Field research

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/field-research

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the definition?Collection of raw data outside of laboratory, library, or workplace settings
2. What is the core methodologies?Direct observation, informal interviews, participant observation, document analysis, life-histories
3. How does field research differ from lab research?In field research, scientists go to real places and watch things happen naturally, while lab research happens in controlled rooms that may not show all real-life details.
4. What tools do field researchers use?Field researchers use tools like notebooks for direct observation, ask informal questions, join groups as participants, and sometimes take samples or measure things like temperature.

Empirical inquiry: Research based on observation and experimentation rather than theory alone.
Epistemology: The philosophical study of knowledge, including its nature, scope, and justification.
Phenomena: Observable facts or events, especially ones that are unusual or interesting.