For a given sample on whom past data are available, data at a later (or present) time (or age) are obtained from archival material such as medical or criminal justice records. In this way, a longitudinal dimension is given to the study. Also known as retrospective design, but a follow-back study differs in that investigator attempts to reduce recall bias by relying on formal, archival records. Follow-back designs are limited to the data available and provide no insights into processes occurring over time. Moreover, historical data needs to be collected in a systematic manner, otherwise group comparisons are difficult to make. Both follow-back and retrospective designs can be enhanced in terms of exploring links between antecedent and current measures if a control group is included. Follow-designs are typically employed in panel studies.
See Control group, Episodic event and semantic memory, Explicit (declarative) and implicit (or non-declariative) memory, Longitudinal-experimental Longitudinal design, Microgenetic method, Panel studies, Prospective cohort, Recall, Recall memory