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100 percent data Population and housing information collected for all living quarters in the United States. See sample data, long form, and short form.
100 percent edited detail file  Files composed of individual records of information on persons and housing units for the 100 percent census data items from the census questionnaires. Estimation is included in these files. These files are used for tabulation purposes and are not released to the public. 
A Streamlined Acquisition Process The process the Census Bureau uses to acquire services. There are six phases: 1) bureau integrated strategic planning and budgeting, 2) project planning, 3) market research, 4) selection acquisition vehicle, 5) meet project objective and manage acquisition, and 6) close-out.
Accuracy and Coverage Evaluation A coverage measurement methodology that will be used to determine the number of people and housing units missed or counted more than once in Census 2000.
Address The house number and street name or other designation assigned to a housing unit, special place, business establishment, or other structure for purposes of mail delivery or to allow emergency services, delivery people, and visitors to find the structure. See basic street address, city-style address, E-911 address, fire number, house number and street name address, location description, mailing address, and noncity-style address.
Address break The city-style address on each side of a legal boundary: for example, 1234 Main Street is inside an incorporated place and 1236 is outside the place
Address coding guide A forerunner of the Geographic Base File/Dual Independent Map Encoding file and TIGER® file
Address control file The 1990 residential address list used to label questionnaires, control the mail response check-in operation, and determine the nonresponse followup workload. See master address file.
Address List Review Program and Address List Map Review Program Also called Local Update of Census Addresses. Census 2000 programs, established in response to requirements of Public Law 103-430, that provide an opportunity for local and tribal governments to review and update individual address information in the master address file and associated geographic information in the TIGER® database to improve the completeness and accuracy of both computer files. The governments must sign a confidentiality agreement to participate. 
Address listing A field operation to develop the Census 2000 address list in areas of predominantly noncity-style addresses. The lister enters, in an address register, all mailing addresses and/or physical locations for all places within a specified area. The lister marks the location of each residential structure on an assignment area block map by drawing a map spot and assigning a map spot number. The lister also updates and corrects the map if necessary.
Address range The lowest and highest house numbers along each side of a street segment that has city-style addresses. The U.S. Census Bureau usually expands the range to include all possible numbers, not just the existing ones (for example, the Census Bureau expands the actual addresses of 105-131 on the odd numbered side of the 100 block of a street to 101-199). Usually an address range on one side of a street contains only even or only odd numbers, but sometimes one or both sides contain both.
Address register A book used by field staff to record or verify addresses and related information for all living quarters in an assignment area. It also includes: 1) instructions on how to perform the job and 2) a set of maps for the assigned area.
Address register area Term used in 1990. Now called an assignment area.
Administrative and Customer Services Division Census Bureau. The ACSD offers administrative services to internal customers. It prepares publications ,such as, The Statistical Abstract of the United States and provides external customers with the links to the American FactFinder.
Advance Census Report In previous censuses, an unaddressed, short form questionnaire delivered by U.S. Postal Service letter carriers in advance of the actual enumeration in list/enumerate areas. Enumerators picked up any completed ACRs, checked them for completeness and consistency, transferred the responses to standard census questionnaires, and completed any missing information. These will be used only in the Island Areas for Census 2000.
Advance notice letter/reminder card These are part of the questionnaire mailing strategy. 

ANL: In every area except list/enumerate, the Census Bureau will send an advance notice letter to every mailout address to alert households that the census form will be sent to them soon.  

RC: This is a postcard sent to addresses on the decennial master address file to remind respondents to return their census questionnaires or to thank them if they already have. All addresses in mailout/mailback areas will receive a postcard. The Census Bureau will blanket mail these postcards to postal patrons (no addresses) in update/leave areas. 

Advance Post Office Check Obsolete term. See postal check.
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Legislation (Public Law 92-203) enacted in 1972 establishing the Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Villages to conduct business and nonprofit activities by and for Alaska Natives.
Alaska Native Regional Corporation A corporate entity organized to conduct both business and nonprofit affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 
Alaska Native Village (ANV) A type of local governmental unit in Alaska that constitutes an association, band, clan, community, group, tribe, or village recognized pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. ANVs do not have legally defined boundaries. See Alaska Native Village statistical area, governmental unit, and legal entity.
Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA) A decennial census statistical area that represents the geographic jurisdiction of an Alaska Native Village (ANV) as established for the Census Bureau by officials of the ANV and its Alaska Native Regional Corporation for the purpose of presenting census data.
American Community Survey A monthly sample household survey similar to the long form census questionnaire. It was first tested in 1996 and is expected to replace the long form for the 2010 census. Beginning in 2003, the nationwide monthly sample survey will provide annual data for social, economic, and housing characteristics. At first, the data will be available for states, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas with a minimum population of 250,000; then, in 2004, a minimum population of 65,000; and in 2008, small geographic entities.
American FactFinder A generalized electronic system for access and dissemination of Census Bureau data. The system is available through the Internet and offers prepackaged data products and the ability to build custom products. The system will serve as the vehicle for accessing and disseminating data from Census 2000 (as well as the 1997 Economic Censuses and the American Community Survey). The system was formerly known as the Data Access and Dissemination System (DADS).
American Indian and Alaska Native Area (AIANA) A Census Bureau term referring to these entity types: American Indian Reservation, American Indian subreservation area, American Indian trust land, state designated American Indian statistical area, tribal jurisdictional statistical area, tribal designated statistical area, tribal subdivision, Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village, or Alaska Native Village statistical area.
American Indian Area (AIA) A generic Census Bureau grouping that includes reference to any or all of the following areas: American Indian Reservation, American Indian trust lands, tribal jurisdiction statistical area, or tribal designated statistical area.
American Indian Reservation An American Indian geographic entity with boundaries established by treaty, statute, or executive or court order. Federal and some state governments have established reservations as territory over which American Indians have governmental jurisdiction. These entities are designated as colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias, reservations, and reserves. See American Indian and Alaska Native area, governmental unit, and legal entity.
American Indian Tribal Subdivision An administrative subdivision of an American Indian Reservation. Tribal subdivisions may extend beyond the boundary of their reservations. These entities are internal units of self government or administration that serve social, cultural, or economic purposes for the American Indians living on and adjacent to the reservation.
American Indian Trust Land (TL) Land held in trust by the federal government for either a tribe (tribal trust land) or an individual member of a tribe (individual trust land). Such land always is associated with a specific federally recognized reservation or tribe but may be located on or off the reservation. The Census Bureau recognizes and tabulate data separately only for off-reservation trust lands. See American Indian Reservation and Hawaiian Homelands.
Apportionment The number of representatives that a state is entitled to in the U.S. House of Representatives based on the decennial census. See reapportionment and redistricting.
Assignment Area A geographic area established by the Census Bureau for a specific field operation for the census. An AA consists of one or more census blocks for most operations and is assigned to a single enumerator, lister, or other field staff to obtain information about the residents and living quarters within the boundaries of the AA. Formerly called an address register area and an enumeration district. See assignment area map and collection geography.
Assignment area map A map that shows the area assigned to a member of the field staff for a specific census operation. The map displays the individual roads, streets, and nonstreet features (and their names, if any) in and adjacent to the AA, and, if appropriate, the city-style address ranges of the roads and streets or the census collection block numbers within the AA. See assignment area, block map, collection block, and locator map. 
Assignment control For all field operations, clerks check the accuracy and completeness of work returned from the field to the local census office. This procedure takes on critical importance for nonresponse followup and list/enumerate.
Assignment preparation The coordination, preparation, and assembly of all materials including maps, registers, and questionnaires by assignment area. This operation is performed at the regional census centers for address listing and block canvassing and at the local census offices for other field operations. Map pouch labels and maps are printed in the regional census centers.
Assistant to the associate director Census Bureau. The AAD for the decennial census reports to the associate director for the decennial census. The AAD is responsible for the Decennial Management Division, the Decennial Statistical Studies Division, Geography Division, and Decennial Systems and Contract Management Office. 
Associate director Census Bureau. The AD for the decennial census reports to the principal associate director for programs. The AD directs and is spokesperson for the decennial census of population and housing and the geographic support program that is the foundation for that census and most other economic and demographic programs of the Census Bureau.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode A process that increases the amount of information that can be electronically transferred at one time between sites
Automated Address Range Program A program for achieving consistent address/block number relationships between field-verified residential addresses in the master address file and address ranges in the TIGER® database.
Automated Data Processing (ADP) The data processing operations performed by a system of electronic or electrical machines
Automated Master Address File Geocoding Office Operation  A computer match that attempts to geocode city-style addresses in the master address file after street features, names, address ranges, and ZIP code information have been inserted into the TIGER® database from digital files from a local government or commercial source. See TIGER®, TIGER® improvement program, targeted map update, census map preview, Boundary and Annexation Survey, digital exchange file, and geocode. 
Bar code A code consisting of a group of printed and patterned bars designed to be scanned and read into computer memory 
Barrio A legal subdivision of a municipio in Puerto Rico, treated as a minor civil division by the Census Bureau. See barrio-pueblo, county subdivision, legal entity, and minor civil division.
Barrio-pueblo A legal subdivision of a municipio in Puerto Rico, treated as a minor civil division by the Census Bureau. The barrio-pueblo is differentiated from other barrios because it is the historical center and seat of government of its municipio. See barrio, county subdivision, legal entity, and minor civil division.
Basic Street Address (BSA) The house number and street name portion of an address, such as, 11 Main Street. The BSA does not include designations for apartments, units, lots, and the like at the BSA. However, when the address for a specific structure is identified by a number followed by a fraction or letter, such as, 11 ½ or 11A, the fraction or letter is part of the BSA. See address, city-style address, house number and street name address, and mailing address. 
Be Counted enumeration and Be Counted form Includes the Be Counted enumeration procedure and the Be Counted form. The enumeration procedure targets areas that are traditionally undercounted. Unaddressed census questionnaires (Be Counted forms) are placed at selected sites where people who believe they were not counted can pick them up, complete them, and mail them to the Census Bureau. The sites are in targeted areas that local governments and community groups, in conjunction with the Census Bureau, have identified as traditionally undercounted. 
Be Counted field verification This operation verifies the existence and the residential status of addresses given to the Census Bureau through the Be Counted program. Any address that is verified is added to the master address file.
Best and final offer  The final and best technical and price solution a vendor provides for a request for proposal in response to a call from the government contracting officer
Beta site Located at headquarters, the beta site is an independent operation to test and assure quality, completeness, and security of software systems, hardware systems, and network systems before release to a production environment.
Beta testing Ensures that the hardware, software, and communication components are functioning properly before release to the various decennial operating units.
Blanket mailing There are two definitions for this term: 

The mailing to all postal patrons (no addresses) of reminder cards or other forms. 
 

A strategy that was considered but not implemented for Census 2000: the mailing of replacement questionnaires to either all addresses or all addresses in areas that have anticipated low response rates.

