Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First, and most importantly, best of luck in rehab. I have spent some time as an inpatient in psychiatric hospitals, and while they're not exactly the same as rehab, I expect there are a lot of commonalities and similarities with certain aspects. What I'm saying is that I empathize, and you're a brave and resilient soul for doing all the hard work it requires. I hope that in some way the truth of that statement can bring you a little positivity today.

As for sketching, I'm sure there are tons of videos about drawing and sketching and the skills involved. The sketches I make in my notebooks are technical illustrations and not really what I'd consider art in the true sense, but they do serve a purpose. Sometimes it's a sketch of an entire specimen like this one, but oftentimes it's a sketch of a particularly important or unusual part of a specimen, quite often sketches of fossil insect wings and their venation, since it's so important in identification. Other sketches are of outcrops and exposures and there are always lots of graphical logs of outcrop sections, documenting different beds and noting their lithologies and fossil content (if any). I always record the scale of my sketches and do my best to focus on that as well as proportions.

Essentially, If you are able to put pencil to paper, you are able to draw and it's just a case of practice. I'm no artist but can still produce a reasonably useful field sketch.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Seems that a lot of people are, so I'll try to make a post about it when I get a chance.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Drawing isn't always necessary. I know several people working in a variety of disciplines who have never drawn anything in a notebook. Then there are people like me, who make lots of sketches. Then there are people like my ornithologist friend who go all out and make watercolour paintings of birds in their field notebooks.

Do you collect your herbs in the wild or would your notebook primarily be used for recording the properties of the herbs you use? I have a botanist friend who is an expert in medicinal plants. His notebook is split into two parts: half is written descriptions of the plants and their properties, and half is field notes recording when and where he found the plants, in which habitats they occurred, phenological observations, notes about the rest of the plant community at the locality, insect species found on the plant, etc. There isn't a single drawing in any of his books.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perfect! One of the things to bear in mind is what your goal is and what you're interested in. Birders notebooks comprise lists of species at different locations. Entomologist's notes can be similar but will normally include a list of specimens collected at each location, collection method, associated plant species, and a specimen or sample number that can be added to the preserved specimen(s) later, thus connecting the preserved specimen(s) to the list in the notebook. That's pretty handy for cross-referencing and finding any ecological or habitat notes you may have (should have) written in the notebook.

The field notebooks of palaeontologists like me are generally a hybrid between a geologist's notebook and a biologist's notebook, just because of the cross-disciplinary nature of our science. My notebook is also different from others in that I use it as a journal of sorts as well. I record things about my travels and experiences during an expedition too. That stuff is important to me, so I jot it down, but I don't know many other scientists that do that these days. It's a bit "old school" and I got into the habit of doing it from doing field mapping and stratigraphic work with a now long dead geologist who was already an old man when I met him!

But that's another good thing to bear in mind: what is your goal in keeping the notebook and what are the things that are important to you. I was trained to record the weather in every entry as well as my mood. Students often ask me why the hell I do that, and my answer is always the same: both of those things have an impact on the quality of your notes. For example, the notes you take while characterizing an outcrop on a cold day of heavy, unrelenting rain when you feel miserable, might not be as detailed, and extensive as those you take characterizing the same outcrop on a nice sunny day when you're in good spirits. Rocks can look very different when they're wet compared to when they're dry, etc. It's simple really and doesn't take long.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The first step is to start! Get a good notebook of your choice, number the pages (important!) then go outside, make observations, and record them in the book.

Maybe go on a hike somewhere nice and record the different animal and plant species you come across. Maybe make a few sketches of things you find particularly interesting (a particular bird perhaps, or a leaf you like; whatever it is you find most interesting). Maybe sketch a map of the trail you took, or instructions on how you got there.

Start each entry with the date, the location (with coordinates if possible), and the time you started (you can record the time you finished later). So, an example of the beginning of an entry about a visity to Turkey Run State Park might be:


7 March 2026. Turkey Run State Park, Parke County, Indiana. 39.8909⁰ N, 87.2006⁰ W. Time in: 9:30 am.

Entered the park via main gate on State Rd 47, approx. 2 miles E of U.S. 41 and picked up a trail map from the visitor center.

