Standard Demographic and Religious Involvement Variables:
Examples for Various Styles of Question Construction
1. Age:
Your age: ______
What is your age? ______
How old were you on your last birthday? ______
Age? [ ] under 21 [ ] 26 – 34 [ ] 45 – 54 [ ] 65 – 74
[ ] 21 – 25 [ ] 35 – 44 [ ] 55 – 64 [ ] 75 or over
2. Gender:
Gender? [ ] Male [ ] Female
What is your gender? ____ man ____ woman
3. Race and Ethnicity:
Race? _____________
What is your race or ethnicity? ____________
Race? [ ] White [ ] Black [ ] Hispanic [ ] Asian [ ] Other ___________
4. Marital Status:
Marital Status? [ ] Single, never married [ ] Widowed
[ ] Separated or divorced [ ] Married
What is you family status currently?
____ single, never married ____ in a committed relationship (not legally married)
____ married (first marriage) ____ widowed
____ divorced or legally separated ____ remarried after divorce
____ remarried after widowhood
Are you married or single? ____ single ____ married
If currently single, have you ever been married? ____ yes ____ no
5. Income:
What is your (total household) gross annual income? _______________
What is your annual household (family or single living alone) income range?
[ ] Under $7,500 [ ] $15,000 – 24,999 [ ] $50,000 – 74,999
[ ] $7,500 – 14,999 [ ] $25,000 – 34,999 [ ] $75,000 or more
[ ] $35,000 – 49,999
Last year, your total family income was approximately:
[ ] Under $30,000 [ ] $50,000 – 74,999 [ ] $100,000 – 150,000
[ ] $30,000 – 49,000 [ ] $75,000 – 99,999 [ ] Over $150,000
6. Educational attainment:
How many years of schooling have you had? _________
What is your highest level of formal education?
____ 1) high school graduation or less
____ 2) two year college degree, some college
____ 3) four year college degree
____ 4) some graduate education, but no degree
____ 5) master’s degree
____ 6) doctoral degree
7. Occupation :
What is your present occupation (or what was it before you retired)? ______________________
If currently employed or retired, what is/was your occupation? [ These are roughly the categories used by the U.S. Census .]
[ ] Service worker: police person, barbers, janitors, beauticians, waiters, ushers, etc.
[ ] Clerical worker : bookkeepers, secretaries, mail carriers, telephone operators, ticket agents,etc.
[ ] Farmer or farm worker
[ ] Operative or Laborer: semi-skilled & unskilled workers in construction, manufacturing, and transportation, apprentices, teamsters, etc.
[ ] Craftsmen, foremen: bakers, carpenters, masons, electricians, machinists, etc.
[ ] Sales worker : salespersons, insurance & real estate agents, brokers, stock & bond sales,etc.
[ ] Proprietor, manager, or official: public service, credit officers, buyers, floor managers, etc.
[ ] Professional, technical : teachers, doctors, accountants, architects, artists, nurses, lawyers,etc.
[ ] Other: ____________________________________________________________________
8. Employment status :
[ ] Retired [ ] Employed part time
[ ] Full time “homemaker” or student [ ] Employed full time
9. Number and ages of children :
How many children do you have under the age of 22? ______ What are their ages? __________
Do you have children in any of the following groups?
a. Birth – 4 years old [ ] Yes [ ] No _____ Number
b. Five – 12 years old [ ] Yes [ ] No _____ Number
c. Thirteen – 17 years old [ ] Yes [ ] No _____ Number
10. Number of years in the community :
How many years have you lived in this community? _____________________________
How many years have you lived in this general area?
[ ] One year or less [ ] 5 – 9 years [ ] 20 or more years
[ ] 2 – 4 years [ ] 10 – 19 years
11. Distance from home to work :
How long does it take you to travel from your home to your job (one way)? ___________
How long does it take you to travel from your home to your job?
[ ] 5 minutes or less [ ] 11 – 15 minutes [ ] 31 – 44 minutes
[ ] 6 – 10 minutes [ ] 16 – 30 minutes [ ] 45 or more minutes
12. Length of membership in the congregation :
How long have you been attending this congregation? ________ years
How long have you been a member of this local church?
[ ] Not a member [ ] 2 – 4 years [ ] 10 – 19 years
[ ] One year or less [ ] 5 -9 years [ ] 20 or more years
13. Frequency of attendance :
About how many worship services do you attend at this parish during an average month?
About ________ services per month.
On the average, how many times have you attended worship services during the past year?
[ ] None [ ] About once a month
[ ] About once or twice a year [ ] About two or three times a month
[ ] Once or twice every three months [ ] Four or more times a month
14. Congregational involvement :
Apart from worship services, about how much time do you spend in committees, social events, educational and outreach programs of this church in an average month? ______ hours a month.
In how many church organizations, committees, and groups do you hold membership (not counting congregational membership itself)?
[ ] None [ ] One [ ] Two [ ] Three [ ] Four or more
Has your involvement in the church increased, decreased, or remained the same in recent years?
[ ] Increased [ ] Remained the same [ ] Decreased
15. Leadership roles in the congregation :
Within the last two years have you served on a parish committee or been on the Vestry?
_____ No _____ Yes _____ Number of committees
16. Congregational giving :
About how much does your household contribute to the congregation each year ?
[ ] Less than $100 [ ] $600 – $1199 [ ] $1800 – $2399
[ ] $100 – $599 [ ] $1200 – $1799 [ ] $2400 or more
17. Distance from home to congregation :
How long does it take you to travel from your home to the church? ___________
How long does it take you to travel from your home to your congregation?
[ ] 5 minutes or less [ ] 11 – 15 minutes [ ] 31 – 44 minutes
[ ] 6 – 10 minutes [ ] 16 – 30 minutes [ ] 45 or more minutes
18. Congregational relational ties :
How many members of your household and extended family regularly attend here? ______
Think for a moment of your five closest friends (outside your family), how many are members of this church? _________
Among the people you consider your closest friends, how many would you say are members of your Synagogue? [ ] None [ ] A few [ ] Some [ ] Most [ ] All or almost all
19. Prior religious affiliation :
Have you ever belonged to a congregation of a different denomination? _____ yes _____ no
If yes, which denomination? ____________________________
In what denomination or religious tradition were you raised? If you were involved with more than one denomination or religious tradition when growing up, with which did you have the greatest identification? __________________________ (please be specific)
20. Importance or salience of religion :
How important would you say religion is in your own life?
[ ] Very important [ ] Somewhat important [ ] Somewhat unimportant [ ] Not important [ ] Unsure
21. Frequency of religious practices : (list any appropriate activity)
How often do you participate in or do the following activities:
Daily Weekly 2-3 time a month Once a month Few times a year Never
Private prayer & meditation ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Bible reading ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Serve in church missions ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Seek converts & new members ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
For more information and suggestions, see Studying Congregations or the Handbook for Congregational Studies.
