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Fieldnotes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An example page of field notes, taken at the Galapagos Islands in 1970

Fieldnotes refer to qualitative notes recorded by scientists during or after their observation of a specific phenomenon they are studying. They are intended to be read as evidence that gives meaning and aids in the understanding of the phenomenon. Fieldnotes allow the researcher to access the subject and record what they observe in an unobtrusive manner.

One major disadvantage of taking fieldnotes is that they are recorded by an observer and are thus subject to (a) memory and (b) possibly, the conscious or unconscious bias of the observer. It is best to record fieldnotes immediately after leaving the site to avoid forgetting important details.

Fieldnotes are particularly valued in descriptive sciences such as ethnography, biology, geology, and archaeology, each of which have long traditions in this area.

Structure

There are two components of fieldnotes: descriptive information and reflective information.

Descriptive information is factual data that is being recorded. Factual data includes the state of the physical setting,

Fieldnotes can also include sketches, diagrams, and other drawings. Visually capturing a phenomenon requires the observer to pay more attention to every detail as to not overlook anything.

Further reading

• Michael R. Canfield, Field Notes on Science & Nature, Harvard University Press, 2011, ISBN 9780674057579
• Robert M. Emerson, Rachel I. Fretz, Linda L. Shaw, Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes, University Of Chicago Press, 1995, ISBN 0-226-20681-5
• Roger Sanjek, Fieldnotes: The Making of Anthropology, Cornell University Press, 1990.

See also

• Lab notebook

External links

Example fieldnotes

• an online database of Charles Darwin's field notes
• a photo-journal of fieldwork in Basque dance
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