) codes to the main
activities listed in the diaries (provided there is sufficient information in the diaries for doing
this). When an activity is assigned a 4-digit code it is automatically classified also to 1, 2 and
3-digit level. This makes the system hierarchical. Where there is no 4-digit code, the same
rules apply when a 3-digit code is chosen. For example, if an activity has been coded to the 3digit code 311 Food preparation, it has also been allocated to a 2-digit and a 1-digit code,
namely 31 Food management and 3 Household and family care respectively.
2.1
Rules for coding main activities
Each diary must contain coded main activity information for each 10-minute time slot during
the day. In other words, there will be a continuous record of that person’s main activities
from 4 am in the morning, until 4 am the following morning.
Rule 1
Code the main activity to 4 (or 3) digits according to the Activity Coding List.
Rule 2
If an activity is well described in the diary, but there is no proper 4-digit
alternative in the coding list then code xyz9 'Other' category e.g. 8219 Other specified
watching TV. This means that the activity should be coded xyz9, when it is well enough
specified to be given the correct 3-digit (xyz) code, and none of the specified 4-digit codes are
suitable. (In the case of 3-digit codes, the ‘other’ category xy9 is to be used in the same
manner).
Occasionally there will be insufficient information in the diary for selecting a satisfactory 4digit (or 3-digit) code according to rule 1 or 2:
Rule 3
If there is insufficient information for coding at the 4-digit level, then code to 3
digits, using a 4-digit code xyz0 ending with one zero. Similarly, if there is
insufficient information for coding at the 3-digit level, then code to 2 digits, using
a 3-digit code xy0 ending with one zero.
Example 2
The activity Reading is recorded in a diary. There is no hint on what was read, it could have
been a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or something else. Therefore, it is not possible to
select a specific 3-digit code. The activity reading is then coded on the 3-digit level with a
zero as the last digit i.e. 810 Unspecified reading. Thus, when an activity is well specified
only on the 2-digit level (xy) and it can belong to any of the 3-digit categories then the correct
code is xy0.
Rule 4
If there is insufficient information for coding at the 2-digit level, then code to 1
digit, using a 3-digit code x00 ending with two zeros.
Rule 5
If there is insufficient information for coding even at the 1-digit level, then select
a missing data code (see Section 2.2).
2.1.1
Important comment on the numerical coding
It is most important that the code system with its different levels of coding, 1, 2, 3 or 4 digits
(depending on the level of detail reported in the diary), is used exactly the way it is described.
The codes in the first activity group Personal care begin with a 0. This first 0 is part of the
code and cannot be dropped because it has ‘no value’.
191
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.2
Missing data
The following codes should be used when the information in the diary is insufficient to code
to 1 digit.
Code
996
997
Definition
No main activity, no idea
what it might be
No main activity, some
idea what it might be
998
Illegible
999
Other time use
Notes
No main activity for one or more 10 min intervals and
no clue as to what the activity might be
No main activity for one or more 10 min intervals, but
it seems as if a recorded activity continues (i.e. there is
no citation mark, etc)
Where there is a main activity, but it cannot be
interpreted because of illegible handwriting.
Where main activity legible, but it is completely
unspecified in the code frame and therefore impossible
to code even to 1 digit.
Example 3
In the following example, the child says that they are eating breakfast at time slot 8 – 8.10am.
However, there is no arrow to show that this is a continuous activity up to the next diary entry
at 9.20am. In this situation, the blank slots in the diary should be coded 996 – to denote that
there is missing data, and we do not know what the respondent is doing.
What were you doing?
Location
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Where were you?
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Enter one main activity on each line.
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
Time, am
08:00
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
09:00
09:10
09:20
09:30
09:40
09:50
-
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
09:00
09:10
09:20
09:30
09:40
09:50
10:00
I am eating breakfast 021
996
996
996
996
996
996
996
I am dressing 031
996
996
996
192
At home 11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.3
Coding multiple activities
It is not possible to code more than one activity per 10-minute interval. If a diary contains
more than one activity within a time slot, one of them must be prioritised for selection. The
following rules should be noted:
Rule 1: More than one main activity entered, no secondary activity information recorded
• If activities are simultaneous, and one of the activities is likely to be the consequence of
the other, this activity is coded as secondary. For example, “had supper” and “talked
with family”, “had supper” is coded as the main activity.
