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HOW TO BEGIN? • FIELD REPORTS- are often assigned in disciplines of the applied social sciences, social work, anthropology, criminal justice, education, law etc. where it is important to build a bridge of relevancy between the theoretical concepts learned in the classroom and the practice of actually doing the work you are being taught to do.
FIELD REPORTS • Are common in certain science disciplines but these reports are organized differently and serve a different purpose than what is described. • It facilitate the development of data collection techniques and observation skills and they help you to understand how theory applies o real world situations. • Also an opportunity to obtain evidence through methods of observing professional practice that contribute to or challenge existing theories.
FIELD REPORTS • We are all observers of people, their interactions, places and events; however your responsibility when writing a field report is to create a research study based on data generated by the act of designing a specific data, deliberate observation, a synthesis of key findings and an interpretation of their meaning.
1. Systematically observe and accurately record the varying aspects of a situation. • Always approach your field study with a detailed plan about what you will observe, where you should conduct your observations and the method to collect and record your data.
2. Continuously analyze your observations. • Always look for the meaning underlying the actions you observe. Note that this an on-going process of reflection and analysis taking place for the duration of your field research.
3. Keep the report’s aim in mind while you are observing. • In recording you must be focused and pay attention to details. Enter the observation site with a clear plan about what you are intending to observe and record being prepared to adapt to changing environment.
4. Consciously observe, record and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework. • The theoretical framework guiding you field research should determine what, when and how you observe and act as the foundation from which you interpret your findings.
Note Taking • This is the most commonly used and easiest method of recording your observations.
Photography • It can help capture an important moment in time as well as document details about the space where your observation takes place. It can also save time for documenting the details of space that would otherwise require extensive note taking.
Audio and Video Recordings • This can be particularly helpful as you gather additional information or insights during your research. These techniques have the negative effect of increasing how intrusive you are as an observer and will often not be practical or even allowed under certain circumstances and in certain organizational settings.
Illustrations and Drawings • This does not refer to an artistic endeavor but, rather, refers to possible need, for example, to draw a map of the observation setting or illustrating objects in relation to people’s behavior.
Generic Format of Field Report Introduction Appendix Description of Activities References Interpretation and Analysis Conclusions and Recommendations
I-Introduction • It describe the research problem. • The objectives of the problem. • You should also include a review of pertinent literature related to the problem, especially if similar methods were used in prior studies. • Conclude your introduction with a statement about how the rest of the paper is organized.
II-Description of Activities • This is similar to a well written piece of journalism. Five W’s of Investigative reporting. These are the following: • WHAT- describe what you observed. Physical and social boundaries you imposed to limit the observations you made. • WHEN- record factual data about the day and the beginning and ending time of observation. • WHO- note background and demographic information about the individuals being observed (age, gender, who is doing or saying that) • WHY- describe the reasons for selecting particular situations to observe .
III-Interpretation and Analysis • Always place the analysis and interpretations of your field observations within the larger context of the theories and issues you described in the introduction. Analyze the data which observations are worthy of comment and interpretation, which observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework that allows you to make your decisions. • Interpretations must be based on what you have actually observed. Do not speculate or manipulate your data to fit into your study’s theoretical framework.
III-Interpretation and Analysis • Questions you have to consider in analyzing your observations: • 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? • Do you see any connections or patterns in what 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 indentified from your review of the literature? • Have you learned anything from what you have observed?
IV- Conclusions and Recommendations • It should briefly recap the entire study, reiterating the importance or significance of your observations. Avoid including any information. • You should state any recommendations if you have. • The conclusion should not be more than two or three paragraphs.
V- Appendix • This is where you would place information that is not essential to explaining your findings, but that supports your analysis that validates your conclusions or that contextualizes a related point that helps the reader understand the overall report. • Examples: figures/tables/graphs/pictures/maps/drawings or if applicable transcripts of interview.
VI- References • List all sources that you consulted and obtained your information from while writing your field report. Be sure to write them in the preferred citation style of your discipline.
General Considerations • Comprehensible- needs to be understood by a range of potential audiences-including staff of other agencies not expert in the subject and local communities. Use simple, clear language-avoid highly technical terms & flowery description. • Comprehensive- must include all the facts and information of any relevance and include notes on checks made which did not uncover irregularities • Concise- It adds clarity. Helps to keep facts or conclusions in main body, but calculations/analysis and list of annexes.