Block A geographic area bounded on all sides by visible or nonvisible features shown on census maps. A block is the smallest geographic entity for which the Census Bureau collects and tabulates decennial census information. See block boundary, block number, collection block, statistical entity, or tabulation block. 
Block boundary A census map feature, visible (street, road, stream, shoreline, and so forth) or nonvisible (county line, city limit, property line, and so forth), that delimits a census block. Two or more features usually delimit a block, but a single feature may delimit a block in the case of an island or a circular street. A boundary generally must include at least one addressable feature, that is, a feature that can have an address assigned to it. The boundary of a state or county is always a block boundary. 
Block Boundary Suggestion Project The first phase of the Census Bureau's Public Law 94-171 program that provides an opportunity for states to suggest visible features, such as, block boundaries, that are or may be voting district boundaries for the decennial census
Block canvassing A Census 2000 field operation that ensures the quality of the master address file within the mailout/mailback area (city-style addresses). The Census Bureau sends canvassers into the field to canvass their assignment areas and ensure that the master address file contains a mailing address for every living quarters. They especially seek hidden housing units, such as, attics, basements, or garages converted into housing units, or houses that appear to be one unit but which actually contain multiple housing units. They also update and correct the census maps. Formerly called precanvass and targeted canvassing. See blue line and canvass. 
Block cluster A single block or a group of blocks, varying in size
Block Definition Project A program similar to the Block Boundary Suggestion Project. It applies only to American Indian Reservations and Puerto Rico.
Block Group (BG) A combination of census blocks that is a statistical subdivision of a census tract. Geographic block groups never cross census tracts but may cross the boundaries of county subdivisions, places, urbanized areas, voting districts, and so forth. Tabulation block groups may be split to present data for every unique combination of county subdivision, place, and the like.
Block map A large scale map of an individual census collection block showing the individual roads, streets, and other features, together with their names (if any) within and adjacent to the block. Field staff use block maps to guide them in their canvass of each block, to annotate map changes, and to mark (map spot) and number the location of each residential structure. See assignment area map, collection block, block number, and map spot.
Block number Collection block numbers and tabulation block numbers are assigned to each census block
Block Numbering Area (BNA) Small statistical subdivisions of a county for grouping and numbering blocks in nonmetropolitan counties where local committees of census data users have not established census tracts 
Blue line A boundary defining the area included in mailout/mailback. Essentially, these are areas that have city delivery of mail. 
Boarded up A housing condition in which the doors or windows of a building have been covered to prevent destruction or entry. 
Borough A county equivalent in Alaska, a minor civil division in New York, and an incorporated place in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. See governmental unit.
Boundary A line identifying the extent of a geographic entity, such as, a block, census tract, county, or place. The legal boundaries the Census Bureau recognizes for a census are those in place on the first day of the census year.
Boundary and Annexation Survey  An annual survey of all incorporated places and all counties conducted by the Census Bureau to determine the correct legal limits and related information as of January 1 of the survey year. See automated master address file geocoding office operation, TIGER®, TIGER® improvement program, targeted map update, and census map preview. 
Building Usually a separate structure that has open space on all sides. Townhouses are separate buildings. Some buildings can be used both as a residence and a business, as in the case of an apartment located above a grocery store.
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Department of Commerce. The BEA's goal is to provide a clear picture of the United States economy by preparing, developing, and interpreting the national income and product accounts (summarized by the gross domestic product) as well as aggregate measures of international, regional, and state economic activity. 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Department of Labor. The BLS is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. 
Callback Repeat telephone calls an enumerator makes to a living quarters to obtain information
Callback record page A page in an address register used to record information about each callback an enumerator makes to a living quarters to obtain information
Canvass To systematically travel, block by block, every street, road, path, and the like in an assignment area identifying every place where people live or could live
Casing check See postal check.
Census A complete enumeration of a population or the business and commercial establishments, farms, or governments in an area. See decennial census.
Census 2000 library A depository of key Census 2000 documents using an electronic document tracking system. See Personal Computer Document Organization and Control System.
Census 2000 Publicity Office Census Bureau. Develops, implements, and coordinates an integrated marketing program for Census 2000, including paid advertising, direct mail, public relations, partnerships, and local outreach.
Census 2000 Committee on Statistical Policy This committee is composed of policy makers and technicians who provide external review and advice. The group reviews policy matters as they affect decisions about statistical methods to be used. 
Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994 See Public Law 103-430.
Census Advisory Committee The committee's official name is the Commerce Secretary's 2000 Census Advisory Committee. This committee is approved by the Secretary of Commerce and composed of members of the public. It meets two or more times a year to give advice to the Census Bureau. 
Census area The statistical equivalent of a county in Alaska. Census areas are delineated cooperatively with the State of Alaska for statistical purposes in the portions of Alaska not within an organized borough. 
Census block See block.
Census Bureau Department of Commerce. The Census Bureau is the country's preeminent statistical collection and dissemination agency. It publishes a wide variety of statistical data about people and the economy of the nation. The Census Bureau conducts approximately 200 annual surveys and conducts the decennial census of the United States population and the quinquennial census of industry. 
Census County Division (CCD) A subdivision of a county that is a relatively permanent statistical area established cooperatively by the Census Bureau and local government authorities. Used for presenting decennial census statistics in those states that do not have well defined and stable minor civil divisions that serve as local governments.
Census Day The reference date for collection of census information. For the decennial census, this has been April 1 of the decade year (year ending with zero) since the 1930 census.
Census Designated Place (CDP) A statistical entity comprising a dense concentration of population that is not within an incorporated place but is locally identified by a name. CDPs are delineated cooperatively with state and local and tribal government officials based on Census Bureau guidelines. For the first time in Census 2000, CDPs do not have to meet a population threshold to qualify for tabulation of census data. See comunidad, place, statistical entity, and zona urbana.
Census division See division (census geographic).
Census edited file  This file contains the 100 percent edited characteristics/records for all households and persons in the census. The edits include consistency edits and imputation for items or persons where the data are insufficient. See 100 percent data and census unedited file.
Census field office A temporary Census Bureau office to be established in Census 2000 to manage address listing field work, conduct local recruiting, and create a local presence
Census geography A collective term referring to the geographic entities used by the Census Bureau for data collection and tabulation. There is collection geography and tabulation geography.
Census identification number A number associating a response with a specific address in the master address file 
Census map Any map produced by the Census Bureau. A census map displays geographic entities used in a Census Bureau census or survey for which the Census Bureau tabulates data.
Census map preview A Census 2000 program that asked local government officials to review census maps. See automated master address file geocoding office operation, TIGER®, TIGER® improvement program, targeted map update, and Boundary and Annexation Survey. 
Census Monitoring Board Established by public law, the function of the board is "to observe and monitor all aspects of the preparation and implementation of the 2000 decennial census (including all dress rehearsals and other simulations of a census in preparation therefore)." The board ceases to exist on September 30, 2001.
Census Operational Managers COM is a steering group responsible for designing and conducting efficient operations consistent with Census 2000 policies, goals, objectives, and strategies. This group replaces the 1990 Program Steering Committees. 
Census region See region.
Census statistical areas committee A committee established by local government officials and other interested individuals to identify, in cooperation with the Census Bureau, the census tracts, block groups, census designated places, and other statistical entities for the area it serves
Census statistical areas key person A person designated by a census statistical areas committee to act as its contact person with the Census Bureau
Census subarea Statistical subdivisions of boroughs and census areas (county equivalents) in Alaska. 
Census tract See tract.
Census tract number See tract number.
Census  

unedited file

 A file created by merging the control file for the decennial master address file with the decennial response file of unedited data after the primary selection algorithm has been applied. This file contains the final housing unit and person counts. It is used to generate apportionment data as well as related "raw" or unedited census data.
City A type of incorporated place in all states and the District of Columbia. In agreement with the State of Hawaii, however, the Census Bureau does not recognize the city of Honolulu for presentation of decennial census data. In Virginia, all cities are not part of any county, and the Census Bureau treats them as county equivalents as well as places for purposes of data presentation; there also is one such independent city in each of three states: Maryland, Missouri, and Nevada. In 20 states, some or all cities are not part of any minor civil division, and the Census Bureau treats them as county subdivisions for purposes of data presentation. See county equivalent, county subdivision, governmental unit, incorporated place, and independent city.
City delivery area An area: 1) in which post offices deliver mail to addresses consisting of a house number and street name AND 2) which consists of city delivery routes as designated by the U.S. Postal Service. Some homes and establishments in a city delivery area may choose to use a post office/drawer or general delivery for their mail. See city-style address, nondelivery area, and rural delivery area.
City-style address An address that consists of a house number and street name: for example, 201 Main Street. The address may or may not be used for the delivery of mail and may include apartment numbers/designations or similar identifiers. See address, basic street address, house number and street name address, mailing address, and noncity-style address.
Coefficient of variation The ratio of the standard error (square root of the variance) to the value being estimated, usually expressed in terms of a percentage (also known as the relative standard deviation). The lower the CV, the higher the relative reliability of the estimate.
Collection block A physical block enumerated as a single geographic area, regardless of any legal or statistical boundaries passing through it. (Except the state and county boundaries are always block boundaries.) See block, block number, and tabulation block. 
Collection geography The geographic entities used by the Census Bureau for taking a census. For Census 2000, a census field office or local census office/crew leader district/assignment area collection block identifies a unique geographic area. See tabulation geography.
Columbia Eleven counties in South Carolina, including the city of Columbia, comprised the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal site where a traditional census was tested.
COMGRAMS An informal but official memorandum documenting minor decisions. These are issued by the Census Operational Managers.
Commerce Administrative Management System A system integrating financial and related subsystems for management and administration
Commerce Business Daily  A newspaper published by the Department of Commerce in which all procurement notices and awards in the federal government are listed 
Commercial building A building used principally for business purposes. It may contain residential living quarters. 
Commercially available off-the- 