• If activities are simultaneous, and none of the activities are likely to be the consequence
of the other, the activity first mentioned is coded as the main activity, and the other as
the secondary activity (see Example 4).
• If activities are sequential, and one of them is clearly longer than the other, the longest
activity should be coded as the main activity.
• If activities are sequential, and none of them is clearly longer than the other, the activity
first mentioned should be coded as the main activity.
Example 4
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
at the same time
Enter one main activity on each line.
Morning
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
or having a drink
Time, am
08:00
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
-
08:10
Eating breakfast, listening to radio
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
In this example, two activities are recorded as main activities. Neither is
necessarily the consequence of the other, therefore point 2 of the rule should be
applied. In other words, the main activity will be “eating breakfast” and the
secondary activity will be “listening to the radio”.
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
at the same time
Morning
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
Time, am
08:00
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
or having a drink
-
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
Eating breakfast 021
021
021
021
021
Listening to radio 8310
8310
8310
8310
8310
193
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Rule 2: More than one main activity entered, secondary activity information also recorded
•
In this situation it is desirable to consider all the activities occurring during one 10minute slot, and prioritise their importance. In other words, the main activity should
be the one that is predominant during the time period, or with the longest duration
(according to Rule 1).
•
However, only one secondary activity may be chosen. This will be the activity that is
of secondary importance, or of second longest duration.
•
As a rule of thumb when deciding how to code multiple main activities, while those
appearing in the main column may be transferred to the secondary column, the
opposite movement is not allowed, i.e. secondary activities (as defined by the
respondent) should not be coded as main activities.
Example 5
Morning
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
Time, am
or having a drink
-
08:00
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:10
Travelling to work by train, read newspaper
Chatted with friend, drank coffee
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
In this example, two activities are recorded as main activities, and secondary
activities are also listed. In prioritising the order of the activities (in terms of
length and/or consequence), we might make the following list:
1. Travelling on train
2. Reading newspaper/drinking coffee
3. Chat with friend
Therefore, the main activity would be “on the train”, while the second would be
“reading newspaper” (by virtue of being listed as a main activity as opposed to a
secondary activity).
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
at the same time
Morning
Time, am
08:00
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
or having a drink
-
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
Travelling to work by train 913
913
913
913
913
194
Reading the newspaper 811
811
811
811
811
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.4
Secondary activities
For the coding of secondary activities, the main activity code system should be used.
However, unlike the main activity record, the secondary activity record will not necessarily be
a continuous record throughout the diary day, and as a rule, the missing data codes should not
be used in this column.
If a diary contains secondary information for a time slot, but no main activity
information, then coders should code the main activity according to what is entered for
the secondary activity for that time slot. However, please refer to section 6 for further
information on interpreting the diary day.
Please note the following special codes in the code frame:
• 131 – lunch break related to employment
• 112/122 – coffee breaks in main/second job
• 512 – visiting or receiving visitors
These three codes are used in the secondary activity column, while what people actually did
during these periods is coded in the main activity column. This allows a calculation of the
duration of breaks/visits (see Example 6). If it is not specified what the respondent did during
these periods (i.e. if just the terms “lunch break”, “coffee break” or “visiting” are used), then
these codes should be used in the main activity column.
Example 6
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
at the same time
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
Time, am
12:20
12:30
12:40
12:50
01:00
or having a drink
-
12:30
12:40
12:50
In main job
Shopping
Eating lunch
Chatting with colleagues
01:00
01:10
In main job
In this example, it is clear that a lunch break is taking place between 12.30 and 1.00 pm. The
diary should be coded as follows, using the “lunch break” code as the secondary activity
between 12.30pm and 1pm.
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
at the same time
Time, am
12:40 12:50 01:00 -
or having a drink
12:20
12:30
12:30
12:40
12:50
01:00
01:10
In main job 111
Shopping 3610
Eating lunch 021
021
In main job 111
Lunch break 131
131
131
It is feasible, however, that respondents do not obey the diary instructions. Thus, rather than
writing “in main job” or “at work” in the main activity column, they list all their activities
195
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
during the course of their working day. In such a situation, it should be possible to assess
whether this is a working day by looking at the last questions in the diary. However, unless
the terms “lunch break” and “coffee break” are used within the diary, activities should be
coded as they appear on screen, with no attempt to define the break period in the secondary
activity column. See Example 7.
