-Warm, dry, clothes. We go in almost any weather conditions. Bring a rain
coat. Shorts will allow your legs to get cut up, so long pants are much
better. All clothing will get dirty.
-Heavy walking shoes or work boots. We will walk through and in streams.
The clays in the dirt will dry out leather, so be sure they are dressed
occasionally.
-Clipboard, extra pencils, and a 15 cm rule. No. 2 pencils work as well
as anything on wet paper.
-Knife, small shovel, or some other type of scraping instrument. I will
supply other tools as necessary.
-Some past students with contact lenses have found that regular glasses
worked better in the dusty conditions of the gravel pits.
You may also want to consider:
-A day pack to carry gear, water bottle and a snack.
-Camera for photographs.
The primary task during the field trip is to objectively record field descriptions
and relationships for later analysis. To accomplish this task requires some
planning.
One approach is to us standardized data sheets
which will be provided to help you systematically record the information
necessary to complete the tasks assigned. However, a discussion of how to
take good field notes is included as a guide for extra notes you may take
now, or as a reference for future projects.
Taking good, accurate notes in the field is a difficult but critical task.
Observations, measurement, and other thoughts are best recorded as soon
as possible. Even a delay of a few hours can be fatal. Note taking may take
a variety of forms and usually depends on personal style and the purpose
of the observations. All notes should include some basic elements: plenty
of diagrams, maps and other location information, objective observations
and measurements, preliminary interpretation of the objective observations
and measurements, other passing thoughts. Even with all of these varied
types of information, the notes must be organized in some fashion.
If you have an established note-taking technique, so much the better. If
not, you may consider the following and modify to suit your needs.
-Start each day on a new page.
-Each day's notes should have three main sections:
1. Heading which gives date, general location, weather, people involved,
purpose of the field work (what questions are to be answered?).
2. Specific observations or measurements.
a. exact description of the stop, outcrop, or
site so that anyone else may relocate it.
b. factual observations - anybody at that location
should record the same information. Figures are very helpful and should
include scale and some orientation information, (e.g. north arrow, surrounding
features). Don't become overly dependent on a camera, the film might be
ruined.
c. Preliminary interpretation - describe what
you think you see, why it's important, and how it fits into your problem.
Remember your problem may change so keep your interpretation well isolated
from your observations. In may cases I will ask you to make 2 or 3 alternate
interpretations of your observations.
3. Daily summary: Review all notes and assure they
are legible and complete. Tie together your interpretations into a larger
view and assess the status of your problem - is it solved?, what more needs
to be done?, what new problems have arisen?
Some other considerations: