Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
using an electronic system is fi nding a suitable means of easily
making detailed sketches (Section 4.3).
4.2 Field notebook layout
Designing and using a good fi eld notebook layout adapted to
suit
your
needs and style will enable you to be systematic in
the notes that you take. This will help ensure that you do not
forget major components and that the information you collect
is much more accessible and therefore more readily useable.
Fieldwork can be strenuous and diffi cult particularly when, for
instance, it is raining, windy, very hot, very cold, at high
altitude, or the locality is diffi cult to access. Quite often the
time available to complete crucial data collection is limited due
to transportation, the hours of daylight, tidal and weather
conditions and the overall expense of completing fi eldwork. All
of these constraints mean that designing an effi cient means of
collecting data in the fi eld will maximize your output.
4
4.2.1 Preliminary pages
When you start to use a new notebook ensure that you put your
name, address, email and any other contact details in a
prominent place on the cover or immediately inside just in case
you should lose it. We suggest that you set aside up to 10 pages
at the front of the notebook where you can insert a table of
contents and useful general information. For the table of
contents two to four pages are usually suffi cient with a column
for page numbers. Other useful information for these
preliminary pages may include copies of rock classifi cation
fi gures (such as those in the Appendices of this topic),
checklists (to ensure you do not forget to take a crucial
measurement or record an important observation),
abbreviations and symbols used, photocopies of geological or
topographic maps of the areas you will visit, information on
who you need to contact to gain access to the area (e.g. quarry
manager or landowner) and any other information that you
might fi nd useful in the fi eld. In remote and semi-remote areas
where accommodation is limited it can also be useful, either at
the front of the notebook or in the daily entries (see below), to
include brief details of suitable accommodation and places to
eat/buy provisions, etc., for return visits.
4.2.2 Daily entries
The daily entries will form the bulk of the information
in your fi eld notebook. Example pages for the start
of a daily entry are illustrated in Figure 4.1.