196
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 7
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
at the same time
Time, am
12:20
12:30
12:40
12:50
01:00
or having a drink
-
12:30
12:40
12:50
In meeting
Shopping
Eating lunch
Chatting with colleagues
01:00
01:10
Writing report
In this example there is no clearly defined break. The respondent has not obeyed
the diary instructions, and has listed all activities during the working day rather
than writing “main job”. Therefore, the lunch break time is not clear cut – indeed,
it is not clear from the diary whether any of the listed activities (meeting,
shopping, writing report) are work-related or not. In this instance, the coder
should refer to the back of the diary to see whether this person is working on the
day in question (question 5b). If they are, we may reasonably assume that
activities such as meetings and report writing are work-related, however, the 131
code will not be used in the secondary activity column to denote a lunch break.
Activities that we assume are non-work-related (shopping, eating lunch) are coded
as they stand, as follows:
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
at the same time
Time, am
12:40 12:50 01:00 -
or having a drink
12:20
12:30
12:30
12:40
12:50
01:00
01:10
In meeting 111
Shopping 3610
Eating lunch 021
021
Writing report 111
Chatting with colleagues 1399
1399
197
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.5
Other special situations
Two further special situations should be noted:
1)
If the main activity is Filled in the diary (i.e. the Time Use diary), the code 995
should be used. However, care should be taken that respondents are not referring to
personal diaries (which take the code 713).
2) Punctuating events
Punctuating events are short incidents that split up the diary day, but do not fill a full
10-minute time slot. In these cases, the respondent lists the activity of another person
or an external event instead of describing their own activity, for example, “husband
came home”, “son went to school”, “work shift ended”. In such situations, a
punctuating code (994) will be used to denote the event. See Example 8.
Example 8
If the diary is coded as follows:
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
at the same time
Morning
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
Time, am
or having a drink
- 08:20
08:20 - 08:30
08:30 - 08:40
08:00
08:10
08:10
Talking with child
Child went to school
Washed up
The punctuating code will be used to code the second time slot, as follows:
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Write in the most important activity you were doing
Enter one main activity on each line.
e.g looking after children, listening to the radio
at the same time
Morning
Time, am
08:20 08:30 -
or having a drink
08:00
08:10
08:10
08:20
08:30
08:40
Talked with child 383
Child went to school 994
Washed up 313
313
198
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
2.6
Journeys
In the UK 2000/2001 Time Use survey, a journey may be defined as follows:
“the basic unit of travel, a journey, is defined as a one-way course of travel having a single
main purpose. Outward and return halves of a return journey are treated as two separate
journeys. A journey cannot have two separate purposes, and if a single course of travel
involves a midway change of purpose then it too is split into two journeys. However, trivial
subsidiary purposes (e.g. a stop to buy a newspaper) are disregarded.”
Thus, the purpose of a journey is usually decided by what the person did at the end of the
journey, i.e. the next activity. For example, a person who goes to the supermarket will have
made a journey for the purpose of shopping.
But about half of all the journeys are return journeys to home. In this case, the purpose of the
trip is the reason for being at the place where the journey began.
2.6.1
Deciding the main purpose of a journey
The main purpose of a journey is defined as that purpose without which the journey would not
have been made. If a subsidiary purpose was included at a stop along the way that is not
important enough to be treated as a separate journey by the above definition, then it is
disregarded. If the person did two things at the end of the same journey, only the main
activity is used to determine the purpose of that journey.
2.6.2
Examples
Below are five examples showing:
•
•
•
•
•
Straightforward journeys to work and back home from work
Journeys to and from work including an errand
An errand during lunch break at work
Leaving home doing different errands at different places before returning back home
Leaving home to go to another locality in order to do several different activities before
returning back home
199
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 9
Straightforward journeys to work and back home from work
Many people in paid work start from home in the morning and return home in the evening.
Chart 1
Home
913
X
913
X
Work place
The first journey is defined by the purpose of it, which in this case is to go to work. If the
journey back home in the evening was defined in the same way it should be a journey home.
But instead, it is defined by the reason for being at the starting point of the journey, which
gives another journey in connection with work
200
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 10
Journeys to and from work including an errand
Suppose now that an errand is carried out on the way to work and from work, e.g. a child is
left at the day nursery in the morning and picked up in the afternoon. Since the commute to
work is no longer straightforward, the 913 code is no longer used.