shelf software 

 Software which may be purchased and implemented for a particular application with minimal or no modification required
Commonwealth The legal designation for four states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) and two Island Areas (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands). The Census Bureau does not use this term in presenting data.
Communidad A census designated place in Puerto Rico. See census designated place and zona urbana.
Compact Disk - Read Only Memory (CR-ROM) An optical disk that is created by a mastering process and used for storing large amounts of data. Unlike standard computer disks and diskettes, CD-ROMs can be used only to read stored data, not to update or change its content.
Complete Count Committee A volunteer committee established by local, and sometimes state, governments and comprised of a cross-section of community leaders, including representatives from government, education, business, religious organizations, community agencies, minority organizations, and the media. These committees are charged with developing and implementing a Census 2000 outreach, promotion, recruiting, and enumeration assistance plan of action designed to target and address the needs of their community.
Computer assisted personal interview A method of data collection consisting of the interviewer asking questions displayed on a laptop computer screen and entering the answers directly into the computer
Computer Assisted Survey Research Office Census Bureau. Provides automation and telecommunication technologies to improve the collection, processing, and dissemination of data.
Computer assisted telephone interviewing A method of data collection using telephone interviews in which the questions to be asked are displayed on a computer screen and responses are entered directly into the computer
Computer Services Division Census Bureau. Operates and manages the electronic computers and related ancillary equipment of the Census Bureau. Plans and provides the maintenance of this equipment at required hardware performance levels.
Concept of operations The U.S. Department of Commerce's reengineered acquisition process
Confidentiality The guarantee made by law (Title 13, United States Code) to individuals who provide census information regarding nondisclosure of that information to others. See privacy act and special sworn status individual.
Confidentiality edit The name for the Census 2000 disclosure avoidance procedure. 
Congressional Affairs Office Census Bureau. Acts as a liaison between Congress and the Census Bureau.
Congressional district An area established by law for the election of representatives to the U.S. Congress. Each CD is to be as equal in population to all other CDs in the state as practicable, based on the decennial census counts.
Consolidated city An incorporated place that has combined its governmental functions with a county or county subdivision but contains one or more other incorporated places that continue to function as local governments within the consolidated government. See consolidated government, incorporated place, and legal entity.
Consolidated government A governmental unit that includes two or more legal entities that have joined together to form a common government; for example, a consolidated city-county government 
Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) A geographic entity designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies. An area becomes a CMSA if it qualifies as a metropolitan statistical area (MSA), has a population of 1 million or more, and has component parts that qualify as primary metropolitan statistical areas, provided local opinion favors the designation. CMSAs consist of whole counties except for the New England states, where they consist of cities and towns. 
Content edit An operation including a review of questionnaires for missed answers or multiple entries. The edits are designed to improve data quality and reduce item nonresponse.
Continuity of Operations Plan Provides data capture center site-specific disaster response and disaster recovery plans.
Continuous measurement Census data is collected once every ten years. To provide a stream of data between decennial censuses, the Census Bureau is instituting the American Community Survey.
Conventional census See list/enumerate.
Correspondence Management Staff Census Bureau. Responsible for the controlling and processing of all incoming and outgoing correspondence directed to or signed by the Director or Deputy Director of the Census Bureau and the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, or Under Secretaries of the Department of Commerce.
Cost and Progress System for Census 2000 C&P refers to both the system and the reports generated by the system. The C&P system is a component of the management information system that reports on the cost and progress of address list development and data collection, capture, processing, and dissemination for Census 2000. (See Enterprise Information System.) 
Count question resolution A process whereby state, local, and tribal government officials may obtain answers to their concerns about the accuracy and completeness of the Census 2000 counts.
County A type of governmental unit that is the primary legal subdivision of every state except Alaska and Louisiana (boroughs and parishes, respectively). The Island Areas also do not have counties as their primary legal subdivision (county is a minor civil division in American Samoa). See county equivalent and governmental unit.
County equivalent A geographic entity that is not legally referred to as a county but is recognized by the Census Bureau as equivalent to a county for purposes of data presentation. Because they contain no county-type subdivision, the Census Bureau treats the District of Columbia and Guam as county equivalents (as well as state equivalents). See also borough, census area, independent city, municipio, and parish.
County subdivision A legal or statistical division of a county recognized by the Census Bureau for data presentation. See barrio, barrio-pueblo, borough, census county division, county subarea, city, minor civil division, town, unorganized territory, and village. See legal entity and statistical entity.
Coverage edit/ coverage edit followup An edit performed on the mailback census response universe. Staff make telephone calls to resolve forms that are incomplete or have other coverage discrepancies, such as, a difference between the number of persons reported in that household and the number of persons for whom census information was provided on the form. This edit includes the large household followup.
Coverage improvement followup A procedure for the traditional census in which housing units with conflicting status information are followed up
Crew leader The immediate supervisor of a team of listers, enumerators, or other field staff for a decennial census. See crew leader district and field operations supervisor.
Crew leader district The district area assigned to a crew leader, formed by grouping together a number of enumerator assignment areas. 
Crews of vessels The shipboard populations of U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and merchant marine vessels. For geographic purposes, they are assigned to the offshore area adjacent to their home port. 
Customer Liaison Office Census Bureau. The CLO is the point of contact between the Census Bureau and its external customers, both public and private. The external customers include government organizations, such as, the State Data Centers, Business and Industry Data Centers, Census Information Centers, Governors' Liaisons for Census 2000, and Tribal Governmental Leaders, and nongovernment entities, such as, the national labor unions and national nonprofit organizations.
Dangerous settlements Compounds where listers have encountered dangerous situations, such as, militia groups. The listers are instructed to note the living quarters as a special place and to not interview. Though listed as a special place, special place operations will not be conducted at these living quarters. Procedures for listing and enumerating these settlements include interviewing the local postmaster and public officials.
Data Access and Dissemination System Now called the American FactFinder 
Data capture audit and resolution This is an edit and review on response records. An edit compares a derived count of persons to the questionnaire count. Edit failures may be resolved in-house or referred to coverage followup.
Data capture center A decentralized facility that checks in questionnaires returned by mail, creates images of all questionnaire pages, and converts data to computer readable format. The DCCs also will perform other computer processing activities, including automated questionnaire edits, work flow management, and data storage. There is one permanent DCC, the National Processing Center. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau will set up three temporary DCCs. The temporary facilities will be provided and operated by a private contractor through the Data Capture Services contract. 
Data Capture Management Information System A computerized management information system developed for use in the data capture centers. It provides automated tools to facilitate and support the management of the centers.
Data capture services contract The contract which provides the facilities for data capture center operations and services 
Data Capture System 2000 The data capture system that will be used to capture information from census forms. This system will incorporate the following activities: processing more than 120 million incoming forms; digitally capturing and processing billions of bits of information on the forms; converting automatically the image of the form to text-based data; and editing/repairing data that the system is unable to decipher automatically.
Data Preparation Division Now called the National Processing Center 
Decennial Applicant Name Check This automated system is used to screen all applicants' backgrounds for criminal histories to facilitate the selection, hiring, promotion, and payrolling of qualified and suitable applicants for the conduct of Census 2000. 
Decennial census The census of population and housing, taken in each year ending in zero. Article 1, section 2 of the Constitution requires that a census be taken every 10 years for the purpose of apportioning the U.S. House of Representatives. The first census of population was taken in 1790. The Census Bureau first conducted the census of housing in 1940. 
Decennial Cost Model The primary tool for documenting and analyzing budgetary resources needed to support program requirements. It contains assumptions and parameters used to describe and analyze the budget components.
Decennial Division Chiefs Steering Committee Consists of the various chiefs of the divisions and offices including the Census Operational Managers committee
Decennial field interface The collection of systems that will be used in the regional census centers, the census field offices, and the local census offices to control and manage the census data collection effort. It includes, among others, the operations control, payroll and personnel, map production, and management information systems.
Decennial Management Division Census Bureau. The DMD directs and monitors the decennial census. It coordinates and provides project management for all census operations; maintains the Master Activity Schedule, the Cost and Progress Reporting system, the Executive Information System, and the Cost Model; manages the decennial budget; manages decennial communications, issue resolution change control, and requirements documentation; and directs development of the census plan.
Decennial master address file  The decennial version of the master address file has features for controlling and tracking the long- and short-term operations and programs of the Census 2000. The DMAF contains the processing status information to support document mailouts; data capture progress control, tracking, and reporting; and field enumeration processes (notably followups). The DMAF will be the base file for sampling housing units for programs, such as, long form implementation. The DMAF is limited to addresses that the Census Bureau has successfully linked to the TIGER® database. See master address file.
Decennial response file Contains every response to the census from all sources. The primary selection algorithm (PSA) is applied to this file to unduplicate persons between multiple returns for a housing unit and to determine the housing unit record and the persons to include at the housing unit. The DRF is then combined with the decennial master address file to create the census unedited file.
Decennial Statistical Studies Division Census Bureau. Develops mathematical and statistical techniques for the design and conduct of the census. 
Decennial Systems and Contracts Management Office Census Bureau. The DSCMO develops and manages major Census 2000 contracts to process Census 2000 data and disseminate data to the public. 
Decision Memoranda Series These document major policy and design decisions as well as major changes to the Census 2000 operational plans. They are issued by the Issue Resolution/Change Control Board, the Census Operational Managers, or the executive staff.
Delete The status for an address in the master address file that no longer qualifies as a living quarters
Delivery sequence file A computerized file containing all delivery point addresses serviced by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The USPS updates the DSF continuously as its letter carriers identify addresses for new delivery points or changes in the status of existing addresses.
Demographic Analysis An independent, macro-level approach to validate the census results. Estimates using demographic analysis are based on aggregate sets of administrative data including birth and death records, immigration statistics, and medicare data.
Demographic Statistical Methods Division Census Bureau. Develops mathematical and statistical techniques for the design and conduct of the demographic sample surveys. 
Demographic Surveys Division Census Bureau. Performs a wide range of demographic surveys. 
Department of Commerce (DOC) U.S. Government. The Department of Commerce promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development, and 

improved living standards for all Americans. The Department of Commerce includes the Bureau of Export Administration, Economic Development Administration, International Trade Administration, Patent and Trademark Office, Minority Business Development Agency, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Technology Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Technical Information Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the various agencies NOAA oversees.

