HOW TO WRITE FIELD NOTES

Taken From:
UTAH Historical Society
https://history.utah.gov/repository-item/how-to-write-field-notes/

What are Field Notes?

Your field notes are where you record observations and activities that you encounter or
participate in during fieldwork. You should begin your field notes as soon as you start
your field work, not when you begin collecting your oral histories! This means when you
begin to meet with people to discuss the possibility of interviews or visit a community,
you should start writing field notes about your experiences and observations. Field notes
serve the following functions:

First, they work as descriptions: you write them as notes and details of time, date,
activities, settings, observations, behavior and conversations in the field. Field notes
keep track of observations that you generally tend to forget over time. They also
supplement your research data because field notes help you keep track of observations
during interviews and place documentations. According to Thomas Schwandt,
descriptive information is your “attempt to accurately document factual data [e.g., date
and time] and the settings, actions, behaviors, and conversations that you observe.”

Second, field notes serve as interpretations. They allow you to examine value-
laden and subjective aspects of field work. As you write your field notes, in a different
section distinct from the descriptive narratives, write your interpretations of what you
encounter in the field. Theorize and suggest explanations for what you see. Explain what
you observed and ruminate on why your observations are relevant and important.
Answer the “so-what” question.

Third, field notes are reflections. This includes an introspective commentary of

what you observe and experience — and what all this means to you. According to Thomas
Schwandt, reflective information includes recording of “your thoughts, ideas, questions,
and concerns as you are conducting the observation.”

Complete the field notes as soon as possible after you complete a fieldwork activity.
According to Schwandt, “unless additional detail is added as soon as possible after the
observation, important facts and opportunities for fully interpreting the data may be
lost.” You can write your initial notes in cryptic form, shorthand, and quick notes that can
be later expanded and formalized. You may record your initial notes in a notebook.
Another possibility is to talk out your observations immediately after your fieldwork. For
example, you could turn on your voice recorder or your phone recording app and discuss
your observations while you commute to your next destination. You will refine, expand,
and combine your jottings into your full field notes, which will more likely be stored on
your computer.

Characteristics of Field Notes

• Be accurate. You only get one chance to observe a particular moment in time, so
before you conduct your observations, practice taking notes in a setting that is
similar to your observation site in regard to number of people, the environment,
and social dynamics. This will help you develop your own style of transcribing
observations quickly and accurately.
• Be organized. Taking accurate notes while you are actively observing can be
difficult. It is therefore important that you plan how you will document your
observation study [e.g., strictly chronologically or according to specific prompts].
Notes that are disorganized will make it more difficult for you to interpret the
data.
• Be descriptive. Use descriptive words to document what you observe. For
example, instead of noting that a classroom appears “comfortable,” state that the
classroom includes soft lighting and cushioned chairs that can be moved around
by the study participants. Being descriptive means supplying yourself with
enough factual evidence that you don’t end up making assumptions about what
you meant when you write the final report.
• Focus on the research problem. Since it’s impossible to document everything you
observe, include the greatest detail about aspects of the research problem and
the theoretical constructs underpinning your research; avoid cluttering your
notes with irrelevant information. For example, if the purpose of your study is to
observe the discursive interactions between nursing home staff and the family
members of residents, then it would only be necessary to document the setting
in detail if it in some way directly influenced those interactions [e.g., there is a
private room available for discussions between staff and family members].
• Record insights and thoughts. As you observe, be thinking about the underlying
meaning of what you observe and record your thoughts and ideas accordingly.
This will help if you ask questions or seek clarification from participants after the
observation. To avoid any confusion, subsequent comments from participants
should be included in a separate, reflective part of your field notes and not
merged with the descriptive notes.
General Guidelines for the Descriptive Content

• Describe the physical setting.

• Describe the social environment and the way in which participants interacted
within the setting. This may include patterns of interactions, frequency of
interactions, direction of communication patterns [including non-verbal
communication], and patterns of specific behavioral events, such as, conflicts,
decision-making, or collaboration.
• Describe the participants and their roles in the setting.
• Describe, as best you can, the meaning of what was observed from the
perspectives of the participants.
• Record exact quotes or close approximations of comments that relate directly to
the purpose of the study.
• Describe any impact you might have had on the situation you observed
[important!].

General Guidelines for the Reflective Content

• Note ideas, impressions, thoughts, and/or any criticisms you have about what you
observed.
• Include any unanswered questions or concerns that have arisen from analyzing
the observation data.
• Clarify points and/or correct mistakes and misunderstandings in other parts of
field notes.
• Include insights about what you have observed and speculate as to why you
believe specific phenomenon occurred.
• Record any thoughts that you may have regarding any future observations.

NOTE: Analysis of your field notes should occur as they are being written and while you
are conducting your observations. This is important for at least two reasons. First,
preliminary analysis fosters self-reflection, and self-reflection is crucial for
understanding and meaning-making in any research study. Second, preliminary analysis
reveals emergent themes. Identifying emergent themes while observing allows you to
shift your attention in ways that can foster a more developed investigation.