Chart 2
Home
938
Day nursery
X
X
938
Day nursery
914
X
938
X
Work place
The first part of the journey is now connected with childcare (i.e., the reason to go to the day
nursery), and the second part is connected with work. However, since the work portion of the
journey is no longer straight from home, this is given the code for travel to/from work from a
place other than home (code 914). The first part of the way back home is also connected with
childcare. The final part of the journey is also coded to childcare since the journey’s
destination is home.
201
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 11
An errand during lunch break at work
In the next example our travelling person makes an errand during the lunch break.
Chart 3
Home
913
X
Work place
913
X
936
914
X
Store
The journeys to and from work are unaffected. The trip to the store is a journey of its own.
The trip to the store is coded according to the purpose of the trip, the trip to work is classified
according to the destination and the fact that the journey is not undertaken from home.
202
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 12
Leaving home doing different errands at different places before returning back to home
From home Mr X goes to the shop, then goes to the library. He then goes to his mother-inlaw to help her with some cooking. Then he goes to the day nursery to pick up his child. The
journey should be coded as is shown in Chart 4.
Chart 4
936
Home
Shop, 10 minutes
X
X
952
Library, 10 minutes
938
X
942
X
Day nursery,
20 minutes
938
X
Mother-in-law’s,
Help to another household,
30 minutes
203
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
Example 13
Leaving home to go to another locality in order to do several different activities before
returning back to home
It is not unusual that the purpose of a trip is a change of locality in order to do several things.
This means that the person starts from home and returns home, and that the time in between
is spent at another locality e.g. at the weekend house or at relatives doing several different
activities. Trips away from the weekend house that return there (such as to go shopping) are
coded according to their purpose, as usual.
Chart 5
Home
X
981
981
936
X
Weekend house
981
Shops
A journey is done for the purpose to spend a day or more at the weekend house. This is
classified as travel to a holiday base. Trips undertaken whilst staying at the holiday base are
all coded according to the destination of the journey. Hence the outgoing trip to the shops is
coded 936 and the trip from the shops to the holiday base is coded 981.
2.7.3
Escort purposes
An ‘escort’ code is used when a person has no purpose of his or her own other than to escort
or accompany another person. “Travel escorting to/ from education” (code 923) is used when
a child is being taken to school (or an older person to college etc). “Travel escorting a child”
and “Travel escorting an adult” (code 938 and 939) are used for all other escort trips,
including taking a child to a playgroup or nursery.
Note that the 'escort' code may be used to indicate the purpose, even though no escorting was
done on the journey. Thus, a mother going to pick up her child from school and then
returning home will have the purpose ‘escort education’ for both the outward and return legs
of the journey.
204
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
An 'escort' code should only be used if the person had no purpose of his/her own. If there is
any doubt whether the person had a purpose of his/her own then the 'escort' code is not used.
For example if a husband drives his wife to the shops and stays with her then he is regarded as
shopping, and the 'escort' code is not used, since it would be difficult to distinguish whether
he was escorting or actually shopping (which includes 'window shopping').
When coding travel to visit friend/ relatives, it is important to note that, while the activity of
visiting is allocated a secondary activity code (see section 2.4), the purpose of travel should be
coded as visiting and not as the activity coded as main activity. Hence, if someone visits a
family member for a meal the travel would be coded as travel to visit a friend/ relative (code
950) and not as travel to eat, even though eating would be coded as the main activity and
visiting as a secondary activity.
205
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
3.
Coding the diary: location column
The location column is to be coded using a two-digit code frame developed by Eurostat. This
column should be coded for every time slot when respondents are not at work, at school or
asleep. However, we DO want to collect information about lunch breaks during work hours.
Therefore, if there is no information about location provided during lunch breaks, then an
unspecified location code should be used.
There may be cases where the respondent provides no location information, although this may
be inferred with 99% certainty from the activity information. If this is the case, coders may
input a location code. However, if there is any ambiguity regarding location, missing or
illegible codes should be used.
Example 14
In the following example, the respondent goes to the pub for a few drinks, but does not
specify a change in location at 8.50 – 9pm. Further, there is no use of arrows to show
continuous locations. It is reasonable to assume that from 8.10 - 8.40 pm the respondent is
“at home”. Similarly, because the respondent has said “had a few drinks in pub”, it is
reasonable to assume that from 8.50 – 9.50pm the respondent is in the pub.
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
08:00
-
08:10
08:10
-
08:20
09:00
09:40
-
09:50
-
10:00
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
09:00
09:10
09:20
09:30
Enter one main activity on each line.