Department of Defense (DOD) U.S. Government. The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. 
Deputy director Census Bureau. Assists the director in the direction of the Census Bureau and performs the functions of the director in the latter's absence. 
Digital exchange file An electronic file of roads and streets, their names, address ranges, and ZIP codes obtained from a local government or commercial source and used to update TIGER®
Digital line graph Digital information derived by the U.S. Geological Survey from its maps
Direct access An entrance to a living quarters directly from the outside of the building or through a common or public hall (as in an apartment building)
Direct sample followup A methodology for nonresponse followup sampling, whereby the initial response period will stop at a specified date and a sample will be selected from all remaining nonresponding units
Director Census Bureau. Determines policies and directs the programs of the Census Bureau, taking into account applicable legislative requirements and the needs of users of statistical information.
Disclosure avoidance Statistical methods used in the tabulation of data prior to releasing data products to ensure the confidentiality of responses 
District office A pre-Census 2000 term for local offices established by the Census Bureau to conduct the decennial census. See census field office and local census office.
Division (census geographic) A grouping of states within a census geographic region, established by the Census Bureau for the presentation of census data. The nine divisions (East North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, Mountain, New England, Pacific, South Atlantic, West North Central, and West South Central) are intended to represent relatively homogeneous areas that are subdivisions of the four census geographic regions.
Dress Rehearsal  A census of population and housing conducted in selected areas prior to a decennial census to determine the effectiveness of planned census operations. The Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal was conducted in 1998 in Sacramento, California; Menominee County, Wisconsin, including the Menominee American Indian Reservation; and 11 counties in South Carolina, including the city of Columbia. 
Dual Independent Map Encoding (DIME) This term was used in the 1990 census. See Geographic Base File/Dual Independent Map Encoding.
Dual System Estimation The estimation methodology used for the Accuracy and Coverage Evaluation (ACE). This operation uses a geographic sample of block clusters to find persons missed by the census or ACE and any errors from the census. The persons from the unedited census files are computer matched and then clerically matched to the data collected from the ACE interviews. After the computer matching, the person matching continues through the following steps: clerical matching, field followup to resolve discrepancies, and a final clerical matching.
E Sample This term is applicable to a sampling census. It represents people enumerated in the census in the sample block cluster for a Quality Check (ICM) operation. 
E-911 address A number, usually unique within a county, posted on or near a structure, especially in rural areas, for use by emergency personnel to locate the structure. An E-911 address is a house number and street name address, which may or may not be used for mail delivery. 
Early opening local census offices These are local census offices (LCOs) that will open a year earlier than other LCOs to conduct operations required for a traditional (nonsampling) census.
Economic Development Administration (EDA) Department of Commerce. The EDA helps generate new jobs, protect existing jobs, and stimulate commercial and industrial growth in economically distressed areas in the United States.
Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) Much of the statistical, economic, and demographic information collected by the federal government is made available to the public through the ESA. The ESA has two principal agencies: the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Embedded Housing Unit (EHU) One of two kinds of housing units found at a special place. An EHU is a housing unit within a group quarters where the occupants live separately from others living in the group quarters. An example of an EHU is a house parent's room in a dormitory. Embedded means located within the building and not free-standing.
Emergency shelters Includes shelters that operate on a first-come, first-served basis where people must leave in the morning and have no guaranteed beds for the next night or where people know they have a bed for a specified period of time even if they leave the building every day. Shelters also include facilities that provide temporary shelter during extremely cold weather (such as, churches) and facilities that provide emergency shelter for runaway or neglected children or abused women. Emergency shelters are service locations. See hotels, motels, or other facilities; regularly scheduled mobile food vans; service location; shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing; soup kitchens; and transitional shelters.
Enhanced list Listing of addresses in blocks selected to be included in the Integrated Coverage Measurement (ICM) Survey. This listing is conducted independently of the general address listing activities and is enhanced using additional procedures to obtain the most complete address listing possible.
Enterprise Information System or Executive Information System The system is used with the Census 2000 Cost and Progress Data System to access reports and data from the warehouse. The EIS is a system used to report to the Department of Commerce on decennial issues, the schedule, and the cost framework.
Enumerator A Census Bureau employee who interviews people to obtain information for a census questionnaire. The term also applies to field personnel who perform activities associated with update/leave and urban update/leave.
Enumeration The process of interviewing persons and recording the information on census forms. 
Enumeration district Obsolete term. Now called an assignment area.
Estimated census edited file This file is applicable to a sampling census. It incorporates corrections from the Integrated Coverage Measurement (ICM) survey. The operation creating the file provides the transition from "collection" to "tabulation" geography (statistical and political) in the micro data files. Tabulation geography is added and the units are reordered into their appropriate block for further processing in sampled area sites.
Estimation Review System This system is used for a sampling census. It is a system that provides the statistical results of the various types and phases of the estimation process to the analysts.
Executive Information System See Enterprise Information System.
Executive steering committee The assistant to the associate director for the decennial census, associate director for the decennial census, principal associate director for programs, principal associate director/chief financial officer, associate director of field operations, and the deputy director
Facility questionnaire See Special Place Facility Questionnaire.
Feature Any part of the landscape, whether natural (such as, a stream or ridge) or artificial (such as, a road or power line). In a geographic context, features are any part of the landscape portrayed on a map, including nonvisible boundaries of legal entities, such as, city limits or county lines. See nonstreet features, nonvisible feature, and visible feature.
Federal Information Processing Standards code (FIPS) A standardized set of numeric or alphabetic codes issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to ensure uniform identification of geographic entities through all federal government agencies. The entities covered are: states, counties, metropolitan areas, congressional districts, foreign geographic entities, named populated and related location entities (such as, places and county subdivisions), and American Indian and American Native areas.
Field Division Census Bureau. Plans and directs the collection of national sample survey, census, and other data at the local level. Data are collected through a flexible field organization of regional offices in twelve major cities across the country. The offices employ part-time interviewers who gather data by direct contact with the public. During major censuses, the division administers temporary regional census centers, district offices, and other offices.
Field followup A data collection procedure involving personal visits by enumerators to residential addresses to perform any of the following operations: resolve inconsistent or missing data items on returned questionnaires identified during content edit and possible enumeration errors discovered in coverage edit; conduct vacant/delete check; obtain data for blank or missing questionnaires; and check on addresses for which no questionnaire has been checked in. 
Field operations supervisor Supervises activities of crew leaders and enumerators
Film optical sensing device for input to computers A device which reads microfilmed questionnaires and transfers the data to magnetic tape for the Census Bureau's mainframe computers. This device was created by the Census Bureau for the 1960 census. 
Fire number A number assigned to a structure to identify it for firefighters. It is not a house number and street number address but a special number assigned by the local fire department.
Followup A secondary census or survey operation, predominantly in data collection, carried out to successfully complete an initial operation. It is most often a telephone or personal visit interview to obtain missing data or clarify original responses. See field followup and nonresponse followup.
Free-Standing Housing Unit (FSHU) One of two kinds of housing units found at a special place. A FSHU is a living quarters that is physically separate from the group quarters at a special place. An example of a FSHU is a president's house at a college.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Created in 1974. An act that requires federal agencies to provide access to and copies of existing agency records to the public. Access can be denied only if records are within specific exempted categories, such as, Title 13 data. 
Frontloading Hiring and training approximately twice as many enumerators as are needed for decennial field operations to compensate for expected turnover 
Gated community A community, composed of individual houses, duplexes, or apartment buildings, surrounded by a secured fence or other barrier allowing limited access through a secure gate
General Accounting Office (GAO) An investigative arm of the Congress that performs audits and evaluations of government programs and activities
General Services Agency (GSA) A central management agency that sets federal policy in such areas as federal procurement, real property management, and information resources management 
Geocode A code that identifies a specific geographic entity. For example, geocodes needed to identify a census block for data collection are the state code, the county code, and the block number. 
Geocoding The assignment of an address, structure, key geographic location, or business name to a location that is identified by one or more geographic codes
Geographic Base File/Dual Independent Map Encoding (GBF/DIME) The predecessor of TIGER®
Geographic entity A geographic unit of any type, legal or statistical, such as, a state, county, place, county subdivision, census tract, or census block 
Geographic program participant database A Census Bureau control file that records information about participation by local governments in census programs designed to improve the content of TIGER® and expand the master address list 
Geographic reference file  A generic term for a file that contains geographic information such as, area names, geographic codes, and selected x, y coordinate values. These files are necessary for the Census Bureau to organize the address list for the field activities and for production of tabulation displays.
Geography Division Census Bureau. GEO defines decennial census geography; creates and maintains the Master Address File; spatially locates addresses using the TIGER® database; maintains and updates the TIGER®; and provides geographic support for other business, economic, and government surveys and censuses.
Government Printing Office (GPO) U.S. Government. The mission of the Government Printing Office is to inform the nation by producing, procuring, and disseminating printed and electronic publications of the Congress as well as the executive departments and establishments of the federal government. 
Governmental unit A government is an organized entity which, in addition to having governmental character, has sufficient discretion in the management of its own affairs to distinguish it as separate from the administrative structure of any other governmental unit. To have governmental character, an entity must have existence as an organized entity and responsibility to the public.
Group Quarters (GQ) A place where people live or stay other than the usual house, apartment, or mobile home. Two general types of group quarters are recognized: institutional (for example, nursing homes, mental hospitals or wards, hospitals or wards for chronically ill patients, hospices, and prison wards) and noninstitutional (for example, college or university dormitories, military barracks, group homes, shelters, missions, and flophouses). Group quarters may have housing units on the premises for staff or guests.
Group quarters enumeration An operation designed to enumerate people living or staying in group quarters. Enumerators visit each special place with group quarters, list the names of the people living or staying there, and leave an Individual Census Report for each person to complete. Enumerators return at a later date to pick up the forms and, if necessary, conduct interviews to obtain any missing information or conduct interviews with nonrespondents. See group quarters. 
Hard to enumerate A term used to describe an area whose environment or population may present difficulties for enumeration. 
Hawaiian Homelands  Areas created as a result of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 to provide agricultural, pastoral, and residential land for native Hawaiians.
Headquarters A term sometimes used to designate the Census Bureau facility, staff, and operations in Suitland, Maryland. 
Heterogeneity Heterogeneity occurs when blocks of housing units assigned to sampling strata or groupings do not have equal chances of being included or missed by the census or survey. Heterogeneity creates difficulty for the small area estimation process because the correction factor is applied to all people with the specified characteristic in that sampling poststratum even though some of them do not actually have the coverage characteristics. 
Highest elected official The elected or appointed person who is the chief executive official of a governmental unit and is most responsible for the governmental activities of the governmental unit, such as, the governor of a state, chair of a county commission, or mayor of an incorporated place.
Historic areas of Oklahoma The area encompassing the former American Indian reservations that had legally established boundaries during the period 1900 through 1907 but were dissolved during the 2- to 3-year period preceding the establishment of Oklahoma as a state in 1907. The 1980 census tabulated data for this entity, but it was replaced for the 1990 census by tribal jurisdiction statistical areas.
Homogeneity Homogeneity assumes that all people in a particular sampling stratum or poststratum have an equal chance of being included or missed by the census or survey. A lack of homogeneity in a particular sample block is not an error, but it does create difficulty for the small area estimation process. This happens because the correction factor is applied to all people with the specified characteristic in that poststratum even though some of them do not exhibit the same coverage characteristic.
Hotels, motels, or other facilities Hotels, motels, and other facilities for which vouchers are provided or that operate under contract to provide shelter to people without housing. These are service locations. See emergency shelters; regularly scheduled mobile food vans; service location; shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing; soup kitchens; and transitional shelters.
House number and street name address (HN/SN) An address assigned to a specific structure, consisting of a number and the street name on which the structure is located. The address may or may not be used for mail delivery. See address, basic street address, city-style address, and mailing address.
Household (HH) A person or group of persons who live in a housing unit. These equal the count of occupied housing units in a traditional census.
Householder The member of a household who lives at the housing unit and owns or rents the living quarters. If there is no such person present, any household member who is at least 15 years of age can answer the questionnaire.
Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division Census Bureau. In concert with others at the Bureau, the HHES division compiles, analyzes, and publishes data on the physical, social, and financial characteristics of the nation's housing and on the socioeconomic characteristics of the nation's population.
Housing Unit (HU) A house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied as a separate living quarters, or, if vacant, is intended for occupancy as a separate living quarters. See separate living quarters.
Hybrid mailing A national concept considered for Census 2000 but not implemented: a combination of targeted and blanket mailings for replacement questionnaires within a local census office. Certain multi-units were excluded.
Identification number See census identification number.
Imputation When information is missing or inconsistent, the Census Bureau uses imputation to assign values. Imputation relies on the tendency of households of the same size within a small geographic area to be similar in most characteristics. For example, the value of "rented" is likely to be imputed for a housing unit not reporting on owner/renter status in a neighborhood with multi-units or apartments where other respondents reported "rented" on the census questionnaire. There are two major types of imputation: 1) allocation, in which missing values for individual items are filled in on the basis of other reported information for the person or household (or from other persons or households with similar characteristics) and 2) substitution, in which all of the information for a person or household is created from other persons or households with similar characteristics.
Incorporated place A type of governmental unit incorporated under state law as a city, town (except the New England states, New York, and Wisconsin), borough (except in Alaska and New York), or village and having legally prescribed limits, powers, and functions. See consolidated city, governmental unit, independent city, legal entity, and place.
Independent city An incorporated place that is a primary division of a state and legally not part of any county. The Census Bureau treats an independent city as both a county equivalent and county subdivision for data tabulation purposes. See city, county equivalent, county subdivision, and incorporated place.
Individual Census Questionnaire A questionnaire that contains population questions for one person. The form is used at both soup kitchens and regularly scheduled mobile food vans. This form asks if the person has a usual residence but does not ask housing questions. It also asks about their use of services at shelters, soup kitchens, or mobile food vans. Enumerators will conduct personal interviews using this form. See service-based enumeration and targeted nonsheltered outdoor location. 
Individual Census Report A questionnaire that is used during group quarters enumeration and at two service locations (shelters and targeted nonsheltered outdoor locations) that contains population questions for one person. There are both long and short form versions. In most group quarters, additional questions are asked of a sample (one in six) of the population. The forms ask if the person has a usual residence but does not ask housing questions. Enumerators will distribute this form to the clients to complete. At targeted nonsheltered outdoor locations enumerators will conduct personal interviews using this form. See group quarters enumeration and self-enumerating places. 
Industry and occupation  The current or most recent job activity reported on the census long form questionnaire. These responses require coding and classification processing. 
Information Memoranda Series These memoranda document Census 2000 information other than that documented in the Decision Memoranda Series. These include program master plans.
Information Resource Management Office Census Bureau. Develops the Census Bureau's long-range information technology vision and strategy.
Information Systems Support and Review Office Census Bureau. Provides program management of information technology budgeting, procurements, and administrative support. 
Information Technology (IT) Includes telecommunications and computer hardware and software. See Information Resource Management Office and Information Systems Support and Review Office.
Inspector General Department of Commerce. The IG conducts and supervises audits, inspections, and investigations of Commerce Department programs and operations.
Integrated Coverage Measurement This operation was proposed for Census 2000 but will not be implemented. The objective of such an operation is to measure how well the Census Bureau counted people and housing in a census. A large-scale sample survey is conducted independently of regular census operations. The sample consists of block clusters in urban and rural areas. The results are matched to census results and estimates of the undercount are created. It is a micro-level approach, that is, case-by-case matching.  

There are three phases to such an operation. In the housing unit phase, an inventory of housing within sample blocks is conducted separately from the census. In the computer assisted person interview (CAPI) phase, an independent sample of nonrespondents is taken, and telephone and personal visit second interviews are conducted to create an independent roster. In the person matching phase, persons enumerated in the census are matched to persons enumerated in the CAPI phase, followup interviews for discrepancies are conducted, unresolved cases are imputed as a last resort, and statistical procedures are used to produce estimates of the people missed or duplicated in the census. 
 

The final phase of such an operation is to use the Dual System Estimation to compare the census counts to the ICM counts and create estimation factors to adjust the census results. 
 

Also called the Quality Check Survey.

