Research in Anthropology: How to Take Field Notes
Field notes submission assignment details:
You will simply go to the place that is the field site where you will be observing and participating in a ritual; for your final paper. Go Saturday, or Sunday if you like (or even Monday, since these aren't due until Monday night). Of course, I always recommend completing assignments early. You will take notes based on what is below, and upload them to Moodle via the submission link.
Everyone chose not only a group of people to study, but a place to go and study them (as well as to participate in the ritual, as well).
How to write field notes/What's the purpose?
Researchers use interviews or questionnaires, or participant observations, to gather data and describe in writing the individuals or groups being studied. Reports such as this may be called a field study or a case study in the social sciences.
If your assignment requires participant observation in the community, you will want to select a group and a location to study. Your decision might be based upon what you are currently studying in class.
You should consider whether or not you will inform the people you will be observing them, as some act differently or become nervous when being watched. With a pen and plenty of paper, you should write down as much as you can of what you observe.
Some points to consider in your notes:
• The date, time, and location of your field work, particularly if you conduct multiple observations and in multiple locations; (11/12/2017) time 11am church in san Fernando
• Specific facts and details (Who was there? What happened? What caught your attention?) people different ages - families - old people - What happened is guy was giving a lecture about god and then a band played some religious music- What caught your attention is that the people is so friendly more than what I see in streets or other places also they are so into what they are doing I saw one guy crying
• Descriptions of interactions and conversations, if possible;
• Use of nonverbal cues and body language;
• Descriptions of any rituals (including how-or if--you participated in any of them);
• Sensory details and images (What do you see? What's the setting? How is the space set up), and;
• Keywords (including any symbols) that will later jog your memory.
• There is no page length that you have to turn in.
After you have taken notes in the field, you should rewrite or type them as soon as you can. Take the time to fill in gaps by using your keywords and fully describe the situation and interactions you observed. To prepare for writing your paper, you will want to add your impressions and interpretations. The following questions will help you analyze and reflect on your observations.
• What are your responses to the notes you have taken?
• What questions do you have from your observations in the field?
• Are there aspects of the individual(s) or event(s) you would like to know more about or investigate further?
• What surprised you? What intrigued you? What disturbed you?
You should protect the privacy of individuals and groups. Your notes may include information that people or groups do not want shared. To protect identities, you should use code names.
Use your texts and classroom notes to apply key concepts and terms you are studying to the information you have gathered. Eventually, your paper should illustrate your observations from the field, your reflections and interpretations, and how the information you present relates to course material.