Children
Children
Alone or
up to 9
aged 10 to
with
living in
14 living
Other
persons
Other
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
people you
your
in your
household
that you
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
don't know
household
household
members
know
Ate dinner
Watched TV
At home
11
X
11
11
11
Watched TV
08:30
08:40
08:50
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Evening
Were you alone or together with
Went to pub
Had a few drinks in pub
Walking 21
15
15
15
15
15
15
Went home
Walking 21
09:10
09:20
09:30
09:40
09:50
X
Example 15
In the next example, the respondent is on a day trip to a town, and says that she is sightseeing
whilst walking around. However, she does not use arrows to show her location is continuous,
although it seems reasonable to assume that this is the case. The diary entries and the
appropriate codes are shown below. Also note that when the respondent’s activity changes
from walking to train, we may assume that the location changes accordingly.
206
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
Enter one main activity on each line.
that you
members
know
34
34
34
11:40
11:50
12:00
12:10
12:20
12:30
12:40
12:50
4.
10:30
10:40
Town 19
19
19
19
19
19
19
Pub 15
Sight see
11:00
11:10
11:20
11:30
11:40
11:50
12:00
Lunch
15
15
15
12:10
12:20
12:30
12:40
Town 19
19
19
Walking - sightseeing
12:50
01:00
Coding the diary: presence of others columns
There are five “were you with anybody” columns at the far right of the diary. For each time
slot, at least one of these columns should be marked (apart from when respondents were
asleep, at work or at school). Again, we DO want to collect this information for time spent on
lunch breaks at work/at school.
The scanning software will record this information automatically, although coders will be
asked to verify non-conforming situations by the programme. While corrections may be done
to these columns in the diaries when it is 99% clear how the ‘With whom’ boxes should be
completed per episode, if there is any doubt, missing data codes should be used.
As a general rule, if no information is given in any of the five columns, then the code 9 should
be entered in the first column “alone or with people you don’t know”, as this column is
mutually exclusive from the other columns.
5.
Other
household
Walking 21
11:30
persons
in your
Train
11:20
Other
household
Walk to station
11:10
14 living
your
10:20
11:00
living in
household
10:10
10:50
with
don't know
-
10:50
aged 10 to
people you
-
10:40
Children
up to 9
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
10:10
10:30
Children
Alone or
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
10:00
10:20
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
The questions at the back of the diary
The verification program prompts coders to verify non-conforming answers at the back of the
diary. Coders should NOT change diary entries (i.e. activity information) to correspond with
any of the answers given in this section.
It is likely that there will be some illogical responses to these questions and some
inconsistencies. As a rule of thumb, the responses to the questions should not be altered.
However, if it is clear that an error has been made (this applies particularly to question 1b),
then the question response may be altered. For example, if at question 1b, a respondent says
that they helped someone from 11.00am to 10.30am – an illogical time sequence. Coders,
however, should leave the entries as they stand, UNLESS information in the diary entries can
clarify what the time should have been. For example, if the diary clearly shows that the
respondent was helping someone from 11am to 11.30am, it would be acceptable to assume
207
x
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
that the respondent had entered “10.30am” in error, and the diary entry at question 1b changed
accordingly.
6.
Interpreting the diary day
Coders are instructed to code diaries as they are filled in, without making assumptions about
the respondent’s activities. However, this does not mean looking at each 10-minute time slot
in isolation. Rather, the rest of the diary (both the activity pages and the questions at the back
of the diary) may be used to better understand the sequence of activities that has taken place.
This is particularly relevant in the case of journeys, where respondents sometimes omit return
legs of journeys or do not enter activity information at the destination location. In these
situations, coders should pay attention to changes in the location column of the diary and the
“who with” columns. Changes in these columns may be used to infer changes in activity
when these are not specifically listed, but only when coders are 99% certain that their
interpretation is correct (see Example 14). If in doubt, the coding Supervisor should be
consulted.
As a general rule, where diary entries are missing or when the sequence of events is in some
way illogical, coders may use their initiative to interpret what is going on. However, coders
may only do so when they feel that it is beyond reasonable doubt that their interpretation is
the only plausible explanation. If a diary could feasibly be interpreted in a number of ways,
then the diary should be coded as it is written (using missing data codes, 996 and 997, where
appropriate).
