A field journal is essential to a scientist's fieldwork, and is a central part of the Young Naturalist Awards projects.
When you go on your expedition, you will record all your observations, thoughts and questions in your field journal. Your field journal will be unique to you, reflecting your personal style.
As you can see by the examples of different field journals below, there is no one way to keep a field journal.
Some scientists will sketch simple pencil drawings, and others will paint colorful, detailed images. You can use whatever tools work best for you. Try working with pens, pencils or watercolors to capture an image, whether it is a view of the Moon, the veins of a leaf, or the legs of a beetle.
Some people record their observations with charts, list and labels, while others will write long, detailed descriptions. Think of some questions that may help you get started.:
"What do I see?"
"Do I see anything that surprises me?"
"How have I traveled to this spot?"
"What tools do I have?
"Who is with me on this expedition?"
"What time of day is it?"
The answers to these questions, along with all your observations, interpretations, and data will be a valuable source of information when you are writing your paper. Did you know that scientists share their field journals? Their journals are a permanent record of their work and are kept in libraries for scientists to study in the future, just like the journals below.
Field journal from Central Asiatic Expedition. Open to page with color sketch of stratigraphy, "Chimney Butte Camp Section"
Field journal of Ernest Thompson Seton, Volume 6. Open to page with watercolor of a sandpiper and ink sketch of elk horns.
Field journal of Gladwyn K. Nobel, Herpetology Department, American Museum of Natural History 1917 - 1940
Field journal of Henry Fairfield Osborn, Alaska Trip, 1896
Information on keeping field journals from American Museum of Natural History scientists (from the AMNH science program, Biodiversity Counts):
In this site, American Museum of Natural History Anthropologist, Eleanor Sterling, who has gone on many expeditions in Africa, shares tips for keeping a field journal.
In this site, you can learn about field journals from Brian Boom, a botanist at the New York Botanical Gardens.
Books on field journals and nature observation:
- 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.
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