Integrated Coverage Measurement 2000 The automated system for assignment, control, and tracking of all field ICM operations including both paper (paper assisted personal interview) and automated (computer assisted telephone interview).
Interactive voice recognition An automated telephone system that offers callers different menu choices covering a variety of predetermined topics
International Trade Administration (ITA) Department of Commerce. The ITA is responsible for nonagricultural United States trade issues and works with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in coordinating trade policy.
Internet Questionnaire Assistance  An operation which allows respondents to use the Census Bureau's Internet site to: 1) ask questions and receive answers about the census form, job opportunities, or general questions about the purpose of the census, and 2) provide responses to the short form.
Island Areas  Islands included in the U.S. Census of Population and Housing are: U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Puerto Rico is sometimes called an island area. These were formerly called outlying areas.
Issue Resolution/Change Control Board Handles operational decisions having major budget and policy impacts. The Census Operational Managers group refers issues outside its scope to this board.
Invalid return detection A procedure for identifying invalid non-ID'd forms, that is, forms returned in Census 2000 as an attempt to introduce error into the population count.
Key from image An operation in which keyers enter data by referring to a scanned image of a questionnaire for which data could not be recognized by optical character recognition with sufficient confidence
Key from paper An operation in which keyers enter data directly from a hardcopy questionnaire which could not be read by optical character recognition 
Kit A collection of materials gathered together to give to each enumerator, lister, or other field staff to accomplish a specific job within a particular operation. The materials are packaged together to make their distribution easier, consistent, and more efficient.
Large household A housing unit with more than six persons
Large household followup A census operation that follows up on households that indicated more than six persons in that housing unit on their census form. The questionnaire only allows for the reporting of information for six persons per household. This operation is included in the coverage edit.
Late mail return Mail received after the cut-off date for identifying nonresponding housing units for the nonresponse followup operation
Legal entity An entity whose origin, boundary, name, and description result from charters, laws, treaties, or other administrative or governmental action, such as, the United States, states, the Island Areas, counties, cities, townships, boroughs, towns, villages, American Indian Reservations, Alaska Native Villages, congressional districts, and school districts. The legal entities recognized for a decennial census are those in existence on January 1 of the decennial census year.
List/enumerate A method of data collection in sparsely populated (rural) and remote areas, such as, remote Alaska. The procedures are to list addresses or physical locations for housing units, enumerate the household, and update the census map as needed. The enumerators list each residential address or location description and conduct the enumeration in one visit using a short- or long-form according to the sampling pattern for the assignment area.
Lister A census employee who obtains addresses and related information and records the information on address listing pages and census maps. 
Living quarters A dwelling where people live, stay, or could live. Living quarters are classified as housing units or group quarters. They are usually found in structures intended for residential use but also may be found in structures intended for nonresidential use as well as tents, vans, shelters for people without housing, dormitories, barracks, and so forth.
Local area network A group of computers linked within a network to exchange and share information within a building or among several buildings. See wide area network.
Local census office  Temporary Census Bureau offices to be established for Census 2000 data collection purposes. Called "district office" (DO) in previous censuses.
Local Update of Census Addresses  A Census 2000 program, established in response to requirements of Public Law 103-430, that provides an opportunity for local and tribal governments to review and update individual address information in the master address file and associated geographic information in the TIGER® database to improve the completeness and accuracy of both computer files. The governments must sign a confidentiality agreement to participate. Also called the address list review program.
Local Update of Census Addresses field verification An operation verifying the existence and the residential status of addresses given to the Census Bureau by local officials during the LUCA program
Location description A description of the physical location or characteristics of a living quarters that does not have a house number and street name address 
Locator map A census map that helps enumerators find the location of and determine how to travel to their assignment areas. The map covers more area than the assignment area.
Long form The decennial census questionnaire containing 100 percent and sample questions. See short form.
Long form sampling The long form uses a variable rate sampling plan to determine which households will receive the long form. The Census Bureau samples for the long form using four rates based on the size of a government. Nationally, or overall, one in six households will receive a long form. This is a sample for content, that is, a sample determining which households receive the long form content.
Mail response rate The total number of checked-in questionnaires returned by mail divided by the number of questionnaires mailed by the U.S. Postal Service or delivered by census enumerators. This check-in rate differs from a true mail response rate because it reflects forms that have been processed and not necessarily all of those that have been received.
Mail return rate The total number of households returning a questionnaire by mail divided by the number of occupied housing units that received a questionnaire by mail or by a census enumerator (the only ones that can return a questionnaire). This measure cannot be derived until the enumeration is completed and the final number of occupied housing units is determined. 
Mailing address This address is used by a living quarters, special place, business establishment, and the like to receive mail. It may be a house number and street name, which may be followed by an apartment, unit, or trailer lot designation; building or apartment complex name and apartment designation; trailer park name and lot number; post office box or drawer; rural route or highway contract route, which may include a box number; or general delivery. A mailing address also includes a ZIP code. A mailing address may serve more than one living quarters, establishment, or the like. See basic street address, city delivery area, city-style address, house number and street name address, noncity-style address, nondelivery area, rural delivery area, and ZIP code.
Mailout/mailback  A method of data collection in which the U.S. Postal Service delivers addressed questionnaires to residents who are asked to complete and mail back the questionnaire to the appropriate Census Bureau office. This method is used for more than 80 percent of all households (usually city-style addresses).
Management Information System (MIS) Provides decision support functions, such as, critical-path analysis and what-if analysis. Provides information on dates, the responsible organization, budget, cost to date, and current progress of Census 2000 operations. It includes the master activity schedule, the executive information system, and the cost and progress system. 
Management Integration Team The MIT and the Program Steering Committee provided the structure for the early planning of Census 2000 and were replaced by the Census Operational Managers, the Issue Resolution/Change Control Board, and the Decennial Division Chiefs Steering Committee.
Map image metafile A computer file that provides a full-image description of a census map in digital form (a human-readable format). The regional offices, regional census centers, and National Processing Center use MIM to create maps for printing or placing on CD-ROM. See SMIMS.
Map spot An enumerator places a dot on a census map to show the location of one or more living quarters. The enumerator assigns a number, unique within the census block, to each map spot to correspond to the entry in the address register for a basic street address or residential structure. The map spots are entered into the TIGER® system. For Census 2000, map spots are identified primarily by census listers and enumerators during address listing and list/enumerate operations but also may be created during the Local Update of Census Addresses, update/leave, rural update/enumerate, and some followup operations. 
Map spot number The number assigned uniquely to each map spot within a census block. The same number may represent more than one living quarters.
Marketing Services Office Census Bureau. The MSO creates innovative and effective marketing communication channels, enhances the corporate marketing infrastructure, infuses a marketing culture and customer orientation, institutionalizes internal customer information systems, and assists in new product development. 
Master Activity Schedule  A schedule of all activities involved in the planning, preparation, conduct, and data capture, processing, and dissemination of the Census 2000 
Master address file The MAF is a list of every living quarters nationwide and their geographic locations. The computer file was created by combining the addresses in the 1990 address control file with the current versions of the U.S. Postal Service delivery sequence file, and supplementing this with address information provided by state, local, and tribal governments. The MAF ties to the TIGER® database. The MAF is updated throughout the decade to provide addresses for delivery of Census 2000 questionnaires, to serve as the sampling frame for the Census Bureau's periodic demographic surveys, and to support other Census Bureau statistical programs. See the decennial master address file.
Master Address File Geocoding Office Resolution An operation where the regional offices and regional census centers try to find the location of addresses from the U.S. Postal Service that did not match to the records in the TIGER®. Staff use atlases, maps, city directories, and the like to locate these addresses and add them to the TIGER®. 
Master Control System A tracking system for the Integrated Coverage Measurement (ICM) computer assisted personal interview (CAPI) assignments, interviews, and data transmission
Matching and Review Coding System The Integrated Coverage Measurement survey matching system used by the matching clerks in the National Processing Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. First, there is a computer match phase for both housing unit and person matching. Cases not resolved in the computer matching go to the clerks for review and coding.
Mean The arithmetic average
Median The middle point in a distribution
Memorandum of agreement A formal memorandum defining and explaining agreements and decisions reached on specific issues by two or more parties
Memorandum of understanding This is another term for memorandum of agreement.
Menominee Sacramento, California, and Menominee County, Wisconsin, (including the Menominee American Indian Reservation) are the two Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal sites where sampling was tested.
Metropolitan Area (MA) A collective term established by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1990 to refer to metropolitan statistical areas, consolidated metropolitan areas, New England county metropolitan areas, and primary metropolitan statistical areas. The OMB establishes MAs based on census data. 
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) These are designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies. These geographically based entities are a core area with a large population nucleus plus adjacent communities with a high degree of economic and social integration with the core. An MSA consists of one or more counties, except in New England, where MSAs are defined in terms of cities and towns; however, New England county metropolitan areas are defined in terms of counties. See consolidated metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan area, New England county metropolitan area, primary metropolitan statistical area, and statistical entity. 
Migration Question on the long (sample) form asking for residence (state and county) five years ago
Military Census Report Questionnaire used to conduct the census in military installations
Military/maritime enumeration An operation counting domestic military installations and ships assigned to a home port in the United States and maritime vessels in operation on Census Day
Minor Civil Division (MCD) For demographic census purposes, a primary government, such as, a township or an administrative subdivision of a county, such as, a precinct or magisterial district
Minority Business Development Agency Department of Commerce. The MBDA helps minority-owned and operated businesses achieve effective and equal participation in the American free enterprise system. 
Multi-unit structure A building that contains more than one housing unit (for example, an apartment building)
Municipio A type of governmental unit that is the primary legal subdivision of Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau treats municipios as the statistical equivalents of counties. See county equivalent and governmental unit.
National Academy of Sciences U.S. Government. The NAS is a private, nonprofit society of scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. 
National Archives and Records Administration U.S. Government. The NARA oversees the management of federal government records, including individual census records after 72 years, presidential diaries, historic correspondence, and a display of presidential gifts from around the world. 
National Content Survey (1996) One of the test censuses done as planning and testing for Census 2000. It was the principal vehicle for testing and evaluating subject content for Census 2000. It also provided information on questionnaire design and on mailing strategy and techniques to improve coverage.
National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Commerce. An organization under the Technology Administration. The NIST promotes United States economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards. 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Department of Commerce. The NOAA studies climate and global change; ensures protection of coastal oceans and management of marine resources; provides weather services; and manages worldwide environmental data. 
National Operations Center The staff and facilities at the National Processing Center that serve as one of the data capture centers for the decennial census.
National Processing Center The permanent Census Bureau processing center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It includes the National Operations Center.
National Research Council  The Council is the principal agency of the National Academy of Sciences for advising the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. 
National Technical Information Service Department of Commerce. An organization under the Technology Administration. The NTIS promotes the nation's economic growth and job creation by providing access to federally produced information for the public and production services to federal agencies.
National Telecommun-ications and Information Administration Department of Commerce. The NTIA is the Executive Branch's principal voice on domestic and international telecommunications and information technology issues.
New Construction Capture This operation will be conducted shortly before Census 2000. Local and tribal governments may report new living quarters built since the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) operation. There will be instructions for governments who did not participate in LUCA.
New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA) A county-based area designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget to identify metropolitan areas in New England
No identification number A response without a census identification number. The census identification number associates the response with a specific address in the master address file.
Noncity-style address An address that does not use a house number and street name. This includes rural routes and highway contract routes, which may include a box number; post office boxes and drawers; and general delivery. See address, city-style address, fire number, mailing address, nondelivery area, and rural delivery area.
Nondelivery area An area in which the U.S. Postal Service does not deliver mail to homes, businesses, and the like. Instead, the residents must pick up their mail at a local post office, using either a post office box or drawer or general delivery. See city delivery area, noncity-style address, and rural delivery area.
Nongovernment organization The partnerships developed during Census 2000 planning include national and local organizations and community groups. See partnerships. 
Nonresponse Housing units from which no questionnaire was returned by mail or from which a telephone response was not received
Nonresponse conversion operation Comes after the Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) telephone interview and PES person interview
Nonresponse followup  The objective is to obtain a completed questionnaire from households for which a questionnaire was not received by mail. A census followup operation in which temporary field staff, known as enumerators, visit housing units from which no questionnaire was returned by mail, from which a telephone response was not received, or for which no administrative records could be located. 
Nonsampling error Errors that occur during the measuring or data collection process. Nonsampling errors can yield biased results when most of the errors distort the results in the same direction. Unfortunately, the full extent of nonsampling error is unknown. Decennial censuses traditionally have experienced nonsampling errors, most notably undercount, resulting from people being missed in the enumeration processes.
Nonstreet feature A natural or artificial part of the landscape, such as, a stream, ridge, road, or power line. See feature, nonvisible feature, and visible feature.
Nonvisible feature A boundary of a legal entity, such as, a county line, city limit, property line, and so forth. See feature, nonstreet feature, and visible feature.
Occupied housing unit A housing unit is classified as occupied if it is the usual place of residence of the person or group of persons living in it at the time of enumeration or if the occupants are only temporarily absent; for example, away on vacation. Occupied rooms or suites of rooms in hotels, motels, and similar places are classified as housing units only when occupied by permanent residents, that is, individuals for whom the facility is their usual place or residence. 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) U.S. Government. The OMBs predominant mission is to assist the President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) U.S. Government. The OPM is the federal government's human resources agency. 
Office of Technology Policy (OTP) Department of Commerce. An organization under the Technology Administration. The OTP promotes technology-based industry through a variety of programs.
One-number census A one-number census refers to a single set of census results based on a predetermined enumeration process, which might employ any combination of traditional counting methods, administrative records, and statistical estimation.
Operational Test Dry Run A practice test of the data capture centers.
Operations Control System 2000 This system is one of the decennial field interface systems and is used for control, tracking, and progress reporting for all field operations conducted for the census, including production of materials used by field staff to do their work.
Optical character recognition  Technology that uses an optical scanner and computer software to "read" human handwriting 
Optical mark recognition Technology that uses an optical scanner and computer software to scan a page, recognize the presence of marks in predesignated areas, and assign a value to the mark depending on its specific location and intensity on a page
Outlying areas Obsolete term. See Island Areas.
Overseas enumeration Counts federal employees assigned overseas (including members of the Armed Forces) and their dependents, and persons on board United States military ships assigned to a foreign home port
Oversight and appropriations committees Senate: 
  • •Committee on Appropriations and its subcommittees including the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary
  • •Committee on Governmental Affairs

