  We present new photometric data for seven high-amplitude delta Scuti stars.
The observations were acquired between 1996 and 2002, mostly in the Johnson
photometric system. For one star (GW UMa), our observations are the first since
the discovery of its pulsational nature from the Hipparcos data.The primary
goal of this project was to update our knowledge on the period variations of
the target stars. For this, we have collected all available photometric
observations from the literature and constructed decades-long O-C diagrams of
the stars. This traditional method is useful because of the single-periodic
nature of the light variations. Text-book examples of slow period evolution (XX
Cyg, DY Her, DY Peg) and cyclic period changes due to light-time effect (LITE)
in a binary system (SZ Lyn) are updated with the new observations. For YZ Boo,
we find a period decrease instead of increase. The previously suggested
LITE-solution of BE Lyn (Kiss & Szatmary 1995) is not supported with the new
O-C diagram. Instead of that, we suspect the presence of transient light curve
shape variations mimicking small period changes.
