What is the purpose of requesting the person who most recently had a birthday complete the survey?
We have randomly selected households within the City of New York to receive the survey. We would also like to choose in an unbiased way an adult (age 18 or older) within each household to complete the survey. This way we ensure the results are representative of our community as a whole. While it may seem a bit strange, using the “birthday method” is a simple way to select an adult from within each household without permitting bias in our results. • I am the person in my household who most recently had a birthday, but I am not very informed about the issues covered in the survey. Can I give the survey to someone else in my household who is more informed? We would prefer that you complete the survey. The “birthday method” described in the letter creates the most representative sample of our City. You’ll be surprised at how much you can contribute. • I doubt that you are interested in my opinion, since I rarely leave my home. Should I really complete the survey? Yes, the government is her
