FIELD REPORT

Field Report - a formal report to describe the observation of people, places, and/or events and to analyze that observation data in order to identify and categorize common themes in relation to the research problem of the study.

***FIVE PARTS OF FIELD REPORT***

1.Introduction

2.Description of Activities

3.Interpretation and Analysis /Comparative Observation

4.Conclusions and Recommendations/General Evaluation

5.Reference and Appendices

1. The introduction should describe the:

>research problem;

>the specific objectives of your research; and

>the important theories or concepts underpinning your field study.

  The introduction should describe:

>the nature of the organization or setting where you are conducting the observation;

>what type of observations you have conducted;

>what your focus was when you observed; and

>the methods you used for collecting the data.

>You should also include a review of pertinent literature related to the research problem.

>Conclude your introduction with a statement about how the rest of the paper is organized.

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES

Your readers only knowledge and understanding of what happened will come from this section because they have not been witness to the situation, people, or events that you are writing about.

  Therefore, a helpful approach to systematically describing the varying aspects of an observed situation is to answer the "Five W’s of Investigative Reporting."     These are:

What -- describe what you observed. Note the temporal, physical, and social boundaries you imposed to limit the observations you made. What were your general impressions of the situation you were observing. For example, as a student, what is your impression of the application of computers as a learning device in history and English class; as a cultural anthropologist, what is your impression of the legalization of the LGBT marriage?

Where -- provide background information about the setting of your observation and, if necessary, note important material objects that are present that help contextualize the observation [e.g., arrangement of computers in relation to student engagement with the teacher].

When -- record factual data about the day and the beginning and ending time of each observation. Note that it may also be necessary to include background information or key events which impact upon the situation you were observing [e.g., observing the ability of teachers to re-engage students after coming back from an unannounced fire drill].

Who -- note background and demographic information about the individuals being observed [e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, and/or any other variables relevant to your study]. Record who is doing what and saying what, as well as, who is not doing or saying what. If relevant, be sure to record who was missing from the observation.

Why -- why were you doing this? Describe the reasons for selecting particular situations to observe. Note why something happened. Also note why you may have included or excluded certain information.

3. INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS

      Always place the analysis and interpretations within the larger context of the theories and issues you described in the introduction. Part of your responsibility in analyzing the data is to determine which observations are worthy of comment and interpretation, and which observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework that allows you to make these decisions.

•What is the meaning of what you have observed?

•Why do you think what you observed happened? What evidence do you have for your reasoning?

•What events or behaviors were typical or widespread? If appropriate, what was unusual or out of ordinary? How were they distributed among categories of people?

•Do you see any connections or patterns in what you observed?

•Why did the people you observed proceed with an action in the way that they did? What are the implications of this?

•Did the stated or implicit objectives of what you were observing match what was achieved?

•What were the relative merits of the behaviors you observed?

•What were the strengths and weaknesses of the observations you recorded?

•Do you see connections between what you observed and the findings of similar studies identified from your review of the literature?

•How do your observations fit into the larger context of professional practice? In what ways have your observations possibly changed or affirmed your perceptions of professional practice?

•Have you learned anything from what you observed?

4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

  The conclusion should briefly recap the entire study, reiterating the importance or significance of your observations. You should also state any recommendations you may have. Be sure to describe any unanticipated problems you encountered and note the limitations of your study. The conclusion should not be more than two or three paragraphs.

5.   REFERENCE & APPENDICES

     Examples of information that could be included in an appendix are figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, pictures, maps, drawings, or, if applicable, transcripts of interviews. There is no limit to what can be included in the appendix or its format [e.g., a DVD recording of the observation site], provided that it is relevant to the study's purpose and reference is made to it in the report.

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY: IDENTIFICATION OF PARTS.

1.The strengths and weaknesses of the observations.______

2.The five W’s of Investigative Reporting.______

3.The general evaluation section. ______

4.Sources of consultations.______

5.Literature review.______

6.Recap the entire study. ______

7. Results, statistics, pictures, maps, drawings, etc. ______

8. Statement about how the rest of the paper is organized. ______

9.To determine which observations are worthy of comment. ______

10. Figures/tables/charts/graphs, etc. ______