    •  
House of Representatives: 
  • •Committee on Appropriations and its subcommittees including the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary
  • •Committee on Government Reform and its subcommittees including the Subcommittee on the Census 
P sample People identified as nonmovers or out-movers and were residents of the quality check (Integrated Coverage Measurement) housing unit on Census Day
Paper assisted personal interview A method of data collection in which the enumerator uses a paper form to complete the interview
Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) Department of Commerce. The PTO administers the nation's patent and trademark laws. 
Parish A type of governmental unit that is the primary legal subdivision of Louisiana, similar to a county in other states. See county equivalent and governmental unit.
Participant Statistical Areas Program A Census 2000 program that provides tribal and local officials with the opportunity to review and revise existing statistical areas and identify new ones. The program includes census tracts, block groups, census designated places, and census county divisions. See statistical entity.
Partnerships Agreements with state, local, and tribal governments and community groups that give these groups an opportunity to participate in various ways in Census 2000
Personal Computer Document Organization and Control System Software for maintaining and accessing an electronic library of documents. PCDOCS will document the operations of the Census 2000. The files are maintained by Decennial Communications, Decennial Management Division.
Personal visit Face-to-face contact between a member of the public and an enumerator to obtain data 
Place A concentration of population either legally bound as an incorporated place or identified by the Census Bureau as a census designated place. See census designated place, incorporated place, legal entity, and statistical entity.
Place of birth State or foreign country in which a person was born 
Place of work The street address or location of a person's current workplace
Planned dates The start and finish dates in the master activity schedule determined by the Census Operational Managers to be the desired times to start and complete an activity
Planning database A geographic database containing prior census housing, demographic, and socioeconomic variables correlated with nonresponse and undercounting data and used to identify specific geographic areas (for example, tracts) that could benefit from special enumeration methods to improve coverage.
Planning, Research, and Evaluation Division Census Bureau. Provides technical expertise and executive leadership for planning future censuses and surveys. Coordinates policy and program related activities for future censuses and surveys.
Policy Office Census Bureau. The Policy Office is the central coordinating point for the analysis, development, and implementation of bureau-wide policy in the program and legislative areas. 
Political entity See governmental unit and legal entity.
Population Division Census Bureau. Provides regularly updated information on the population of the United States and its demographic, geographic, and social characteristics. The division's International Programs Center provides demographic and socioeconomic data on all major countries.
Postal validation check The U.S. Postal Service workers validate the master address file for addresses within the mailout/mailback area. Formerly called casing.
Post-Enumeration Survey Evaluates coverage on a case-by-case basis using the Dual System Estimation methodology. Provides undercount information for detailed categories, such as, renter/homeowner and racial and ethnic group, which is not possible with demographic analysis. It uses the same basic procedures as the Integrated Coverage Measurement survey, but it is not used to adjust census figures for reapportionment purposes. 
Postmaster return See undeliverable as addressed.
Poststratum The grouping of people within a particular stratum: for example, all white, nonhispanic male renters ages 18-22 (poststratum) in a rural area (stratum) 
Pre-appointment Management System/ 

Automated Decennial Administrative Management System

 An integrated structure of administrative management programs that supports applicant tracking and processing, background checks, selection records, recruiting reports, personnel and payroll processing, and archiving of historical data. This system is used in the hiring of temporary workers for the census.
Precanvass See block canvassing.
Prelist See address listing.
Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) A geographic entity designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies. If an area meets the requirements to qualify as a metropolitan statistical area and has a population of 1 million or more, two or more PMSAs may be designated within it if they meet published statistical criteria and local opinion favors the designation. When PMSAs are designated within a MSA, the larger area of which they are components is designated a consolidated metropolitan statistical area (CMSA). See statistical entity.
Primary selection algorithm Computer program applied to the decennial response file (DRF) to eliminate duplicate responses and to determine the housing unit record and the persons to include at the housing unit. After this procedure, the DRF is merged with the decennial master address file to create the census unedited file.
Primavera Project Planner The project management and scheduling software used to develop the Census 2000 master activity schedule 
Principal associate director Census Bureau. The principal associate director and chief financial officer reports to the director and deputy director and is responsible for the overall management activities of the Census Bureau. The principal associate director for programs reports to the director and deputy director and is responsible for the overall management of demographic programs, the decennial census, economic programs, and statistical methodology and standards. 
Privacy Act A 1974 act that places restrictions on the collection, use, maintenance, and release of information about 

individuals. It gives individuals the right to see records about themselves, to obtain copies of their records, to have records 

corrected or amended with Census Bureau approval, and to have a statement of disagreement filed in their records if the Census Bureau does not approve the correction or amendment. See confidentiality and special sworn status individual.

Privacy act notice Form D-31 is a notice that advises persons of the authority under which the Census Bureau collects information, how it will use the information, and the effect of not answering a question.
Production rate A performance measure calculated as the number of cases completed within a specified time period: for example, cases completed per hour or cases completed per day
Program for Address List Supplementation  This program was discontinued in 1997. It was created for Census 2000 to provide governmental units and regional and metropolitan agencies an early opportunity to submit lists of individual addresses for their community to the Census Bureau for use in building the master address file. 
Program master plans These document all preparatory, field, processing, and statistical requirements for each major Census 2000 operation. The plans are coordinated by the Decennial Management Division program management staff. 
Program Steering Committee The PSC and the Management Integration Team provided the structure for the early planning of Census 2000 and were replaced by the Census Operational Managers, the Issue Resolution/Change Control Board, and the Decennial Division Chiefs Steering Committee.
Public Information Office  Census Bureau. Manages relations with the news media, produces radio and video news release, distributes daily newspaper clips of Census Bureau stories, administers the foreign visitors program, and writes and edits a variety of publications including Counterparts, Census and You, and Census Briefs. 
Public Law 94-171 The public law requiring the Census Bureau to provide selected decennial census data tabulations to the states by April 1 of the year following the census. These tabulations are used by the states to redefine the areas included in each congressional district and the areas in other districts used for state and local elections, a process called redistricting.
Public Law 103-430 The public law that amends Title 13, U.S. Code, to allow designated local and tribal officials access to the address information in the master address file to verify its accuracy and completeness. This law also requires the U.S. Postal Service to provide its address information to the Census Bureau to improve the master address file.
Public use form  A form issued by a federal agency to obtain information from the public. A PUF that is to be administered to 10 or more persons requires prior approval and clearance by the Office of Management and Budget. 
Public use microdata sample Computerized files containing a small sample of individual long-form census records showing the population and housing characteristics of the people included on those forms
Puerto Rico See Island Areas. 
Puerto Rico area office This is equivalent to a mini-regional census center and has nine local census offices reporting to it.
Quality assurance A systematic approach to build excellence into a process
Quality check See Integrated Coverage Measurement. 
Quality control Using various statistical methods to validate that products meet standards
Questionnaire The census or survey form on which a respondent or enumerator records information requested by the Census Bureau for a specific census or special survey
Questionnaire assistance center Centers established by local census offices to assist respondents in completing their questionnaires. These centers will be established in community centers, large apartment buildings, and so forth. The centers will be staffed by volunteers and Census Bureau employees. See walk-in questionnaire assistance center.
Questionnaire mailing strategy For Census 2000, an advance notice letter, a questionnaire, and a reminder/thank you post card will be sent to every mailout address. 
Questionnaire reference book This book provides detailed instructions to enumerators on how to fill out the census form.
Race and Ethnic Advisory Committees An in-house term referring to the four separate advisory committees on the race and ethnic populations: the 

Census Advisory Committee on the African American Population, Census Advisory Committee on the American Indian and Alaska Native Populations, Census Advisory Committee on the Asian and Pacific Islander Populations, and Census Advisory Committee on the Hispanic Population

