Keeping a Field Journal
Keeping a record of your fieldwork is important. Although you might think that you’ll remember every detail of an activity, once you get home the details tend to become blurred and it becomes hard to reconstruct the precise details of what you observed. One way to overcome this problem is to record your observations in a field journal. The information you include can range from the simple to the elaborate, depending on the type of fieldwork you are doing and your own inclinations. Keeping a journal also encourages you to slow down, observe carefully and reflect on your observations.
Equipment
Choose a journal that’s sturdy and will hold up to being exposed to the elements. Cotton paper tends to be more waterproof. A journal with a hard cover is preferable. A good size is about 21 x 14 cm (approximately half the size of a letter sheet). For the written portions, use black, waterproof, fade proof pigment ink, and write on just one side of the paper. Use a pencil for sketching.
Take a field guides (or guides) out in the field with you to help with identification.
Format
Some basic information you would want to include would be:
- site name/location
- date
- time of day
- temperature
- weather conditions
The standard field journal contains up to 3 parts:
- Journal (the recording of the information listed above, plus your observations, and species lists)
- Species Accounts (notes on your observations of particular species)
- Catalog (information about things you may be collecting)
In most cases, you’ll be working on the journal part. You can include data on measurements you’ve taken, sketches and diagrams of plants and animals you’ve observed, graphs and charts, questions to yourself that you need to look up answers to, anything you think might help you answer questions once you leave the site.
Darwin's Opuntia Galapageia
Field Journal History
There’s a rich history of field journaling in field biology. In the past, it was a standard activity for all field biologists. A classic example would be Darwin’s observations recorded in the Voyage of the Beagle.
The field journals of Lewis and Clark are another good example.
Lewis’ “Vulture” (California Condor)
Useful Books
- Hinchman, Hannah. A Trail Through Leaves. New York: Norton & Company, 1997.
- Roth, Charles E. and Clare Walker Leslie. Keeping a Nature Journal. Vermont: Storey Books, 2002.
- Burroughs, John and Charlotte Zoe Walker, eds. The Art of Seeing Things. New York: Syracuse University Press, 2001.
Useful Websites
- Helpful Hints for Sketching: http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/class_prep/sketching.htm