Example 16
Example 16 shows how the other columns of the diary may be used to interpret events. In the
example, a mother is walking her son to school, before going to work. In the main activity
column, there is continuous information until 8.20am, when the time slot is blank. Looking at
the other columns, it is clear that the respondent is still “travelling”, but the “who with”
columns change, so that she is alone from 8.30am onwards. We may reasonably assume that
the 8.20- 8.30am slot is occupied with dropping her son off at school (given the information
entered for previous activities and the changes in other columns of the diary), and should be
coded accordingly.
208
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
Enter one main activity on each line.
with
living in
14 living
Other
persons
Other
your
in your
household
that you
don't know
household
household
members
know
08:10
Got my son dressed
-
08:20
Walked to school with son
08:20
-
08:30
08:30
-
08:40
Walked to bus stop
08:40
-
08:50
Travel by bus to work
X
Talked with my son
Walking
X
X
Read newspaper
09:00
09:10
09:20
-
09:30
-
09:40
09:40
-
09:50
09:50
aged 10 to
people you
-
09:10
Children
up to 9
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
08:10
08:50
Children
Alone or
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
08:00
09:00
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
09:20
Walked from bus stop to main job
09:30
X
Main job
10:00
Example 17 - Inconsistent use of arrows
In this example, the respondent has shown that they are sleeping, but had not used the arrow
correctly. This gives incomplete activity information. However, given that the respondent is
referring to time during the early hours of the morning, it would be reasonable to assume that
sleep is continuous during the time period shown.
What were you doing?
What else were you doing? Location
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Time, am
02:00
02:10
02:20
02:30
02:40
02:50
03:00
03:10
03:20
03:30
03:40
03:50
-
02:10
-
03:10
02:20
02:30
02:40
02:50
03:00
03:20
03:30
03:40
03:50
04:00
Were you alone or together with
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Where were you?
Enter one main activity on each line.
Children
Children
Alone or
up to 9
aged 10 to
with
living in
14 living
Other
persons
Other
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
people you
your
in your
household
that you
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
don't know
household
household
members
know
Sleeping 011
011
011
011
Sleeping 011
011
011
011
011
011
Sleeping 011
011
209
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6.1
The beginning and end of the diary day
The following examples illustrate how coders should interpret the beginning and the end of
the diary day. As a general point the codeframe includes the example “going to bed” in code
031 “wash and dress”. This should be used with caution, as shown in Example 18.
Example 18
The respondent ends the diary day by writing “went to bed” or “go to bed”, and draws a line
to show that this is a continuous activity until the end of the diary day. There is no secondary
activity information. In this situation, coders are advised to code this time slot and
subsequent time slots to the end of the day as “011 sleep”.
However, if the respondent had provided some indication that toilet activities were taking
place (e.g. writes “prepare for bed” or “got ready for bed”), then drew an arrow to the end of
the diary day, then the 031 code should be used for the first time slot, and subsequent time
slots coded to “011 sleep”.
Note: If the respondent were to have written “went to bed” as the main activity, and “read a
book” as the secondary activity, then “went to bed” should be coded as 531 (resting), and the
secondary activity coded appropriately.
Example 19
The respondent ends the diary day by writing “sleeping”, but does not draw a line to show that
this is a continuous activity until the end of the diary day. In this situation, coders are advised
to code the first time slot and subsequent time slots to the end of the diary day as “011 sleep”.
Example 20
The respondent starts the diary day by writing “sleeping” at a time that is later than 4am, for
example, “sleeping” is written at 7.00 – 7.10am, followed by “got up” at 7.10 – 7.20am, and
the rest of the diary is completed correctly. In this case, the time up to 7am may be assumed
to be time asleep, and should be coded accordingly.
6.2
More examples to illustrate diary interpretation
Example 21 - Interpreting missing data
In the following example, the respondent is getting up intermittently during the night to help
his wife. However, he has not indicated sleep in between each activity listed, and he could
have feasibly been awake all night with his wife. For this reason, coders should code the
blank time slots as “996” (missing data). Note that the man has listed the secondary activity
“caring for wife” at the same times as he is helping her to the bathroom. As this is the same
code as the main activity, no codes should be entered in the secondary activity column for
these time slots.