Race and Ethnicity Targeted Test A test, conducted in selected areas of the country, to evaluate alternative formats and sequencing of the race, Hispanic, and ancestry questions 
Ready for use Indicates the installation of hardware and software has passed testing and is ready for use
Reapportionment The redistribution of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among several states on the basis of the most recent decennial census as required by Article 1, section 2 of the Constitution. See apportionment and redistricting.
Reconciliation  Generally refers to the U.S. Postal Service's resolution and verification of additions and deletions to the census address list 
Redistricting The process of revising the geographic boundaries of areas from which people elect representatives to the U.S. Congress, a state legislature, a county or city council, a school board, and the like to meet the legal requirement that such areas be as equal in population as possible following a census. See apportionment and reapportionment.
Redistricting Data Program A decennial census program that permits state officials to identify selected map features they want as block boundaries and specific areas, such as, voting districts for which they need census data. See Block Boundary Suggestion Project, redistricting, and voting district.
Refusal Reluctance by residents, apartment managers, local officials, or others to cooperate with census employees
Region (census geographic) A grouping of states established by the Census Bureau for the presentation of census data. Each region (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West) is subdivided into divisions. See division (census geographic) and statistical entity.
Regional census center One of 12 temporary Census Bureau offices established to manage local census office activities and to conduct geographic programs and support operations, such as, automated map production. The Census Bureau also will open an area office to manage census operations in Puerto Rico.
Regional Director The head of a regional office
Regional Elected Officials Meeting  One of a series of regional meetings conducted by the Census Bureau with elected officials of local and state governments to encourage their support for the decennial census
Regional office One of 12 permanent offices established for the management of all census operations in an area that covers several million housing units
Regularly scheduled mobile food vans Includes mobile food vans that are regularly scheduled to visit designated street locations for the primary purpose of providing food to people without housing. These are service locations. See emergency shelters; hotels, motels, or other facilities; service location; shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing; soup kitchens; and transitional shelters.
Reinterview The objective is to verify that enumerators collected accurate information. A sample of households in an assignment area is contacted again in person or by telephone. An enumerator re-asks certain questions and compares the answers to the original questionnaire. This verifies that the enumerator visited the correct address and that the questionnaire was completed accurately. This operation is performed in all areas after nonresponse followup and list/enumerate or rural update/enumerate.
Reminder/thank you card This is a postcard sent to addresses on the decennial master address file to remind respondents to return their census questionnaires or to thank them if they already have. All addresses in mailout/mailback areas will receive a postcard. The Census Bureau will blanket mail these postcards to postal patrons (no addresses) in update/leave areas. 
Remote Alaska enumeration List/enumerate is used for remote parts of Alaska. The unique aspect of remote Alaska enumeration is it begins in mid-February so enumerators can reach people living in remote locations before the spring thaw. After the spring thaw, travel to these areas is difficult. Questions are asked as of Census Day. 
Replacement questionnaire A second questionnaire sent to addresses on the decennial master address file in mailout/mailback areas to increase mail response rates as part of the questionnaire mailing strategy. This will not be used for Census 2000.
Request for proposal  A government announcement in the Commerce Business Daily and on the Internet requesting vendors to propose a technical solution with costs for a statement of need (see SON) or a statement of work (see SOW) 
Requirements initiative The documentation of business plans in support of expenditure of funds for acquisition of information technology products and services
Research and development The R&D program for Census 2000 started in 1991 and ended in 1995
Research and experimentation The program of studies used to evaluate a census, to research new procedures and techniques, and to conduct experiments under true census conditions
Residence status Each person in the coverage measurement sample block is assigned a residence status code identifying them as either a resident or nonresident of the housing unit on Census Day.
Residential Finance Survey This survey has been done every 10 years following the census since 1950. The survey collects information about the acquisition and financing of residential properties in the United States. 
Respondent The person supplying survey or census information about his or her living quarters and its occupants
Restricted access building/secured building An apartment building (that is, multi-unit building) that can be entered only through doors that are locked to the public
Rural Territory, population, and housing units not classified as urban constitute rural. The urban and rural classifications cut across other hierarchies; for example, there are generally both urban and rural territories within both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Rural delivery area An area within which a post office delivers mail to residents living on rural delivery routes, as designated by the U.S. Postal Service. While many housing units in a rural delivery area use noncity-style addresses, some rural delivery routes deliver the mail to a substantial number that use house number and street name addresses. See city delivery area, city-style addresses, noncity-style addresses, and nondelivery area.
Rural update/enumerate The enumerator attempts to update address lists and enumerate housing units for selected hard-to-enumerate rural areas. They also update and correct the census maps if needed.
Sacramento Sacramento, California, and Menominee County, Wisconsin, (including the Menominee American Indian Reservation) were the two Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal sites where sampling was tested.
Sample census edited file A file containing 100 percent and sample characteristics for housing units and persons in the long form sample. Processing for the SCEF includes merging the results of industry and occupation coding and place of work and migration coding, coding several other items, and weighting the long forms. 
Sample data Detailed social, economic, and housing information collected on the long form from a selected portion of all housing units and people living in group quarters. The 1990 census sampled approximately 15 percent of the nation's population and 16 percent of its housing units. See 100 percent data. 
Sample edited detail file A file containing 100 percent and sample characteristics for housing units and persons in the long form sample. The file is used for tabulation purposes only and is not released to the public.
Sampling error Errors that occur because only part of the population is directly contacted. With any sample, differences are likely to exist between the characteristics of the sampled population and the larger group from which the sample was chosen. Sampling error, unlike nonsampling error, is measurable.
Sampling stratum A grouping or classification that has a similar set of characteristics based on the previous census
Scanner Equipment used to capture images from documents for the purpose of entering the information into an electronic format. For Census 2000, scanners will replace some keying operations.
School district A geographic area delineated by state, county, or local officials designating the school(s) a particular locale must attend. 
Seasonal/recreational/occasional use A housing unit held for occupancy only during limited portions of the year, such as, a beach cottage, ski cabin, or time-share condominium
Self-enumerating places Includes military facilities and group quarters, such as, hospitals and prisons where the safety of the residents or the enumerators is a concern. A staff member of the facility lists the names of all people staying in each group quarters at the facility and prepares the Individual Census Report packets. A crew leader returns in a day or two to collect the completed materials. Note: Military Census Reports are used at military installations. See group quarters and Individual Census Report. 
Separate living quarters Are those in which the occupants live separately from any other individual in the building and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness and direct access are applied to the intended occupants whenever possible. 
Service-based enumeration An operation designed to enumerate people at service locations that primarily serve people without housing, such as, emergency or transitional shelters, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, and targeted nonsheltered outdoor locations. See service locations. 
Service locations Are locations where clients are enumerated during the service-based enumeration operation such as, emergency or transitional shelters, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, and targeted nonsheltered outdoor locations.
Shelter/street night or S-night This operation will not be used for Census 2000. It was a national operation during the 1990 census to count the homeless and others not covered by usual census procedures. The operation had a shelter phase and a street phase. See service-based enumeration and transient night.
Shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing Includes shelters/group homes that provide temporary sleeping facilities for juveniles. These are service locations. See emergency shelters; hotels, motels, or other facilities; regularly scheduled mobile food vans; service location; soup kitchens; and transitional shelters.
Shipboard Census Report A census questionnaire used for military and maritime (civilian) personnel aboard ships
Short form  The decennial census questionnaire containing only the 100 percent questions. See 100 percent data and long form.
(Simplified) Enumerator Questionnaire A questionnaire that enumerators use for transient, or T-Night, enumeration and when conducting the nonresponse followup after the decennial census. See nonresponse followup and transient night, T-Night enumeration. 
Single MIM-based integrated mapping system A software system for creating the map image metafiles (MIM).
Source Selection Evaluation Board An evaluation group that evaluates proposals and selects the source for the contract award
Source selection official Uses the factors established by the Source Selection Evaluation Board to evaluate and select for contract award purposes
Soup kitchens Includes soup kitchens, food lines, and programs distributing prepared breakfasts, lunches, or dinners. These programs may be organized as food service lines, bag or box lunches, or tables where people are seated, then served by program personnel. These programs may or may not have a place for clients to sit and eat the meal. These are service locations. See emergency shelters; hotels, motels, or other facilities; regularly scheduled mobile food vans; service location; shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing; and transitional shelters.
South Carolina Eleven counties in South Carolina, including the city of Columbia, comprised the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal site where a traditional census was tested.
Special census A federal census conducted at the request and cost of a local government to obtain population figures between decennial censuses 
Special notice A page in the address register to remind the enumerator of the confidentiality of the information being collected and to remind the enumerator to make legible entries
Special place  A place containing one or more group quarters where people live or stay, such as, a college or university, nursing home, hospital, prison, hotel, migrant and seasonal farm worker camp, or military installation or ship. See group quarters.
Special Place Facility Questionnaire A questionnaire used to interview an official at a special place for the purpose of collecting/updating address information for the special place and any associated group quarters and housing units, determining the type of special place/group quarters, and collecting additional administrative information about each group quarters at the special place.
Special Place Facility Questionnaire operation An operation where interviewers at telephone centers call each special place on the special place file and conduct computer assisted telephone interviews to collect/update address information for the special place and any associated group quarters and housing units, determine the type of special place and any associated group quarters, and collect any additional information about each group quarters at the special place. If the interview cannot be completed by phone, an enumerator will visit the facility to conduct the interview. See special place facility questionnaire. 
Special sworn status individual Designation for a temporary employee hired to assist the Census Bureau on work authorized by Title 13 and subject to the same confidentiality requirements as regular Census Bureau employees. See confidentiality and privacy act. 
Standard deviation A measure of the dispersion of values in a frequency distribution from the average
State A type of governmental unit that is the primary legal subdivision of the United States. See governmental unit and state equivalent.
State certifying official The official designated annually by the governor of each state and state equivalent to review and certify that our inventory of local governmental units in that state is accurate and that the boundary changes were accomplished in accordance with state law. See Boundary and Annexation Survey.
State code A two-digit code assigned by National Institute of Standards and Terminology to identify each state and state equivalent. See code, Federal Information Processing Standards code, and geographic code. 
State Data Center (SDC) A state agency or university facility identified by the governor of each state and state equivalent to participate in our cooperative network for the dissemination of census data. A SDC also may provide demographic data to local agencies participating in our statistical areas programs and may assist the Census Bureau in the identification and delineation of statistical areas. 
State-designated American Indian statistical area A new program offered by the Census Bureau to the states for state-recognized American Indian tribes without a land base. A state government liaison can review and update the boundaries for these geographic areas and the Census Bureau will provide data for these areas.
State equivalent A type of governmental unit treated by the Census Bureau as if it were a state for purposes of data presentation. For Census 2000, the state equivalents include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. See governmental unit, Island Areas, and state.
Statement of need A description of the services and/or final product solicited by the government. See SOW.
Statement of work  A description of the objectives and/or tasks required to be accomplished as a part of a request for proposals or in a contract for professional services. See SON.
Statistical entity Any specially defined geographic entity, such as, a metropolitan area, urbanized area, tribal designated statistical area, census county division, census designated place, census tract, block group, or census block, for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. Statistical entity boundaries are not legally defined, and the entities have no governmental standing. See legal entity.
Statistical Research Division Census Bureau. Conducts statistical and methodological research motivated by practical problems arising in all phases of data collection, processing, and dissemination.
Summary Tape File (STF) A series of census summary tabulations of 100 percent data and sample population and housing data available for public use on computer tape, CD-ROM, and the Internet. These will not be produced for Census 2000.
Switching The name for a 1990 census disclosure avoidance procedure. Now called the confidentiality edit.
Tabulation block A physical block that does not have any legal or statistical boundaries passing through it OR each portion of a physical block after the Census Bureau recognizes any legal or statistical boundaries that pass through it. See block, block number, and collection block.
Tabulation geography The geographic entities for which the Census Bureau tabulates and presents data, such as, the United States, American Indian and Alaska Native areas, states, counties, county subdivision, places, congressional districts, metropolitan areas, census tracts, and census blocks. See collection geography and geographic entity.
Targeted canvassing Used in the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal. Replaced by block canvassing.
Targeted mailing The mailing of replacement questionnaires is targeted to nonrespondents, that is, households that did not return a completed questionnaire by a certain time.
Targeted map update An operation where census employees (updaters) go into the field to find the city-style address ranges that the regional offices and regional census centers (RCCs) were unable to resolve during Master Address File Geocoding Office Resolution. The updaters identify the streets and address ranges by annotating census maps and lists of uncoded address ranges. They return the maps and lists to the RCCs and the RCCs insert the information into the TIGER® database and flag errors in the master address file. The computer matches and geocodes the addresses. See automated master address file geocoding office operation, TIGER®, TIGER® improvement program, census map preview, and Boundary and Annexation Survey. 
Targeted multi-unit check Used in the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal. Replaced by block canvassing.
Targeted nonsheltered outdoor location A geographically identifiable outdoor location open to the elements where there is evidence that people might be living in March 2000 without paying to stay there and who do not usually receive services at soup kitchens, shelters, and mobile food vans. Sites must have a specific location description that will allow a census enumeration team to physically locate the site; for example, "the Brooklyn Bridge at the corner of Bristol Drive" or "the 700 block of Taylor Street behind the old warehouse." Excludes pay-for-use campgrounds; drop-in centers; post offices; hospital emergency rooms; and commercial sites (including all-night theaters and all-night diners).
Targeting database See planning database. 
Technologies Management Office Census Bureau. Develops and implements computer-assisted data collection and related support operations. Oversees the development of automated instruments for Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI) applications. Serves as liaison with production software contractors. Coordinates the activities 

of the data collection centers. 

