Panel Studies: Some Practical Problems

Panel studies, undertaken with grandiose plans and high hopes, frequently fail to live up to the expectations of the initiators of the research. Practical problems, such as continuity of personnel, institutional commitment, funding, design and substance of the data bank, and changing of facilities and equipment may interfere with the success of the project. The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the pitfalls that may be encountered in such longitudinal studies and to suggest ways in which the researchers' awareness of these hazards may facilitate planning to circumvent some of the difficulties.