210
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
Enter one main activity on each line.
that you
members
know
-
05:10
Caring for wife
05:10
05:20
05:30
05:40
05:50
05:20
05:30
05:40
05:50
06:00
Other
household
Caring for wife
05:00
persons
in your
996
996
996
996
996
Helped wife to got to bathroom 391
996
Got out of bed 031
Made cup of tea for wife 311
996
Got wife ready for hospital 391
05:00
Other
household
Helped wife to got to bathroom 391
04:50
14 living
your
04:20
04:50
living in
household
04:10
04:40
with
don't know
-
04:40
aged 10 to
people you
-
04:30
Children
up to 9
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
04:10
04:30
Children
Alone or
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
04:00
04:20
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
home
Listen to radio 8310
Caring for wife
Example 22 - Interpreting missing data
In the next diary example, a child says that they are eating dinner in school, but that they are
back in class from 1.30 – 1.40. There is inconsistent use of arrows in the diary, both during
lunch time and in the afternoon. However, it seems reasonable to assume that the child is in
class all afternoon until 3pm when the child is picked up by mum. The diary entries and
appropriate codes are shown below (note the use of 997 during the blank time slots at lunch
time, which denotes that data is missing, but we have a good idea what is going on):
What were you doing?
Location
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Where were you?
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Enter one main activity on each line.
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
Time, am
01:00
01:10
01:20
01:30
00:40
01:50
02:00
02:10
02:20
02:30
02:40
02:50
-
01:10
01:20
01:30
01:40
01:50
02:00
02:10
02:20
02:30
02:40
02:50
03:00
(021)
I am eating dinner at school
997
997
I am back in class
At school
(211)
211
211
211
211
211
211
211
Mum picks my up from school
951
walking
Example 23- Interpreting missing data
In the next example the respondent says that they start cleaning at 8am, but does not draw an
arrow to denote continuous activity. However, at 8.30 – 8.40am the respondent clearly states
that the previously listed activity has finished. Therefore, we can assume that the activity was
continuous and code the blank time slots to the cleaning code (321). However, this is not a
clear cut rule – the coder decision will depend upon the complexity of the diary in question, as
shown in the next example.
211
X
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
08:00
-
08:10
08:10
-
08:20
08:20
08:30
08:40
08:50
08:30
08:40
08:50
09:00
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
Enter one main activity on each line.
Children
Children
Alone or
up to 9
aged 10 to
with
living in
14 living
Other
persons
Other
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
people you
your
in your
household
that you
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
don't know
household
household
members
know
Started doing the cleaning
321
Listened to radio
321
321
Cleaning finished 321
Washed up 313
Made a drink for wife 311
8310
X
at home
8310
8310
8310
8310
8310
Example 24 - Interpreting missing data
In the next example, a woman is altering and pressing a skirt. However, she has not used
arrows to show continuous activities, and her final entry “finished skirt” is unclear – she
could be altering or pressing the skirt. In this case, it would be dangerous to make
assumptions, and the 997 and 996 codes should be used as shown:
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
Enter one main activity on each line.
that you
members
know
021
09:10
09:20
-
09:30
09:30
-
09:40
Finished skirt 330
09:10
09:20
Other
household
339
09:00
persons
in your
Altered skirt
997
Pressed skirt
996
996
996
996
996
08:50
Other
household
Ate breakfast
09:00
14 living
your
08:20
08:50
living in
household
08:10
08:40
with
don't know
-
08:40
aged 10 to
people you
-
08:30
Children
up to 9
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
08:10
08:30
Children
Alone or
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
08:00
08:20
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
at home
X
332
X
Example 25 - Interpreting missing data
In the following example, a respondent says that they “went to the supermarket” and draws a
line to show continuous activity. Further, the location column reads “car” and this is also
shown to be continuous – at no point does the respondent indicate that they are actually at the
supermarket. In this instance, coders should code the whole period as travel, as there is no
further information to interpret the diary more clearly.
What were you doing?
What else were you doing?
Please record your main activity for each 10-minute
Record the most important parallel activity
Location
Where were you?
Time, am
10:00
-
10:10
10:10
-
10:20
10:20
10:30
10:40
10:50
11:00
11:10
11:20
11:30
11:40
11:50
-
10:30
10:40
10:50
11:00
11:10
11:20
11:30
11:40
11:50
12:00
somebody you know?
Please cross when you start and finish - with a line joining
period from 7:00am to 10:00am
Morning
Were you alone or together with
Enter one main activity on each line.