Technology Administration Department of Commerce. The TA serves the needs of technology-based industry. It includes three major organizations: the Office of Technology Policy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and National Technical Information Service.
Telecommunications Office Census Bureau. Provides telecommunications support throughout the Census Bureau including support for Field surveys and provides external customers with access to the Internet.
Telephone followup Telephone contact from a district office or a processing office to occupied housing units to complete or correct inadequate data for mail return questionnaires that failed the edit 
Telephone questionnaire assistance A toll-free service that will be provided by a commercial phone center to answer questions about Census 2000 or the census questionnaire
Telephone questionnaire assistance 

field verification

 An operation to verify the existence and the residential status of addresses given to the Census Bureau from the TQA operation. Addresses verified by a field enumerator are added to the master address file.
Tenure All occupied housing units are classified as either owner occupied or renter occupied.
Test census A partial or complete census of population and housing that the Census Bureau conducts in selected areas prior to a decennial census to test the validity and effectiveness of a variety of operations, including alternatives.
Title 13 (U.S. Code) The law under which the Census Bureau operates and that guarantees the confidentiality of census information and establishes penalties for disclosing this information.
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) A computer database that contains a digital representation of all census-required map features (streets, roads, rivers, railroads, lakes, and so forth), the related attributes for each, and the geographic identification codes for all entities used by the Census Bureau to tabulate data for the United States, Puerto Rico, and Island Areas. The TIGER® database provides a resource for the production of maps, entity headers for tabulations, and automated assignment of addresses to a geographic location in a process known as "geocoding." TIGER® was preceded by the GBF/DIME (Geographic Base File/Dual Independent Map Encoding) files. See automated master address file geocoding office operation, TIGER® improvement program, targeted map update, census map preview, Boundary and Annexation Survey, digital exchange file, and geocode. 
TIGER® Improvement Program This program provides all local governments and regional and metropolitan agencies the opportunity to assist the Census Bureau in locating and updating street features, street names, and address ranges identified as missing or incorrect in the TIGER® database. This information is needed to link U.S. Postal Service addresses with the TIGER® database. See automated master address file geocoding office operation, TIGER®, targeted map update, census map preview, Boundary and Annexation Survey, digital exchange file, and geocode. 
TIGER®/Line File The computer-readable extract of the TIGER® database that the Census Bureau makes available to the public. It contains data representing the roads, railroads, bodies of water, boundaries of legal and statistical entities, and other visible and nonvisible features, along with their attributes (names, address ranges, geographic codes, census feature class codes, and the like)
Tool kit  Special census methods and procedures available for improving cooperation or enumeration in hard-to-enumerate areas. These are not normally scheduled operations but are available to the Census regional offices for use as needed. Examples: targeting database, team and blitz enumeration, and urban update/leave.
Touchtone data entry An automated data capture technology which allows a respondent, using the keypad of a touchtone telephone, to reply to computer generated prompts. 
Town A type of minor civil division in the New England states, New York, and Wisconsin and a type of incorporated place in 30 states and the Virgin Islands of the United States. See county subdivision, governmental unit, and incorporated place.
Tract Small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of counties delineated by local committees of census data users in accordance with Census Bureau guidelines for the purpose of collecting and presenting decennial census data. These neighborhoods contain between 1,000 and 8,000 people, typically approximately 1,700 housing units and 4,000 people. Tracts are designed to have homogeneous population characteristics, economic status, and living conditions at the time they are established. Census tract boundaries normally follow visible features but may follow governmental unit boundaries and other nonvisible features. There will be more than 60,000 census tracts in 2000. See statistical entity and census statistical areas committee.
Tract number Used to uniquely identify a census tract within a county
Traffic analysis zone An area defined by a metropolitan planning organization for tabulating transportation statistics from the census
Transient location Includes living quarters with people who have no usual home elsewhere that were enumerated during transient, or T-Night, enumeration at YMCAs, YWCAs, hostels, commercial and government-run campgrounds, campgrounds at racetracks, fairs, carnivals, and marinas. Census enumerators complete a (Simplified) Enumerator Questionnaire for the residents who do not have a home elsewhere. These locations are classified as housing units. 
Transient night or  

T-Night, 

T-Night enumeration 

 A method of enumeration in which Census Bureau staff enumerate people at transient locations, such as, campgrounds at racetracks, recreational vehicle campgrounds or parks, commercial or public campgrounds, fairs and carnivals, and marinas. Enumerators conduct a personal interview using a (Simplified) Enumerator Questionnaire. No vacant units are generated by this operation. See transient location and (Simplified) Enumerator Questionnaire. 
Transitional shelters Includes shelters providing a maximum stay for clients of up to 2 years and offering support services to promote self-sufficiency and to help clients obtain permanent housing. These are service locations. See emergency shelters; hotels, motels, or other facilities; regularly scheduled mobile food vans; service location; shelters for children who are runaways, neglected, or without housing; and soup kitchens. 
Tribal Designated Statistical Area (TDSA) An area identified outside Oklahoma by federal- and state- recognized tribes without a land base or associated land trust
Tribal Jurisdiction Statistical Area (TJSA) An area identified by Oklahoma tribal officials as containing the American Indian population over which they have jurisdiction
Tribal Review Program A program in 1997 and 1998 to allow officials of all federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native entities to review and update the maps for Census 2000 for their jurisdictions. Other programs involving map review for the American Indian/Alaska Native areas include Address Listing Map Review, Block Definition Project, Boundary and Annexation Survey, Census Map Preview, and Local Update of Census Addresses.
Turnover rate The total number of enumerators who quit during a field operation divided by the total number of enumerators hired for that operation
Type of enumeration area A classification identifying how the Census Bureau takes the decennial census of a geographic area. Examples of possible TEAs include: 
  • •the area inside the "blue line." For 2000, this is the mailout/mailback and urban update/leave operations.
  • •address listing areas 
  • •list/enumerate areas
  • •remote areas of Alaska
See address listing, blue line, list/enumerate, mailout/mailback, rural update/enumerate, update/leave, and urban update/leave.
Undeliverable As addressed A U.S. Postal Service notification that a mailing piece could not be delivered to the designated address. Formerly called a postmaster return. 
United States The 50 states and the District of Columbia. 
Unorganized territory The portion of a county that is not included in any legally established minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place in a state in which the Census Bureau recognizes MCDs for purposes of decennial census data presentation. For purposes of data presentation, the Census Bureau may divide a large area of unorganized land into several UTs. See county subdivision and statistical entity.
Update/enumerate A method of enumeration in which enumerators update the mailing list obtained by address listing and other operations, update census maps, and simultaneously enumerate the area. For enumeration, they canvass selected blocks and pick up completed, unaddressed questionnaires previously left by a mail carrier or complete a census questionnaire for each occupied and vacant housing unit. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau will implement this methodology only in areas designated for rural update/enumerate. See rural update/enumerate, type-of-enumeration area, and update/leave. 
Update/leave The objective is to update the address register while delivering questionnaires. A method of data collection in which enumerators personally deliver a census questionnaire to a household and at the same time update the address list and census maps. The household completes and returns the form by mail. This method is primarily used for houses without city-style addresses. See address listing, city-style address, list/enumerate, mailout/mailback, noncity-style address, type-of-enumeration area, and rural update/enumerate.
Urban All territory, population, and housing units in urbanized areas and in places of 2,500 or more persons outside urbanized areas. The urban and rural classifications cut across other hierarchies; for example, there are generally both urban and rural territories within both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Urbanized Area (UA) One or more places and the adjacent densely settled surrounding territory that together include at least 50,000 people.
Urban update/enumerate The objective is to update the address register while delivering questionnaires. A method of enumeration within mailout/mailback areas in selected cities to enumerate blocks occupied almost entirely by boarded-up structures. Enumerators complete a census questionnaire for each occupied and inhabitable housing unit, and update the address register and the census maps. The Census Bureau does not plan to use this type of enumeration in Census 2000.
Urban update/leave Update/leave procedures are used in targeted urban areas where mail delivery may be a problem, such as, an apartment building where the mail carrier may leave the forms in a common area. Enumerators deliver census questionnaires for residents to complete and mail back, update the address register, and update the census maps.
Urbanized Area (UA) An area, consisting of one or more places and the adjacent urban fringe, containing at least 50,000 people and an overall population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile of land. The Census Bureau uses published criteria to determine the qualification and boundaries of UAs. See statistical entity. 
U.S. Postal Service The organization responsible for delivering the mail questionnaires in Census 2000 and the producer of the delivery sequence file
Usual home elsewhere A housing unit that is temporarily occupied by a person(s) who has a usual home elsewhere 
Usual residence The living quarters where a person spends more nights during a year than any other place 
Vacant housing unit A housing unit is vacant if no one is living in at the time of enumeration, unless the occupants are only temporarily absent. Units temporarily occupied at the time of enumeration entirely by individuals who have a usual residence elsewhere are classified as vacant. (Transient quarters, such as, hotels, are housing units only if occupied. Thus, there are no vacant housing units at hotels and the like.) New units not yet occupied are classified as vacant housing units if construction has reached a point where all exterior windows and doors are installed and final usable floors are in place. Vacant units are excluded from the housing unit inventory if they are open to the elements. Also excluded from the housing unit inventory are units with a posted condemnation sign or units that are used entirely for nonresidential purposes. 
Vacant housing unit followup The verification of the occupancy status of all cases originally identified by either the U.S. Postal Service or an enumerator as addresses without occupants or addresses that are no longer housing units
Village A type of incorporated place in 20 states and American Samoa. The Census Bureau also treats all villages in New Jersey, South Dakota, and Wisconsin and some villages in Ohio as county subdivisions. See governmental unit and incorporated place.
Visible feature A feature that can be seen on the ground, such as, a street or road, railroad track, power line, stream, shoreline, fence, ridge, or cliff. A visible feature can be a manmade or natural feature. See feature and visible feature.
Voice recognition entry An automated data capture technology which allows a respondent, speaking over a telephone, to reply to computer generated prompts. A component in the modular data-management network maintained by the Computer Assisted Survey Research Office. 
Voting district/ 

legislative district

 Any of a variety of types of areas, such as, election districts, precincts, wards, and legislative districts established by state and local governments for purposes of elections
Walk-in questionnaire assistance center Places, such as, post offices, libraries, stores and malls, schools and community centers, and other places where people frequent where unaddressed questionnaires, called Be Counted forms, are offered in an attempt to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be counted. The centers will be staffed by volunteers and Census Bureau employees.
Whole household usual home 

elsewhere

 See usual home elsewhere.
Wide area network  A group of computers linked within a network, such as, the Census Bureau's regional offices, to exchange and share information. Whereas a "local area network" may link computers within a building or among several buildings, a WAN covers more area and distance. See local area network.
Work breakdown structure  A way of organizing a project by a hierarchy of its components. The master activity schedule is organized by a WBS with 13 components or major programs. All Census 2000 program documentation and planning is keyed to this. For example, the scope and content of the program master plans will be keyed to lines in the WBS and documents in the Census 2000 library referenced to the WBS.
ZIP + 4 A 4-digit code following a 5-digit ZIP code established by the U.S. Postal Service for the purpose of expediting mail delivery. The 9-digit code generally identifies one side of a street segment of an entire cul-de-sac or similar dead-end street. 
ZIP code ZIP codes are administrative units established by the U.S. Postal Service for the distribution of mail. ZIP stands for zone improvement plan. It is a 5-, 7-, 9-, or 11-digit code assigned by the U.S. Postal Service to a street or portion of a street, a collection of streets, a business, or other establishment or structure, or a group of post office boxes to expedite the delivery of mail. The Census Bureau uses only 5-digit ZIP codes for the addresses and address ranges in most Census 2000 operations.
Zona Urbana (ZU) In Puerto Rico, an area consisting of the municipio seat of government and the adjacent built-up area. ZUs are delineated like census designated places, except that ZUs cannot cross municipio boundaries. ZUs have never had to meet a minimum population threshold to qualify for tabulation of census data, a criterion that for Census 2000 applies for the first time to all census designated places. See census designated place and comunidad.
  Source: U.S. Census Bureau