--- Forwarded Message from LeeAnn Stone <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002 23:50:32 -0700
>To: [log in to unmask]
>From: LeeAnn Stone <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Appropriate tape recorder

Gloria,

        Having just completed a 1 1/2 year project that involved taping
teachers'
classrooms as well as interviews (in every noisy part of the school one
could imagine),
I can tell you that at a certain point, the quality of the tape player is
irrelevant.
By miking the teachers (wireless) you can capture their words better. But
typically, that's more intrusive than most researchers want to be. Our
solution (although I'll admit we still missed some words) was to place two
small "journalist-type" tape recorders in the room. One closer to the
teacher, and one closer to whereever the researcher was positioned. I would
use the recorder close to me to add comments if/when necessary  such as
indicate actions and events that wouldn't be captured by the tape,
describing a process that the teacher or students were doing, etc.

LeeAnn Stone