Table 2.

Cognitive interview questions on race and ethnicity

How did you decide how to answer these questions?

What do the words “person of colour” and “visible minority” mean to you?

Probes:

Are they different?

Do they relate to discrimination?

Are they positive, negative or neutral words?

(If first language is not English) What types of words does your own language have for people of your appearance, your ethnicity or your group?

Probe:

Do they mean different things than in English?

How do you understand your own “race”? “Ethnicity”? How do you identify yourself?

Probes:

Has this understanding changed over time? Has the way you describe yourself…?

Do you describe yourself differently in different situations or with different groups (e.g., with friends, family, relatives)? (with regard to race or ethnicity)

If surveys could ask questions in ways that would make most sense to you, how should they ask about race and ethnicity?

Is it important to include this information? Why or why not?

Is there anything else we have not talked about yet that you feel is important to aspects of your race or ethnicity?