Although hiring and training a replacement required an unexpected expenditure of time, the problem was solved. Fourth Dimension presented unexpected technical problems that resulted in a system crash and delay in entering field notes. Adding RAM memory to the machine solved the problem. The program also took far longer for staff to learn to use than expected and required continual technical support from the manufacturer. The research staff expected to handle massive amounts of data, but at times during the study, the staff members felt overwhelmed by the amount of data they were collecting, analyzing, and attempting to summarize.
Copious data is both a problem and a blessing in qualitative studies.
Behaviors were being observed over and over again or not observed at all. Children could retell or dictate an entire story when prompted, but this behavior was one that did not occur naturally within a classroom. The situation was discussed during the audit. At that time, the researchers and auditor decided that it was highly likely that no new information could be gathered from observations of children within the classroom. To support this decision, the following plan was implemented.