- 1. Field Notes
- The most important skill to a field geologist is to take good
field notes.
- Field observations and interpretations are recorded in a field
notebook.
2. Taking Good Field Notes
- Look at the following two examples of notes from a field
notebook. Which of these ways of describing a rock outcrop is
easiest to understand?
3. Taking Good Field Notes
- In this case a picture is worth is worth a thousand words (or
should I say about 85 words).
4. Taking Good Field Notes
- A sketch, however, is not always the best way to record
observations. Review these two descriptions of sandstone.In this
case, a written description is the better choice to record the
observation.
5. Taking Good Field Notes
- Think!Do youneedto draw a field sketch or would a written
description be better?
- Think some more.What do you want to show in the sketch?
- Look carefully at the shapes and angles involved. Are the rocks
layered?Are layers horizontal or are they folded?Pay particular
attention to the contact between rock layers.
- Start drawing , but keep it simple. Don't worry about being
artistic. Ignore things like plants, cracks or shadows, unless
they're relevant. Use as few lines as possible to show what you
need to. Keep in mind the proportions you've thought about.
6. Taking Good Field Notes
- Add labels .A good field sketch is actually a labeled diagram.
Explain (briefly) what the diagram is showing. If there is not
enough space, mark certain places and write notes on the opposite
page in your notebook.
- Include a scale . It is important to include a scale, and when
taking photos a person, notebook, hammer, compass, or coin is a
useful scale. However, in a sketch you don't need to draw a fifty
pence piece. A simple scale bar showing "5cm" or something similar
would be clearer.
- Add explanatory notesand interpretation. This might be the
regional setting, inferred sedimentary environment, etc.
- If you take a photo ,record in your notebook which exposure it
is. But remember a photo is no substitute for a good labeled
diagram.
7. The following three field sketches are all of the exposure
below, but are done in very different styles.Note the different
styles.Which one do your think is the best sketch and why? 8.
Sketch #1 9. Sketch #2 10. Sketch #3 11. Example: Outcrop 12.
Sketch 13. Example: Outcrop 14. Sketch 15. How its your turn.Sketch
the photos of the following rocks or rock outcrop in your field
notebook. Sketch each outcrop on a separate page.Use only
pencil.Note:Just sketch what you observe (layers, thickness of
layers, folds, orientation, appearance etc).Dont forget to include
a scale. There are hints of the scale on each photo. 16. PHOTO A
17. PHOTO B 18. PHOTO C