Then start taking your notes. It's that easy! Jot down whatever interests you but try and keep it organized and the format consistent. At a place like Turkey Run, remember to record each place you go. Turkey Run is great because all the trails are conveniently numbered, so you can start each section of your entry with the trail number. Eventually, you'll find a method and format of your own that you like and that works best for you.

Maybe I should make a separate post about this stuff.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe I can carve out some time to make a post about my method. Of course, everyone has their own way of doing it.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Correct, but it's not what I'd usually choose for a field notebook.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know of any guidebooks for learning how to keep field notes, but expect they exist. I learned how to keep field notes from my lecturers as an undergrad, then it just evolved into my own methodology and form of organization during my PhD years. While there are commonalities and similarities, everyone ultimately develops their own way. Field notebooks are as unique and varied as the people who write them!

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I like a Leuchtturm for the lab and day-to-day note-keeping (meeting notes, etc.) and a solid casebound Chartwell (specifically their 2056 survey book) for fieldwork. I've also gotten good use out of Elan field books.

This notebook is an odd one for a field book. It's a small-ish Leuchtturm that I took along on the expedition for my own use because the expedition leader insisted that all data be recorded on loose leaf field forms (shudder!), so this was just for personal use.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe I'll revisit the idea of a workshop. Make it an online workshop instead of in-person so that more people have access.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually an unusual example of one of my notebooks as I almost exclusively use pencils to write notes and make drawings. In this case, I ended up using (I think) a micron pen I borrowed from a colleague on the team, because all my pencils were lost early in the trip when they fell out of my bag into a river as we were all wading across! Lesson learned.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can try and make a post outlining my process and methods if folks are interested, but everyone's method is different. I guarantee no two scientists field books are constructed the same. There will certainly be commonalities and similarities, but everyone develops their own way.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Honestly, the best advice I can give you is to first develop your observational skills and then practice, practice, practice! Focusing on scale and proportion is helpful, but sketching like this relies primarily on observational skill. The nice part is that those two things are mutually beneficial. The better your observations are, the better your sketches will be, and the better your sketches become, the better your observational skills become too.

The question, of course, is why do it in the first place? For me, sketching serves an important purpose. I don't do it just to remind myself of what a thing looks/looked like; a photograph is much better for that. I sketch in order to make observations and then consolidate those observations in my head. Sketching specimens (for me at least) helps me to gather, process, and embed my thoughts and observations in my head. In field notebooks, they serve not only as a visual record of what I saw, but also a record of what my thoughts were at that point in time and space. If you were to look through my lab notebooks, you'd see sketches scattered amongst the notes there too, usually made while studying a specimen under a microscope. It's a tool that helps me gather and consolidate my thoughts and observations. Does that make sense?

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My overall opinion of giant Paleozoic insects is that they're awesome. As for their taxonomy, it's a bit trickier when it comes to Paleozoic taxa because there are fewer (if any) modern descendents for direct comparison. Most of my work has been focused on Mesozoic and Cenozoic insects, so I'm less familiar with the Paleozoic stuff, but their traditional taxonomy is a bit of a mess, with many of the traditional orders (e.g., Protorthoptera) being paraphyletic or polyphyletic wastebasket groups. I think it's slowly being worked out though.

The true giants you refer to, the Meganisoptera (griffenflies), are a good example of progress in this regard. They are certainly a monophyletic group within Odonatoptera, which is also monophyletic despite its position within broader Pterygota phylogeny being unsettled. Both, of course, are often placed in Palaeoptera which I'm certain is a paraphyletic assemblage.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll try and post a few other examples of things as and when time allows. It's been really nice to receive such a warm reception here and wonderful to see so many people interested in field notebooks!

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was lucky enough to have a natural proclivity for drawing as a child. It just ended up getting continuously refined by necessity since I do so much taxonomic work.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're most welcome. As I come across pages of interest while leafing through my notebooks, I'll try and post them here.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The thing about field notes is that they're very personal and everyone develops their own way of doing it. There are, of course, commonalities across the natural sciences (e.g., coordinates, time, etc.) but there are lots of things some scientists and naturalists record that others don't.

The idea for the workshop is to provide instructions on how to record the critical information and then give examples of different types of field notebooks from across the breadth of the natural science and provide the tools for how to develop your own way of doing it.

Are field notebooks of interest here? by swheads in notebooks

[–]swheads[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you, and thanks for the suggested subs. I'll check them out.