ABSTRACT
Researchers think that they never have enough information, when in fact it is more often the case that they return with more than they could ever use in a single project. Several well-prepared researchers recognized quite early during their field research that their original proposals were largely irrelevant. Many fieldworkers bring back far more data than they need for the current research project. This can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the seeds of a subsequent project are already at hand, providing a natural excuse to remain in close contact with host country colleagues. Many researchers who collect physical samples leave subsamples in a secure facility with a trusted local collaborator for safe keeping. Some gave seminar presentations or public lectures at their host research institution and at policy-making institutions before departure, disseminating preliminary research findings locally before polishing them up for presentation to the international academic community.