Children
Children
Alone or
up to 9
aged 10 to
with
living in
14 living
Other
persons
Other
For journeys, state mode of transport (bus, car, etc.)
people you
your
in your
household
that you
Distinguish between main job and other work, if any
don't know
household
household
members
know
Cleaning
320
Went to supermarket 936
936
936
936
936
936
936
936
936
936
Made some lunch 311
At home 11
Car 24
24
24
24
24
212
24
24
24
24
24
At home 11
x
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
6.3
System for queries
If in doubt, coders should refer queries to their Supervisor rather than making assumptions
about the sequence of activities in the diaries.
We expect that queries will reduce in number as coders become more familiar with the code
frame and the nature of the diaries. However, throughout the life of the project (and certainly
during the early months), there will be a system for querying diaries between coders, execs
and the client. This will require a fast turn-around time, so that the coding process is not
delayed.
As a rule, the coding Supervisor should be the first port of call for all coding queries. If she is
not able to make a decision on a diary, then the query will be forwarded to Execs (either Viv
or Teresa), preferably by e-mail. If Execs do not feel in a position to make a decision, then
queries will be forwarded to the client, again by e-mail. This should allow a turn-around of
queries of no more than 5 working days.
213
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
7.
Ambiguous Situations & More Examples
• While there are clear instructions within the Eurostat code frame for coding main and
second jobs, no reference is made to situations in which people have more than 2 jobs. If
this is the case, the third (and subsequent) jobs should be coded as if a second job.
• Care should be taken with people who work from home, or take lunch breaks at home. For
example, the warden of a sheltered scheme takes her lunch break at home, and therefore
this should take a secondary activity code of 131 (with actual activities coded in the main
activity column – if specified).
• Generally, if it is unclear whether an activity is work related or not, q5b should indicate if
the diary day this is a working day (for example, child minders who may also be looking
after their own children).
• Care should be taken with codes 511 (socialising with household members) and 512
(visiting and receiving visitors). Code 512 should be used when visiting others, or
receiving visitors, e.g. talked with Dad (where previously specified visiting his house)
should be coded 512 not 511.
• In some situations it is sensible to infer what the respondent is doing from other
information contained in the diary. For example, if “housework” is specified as the main
activity, but different types of housework are listed as secondary activities (e.g., “dusting”,
“cleaning windows”), then use the secondary activities as a guide to the main activity
(rather than using a non specified code).
• Activities related to receiving mail/posted items should be coded as follows;
• “opening mail/parcel” should be coded 324
• “reading mail” - if unspecified, code as 810
• reading bank statements should be coded as 371
• reading birthday cards, letters from friends/family that have arrived in the post code
as 819
• As a general rule, if a diary has an activity described as “parking car” after a period of
driving, this should also be coded as per the travel code.
7.1
Specific examples
In most cases, these examples are responses to queries that arose during the SCPR pilot, or
are examples taken from the coded Dress Rehearsal diaries.
Personal Care
Code
Category
Notes
031
Personal care: wash & This includes use of the toilet
dress
Household & family care
Code
Category
324
Household
upkeep:
various arrangements
329
Other
specified
household upkeep
354
Vehicle maintenance
Notes
Includes preparatory activities, such as “prepared
children’s clothes for school”
Includes setting up video to record from TV
Includes end of the day activities such as locking
doors, checking car is locked.
This should include filling vehicles with petrol.
214
UK 2000 Time Use Survey Technical Report
363
371
383
Personal services
This should include the services of a Home Help.
Household management Includes phone calls to vets to set up appointments
or order medicines/seek advice
Includes time spent overseeing visits of people
providing services, for example, visit of a repairman,
gasman.
Reading, playing and Use this when reading to children. If children are
talking with a child
practising their reading while respondent listens, use
code 382
Use this code when talking to children. (Only use
code 511 if there is a mixed age group).
Social life and entertainment
Code
Category
514
Telephone
conversations
Sports and outdoor activities
Code
Category
611
Walking & hiking
Hobbies and games
Code
Category
726
Correspondence
729
Other specified hobbies
734
Gambling
Notes
Use this code when entry reads “made phone call”
without further details or contextual information
Notes
Care should be taken when using this code. This
code should not be used to describe someone going
into the garden for a short walk while having a
cigarette, or when walking as a means of transport
not exercise (e.g. walked through park to parent’s
house).
Notes
Includes writing Christmas cards
Include examples such as “looked at old
photographs”
This includes the purchase of Lottery tickets, Scratch
cards, etc.
215