The tweet got some traction.
Here is a summary of what everyone thought… in no particular order. The link to the full tweet is here: https://twitter.com/iamskeptikarl/status/1097744032883716098
@TremblayMarissa has some good tips about using small symbols in place of words, this can be helpful when describing the weather (i.e. draw a sun instead of saying “fair sunny weather”), and is also useful for plotting measurements (e.g. plot strike/dip symbols immediately to check that they make sense with your on-the-ground observations).
Also important, @RobertCMahon notes that recording your mood can be a great aide memoire, so can your interactions with property owners, other folks joining you in the field, or anything that might elicit a strong emotion (e.g. getting stuck in the rain, losing your favorite hammer, etc.). Though seemingly trivial, these will help “put you back on the outcrop” years later when you actually need to remember some minor detail.
@KathyBenison reminded us to keep writing down questions along with our observations. Sometimes the best questions come to you while you are talking back to your truck. I like to start the day by summarizing field objectives/research questions over coffee.
Another important reminder: keep a summary of important interpretations! I think you should do this once you have had time to consider things when the day is over, perhaps with a colder beverage.
Sketching: everyone does it, but no-one wants to talk about it. Sketching is super-duper important in geology! Even if you are not artistically inclined, sketching helps to “get your eye in” to an outcrop, helping to focus your observations. Always include a scale (can be a relative one) and I tell students to focus on 1-2/page, leaving plenty of space for annotations and details to be added later.
@RyanIckert had a helpful idea about using whiteboards in the field. I find that whiteboard can be particularly useful in keeping track of photos and samples, just write an ID/date/day/orientation/coordinates on the board and throw it in the photo.
There was some discussion on the role of tech in note taking. I was surprised at the amount of scientists who are now fully digital. I don’t know if I’ll ever get there, but there are clearly significant strides in terms of apps/hardware that make note taking more efficient… but back everything up!
Preach @HappyGeoJill. Preach.
When taking notes, it’s OK to “break the rules” because I don’t know how important the rules really are to begin with. Maybe the only rule should be: WRITE IT DOWN. We are often tempted to think “oh, I’ll come back and take the notes later” or “I’ll make that observation back in the lab” but this rarely, if ever happens. It’s always best to WRITE IT DOWN at the outcrop.
Which brings be to my final point:
Do it. Now get out there.
PS – I’ve attached my slides from this class in case others have questions. These slides include some very helpful notes I received from Kyle House: professional mapper, USGS scientist and note-ninja. He graciously provided copies of his own notebooks as well as some personal tips. These are a gold mine for students learning field geology. I have layered some of my own ideas/tips amongst them but he deserves the credit for many of the ideas, I’ll take the blame for any mistakes.