field survey
On-location data collection
A field survey is research conducted on-site rather than in a laboratory or office—gathering data through direct observation, measurement, or interviews in the actual environment being studied.
Geologists conduct field surveys of terrain, archaeologists survey excavation sites, and social scientists survey populations in their communities.
The term emphasizes hands-on investigation: The field survey revealed soil contamination the satellite images had missed.
- notebookBlank pages for jottings
- mappingDiagram of correspondences
- compassDevice showing cardinal directions
- quadratBlank typesetting block
- samplingExtracting subset for study
transecting · soil sample · observation · ground truth · geography · photogrammetry · archaeology · georeferencing · interviewing · clinometer · reconnaissance · GPS tracking · weather conditions · land use · rangefinder · measuring tape · validation · GPS
- environmental reviewsenvironmental monitoring, environmental assessment, impact report, impact statement, EPA
- surveyspoll, polls, questionnaire, questionnaires, census
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
- field researchquestionnaires, expeditions, interviews, data collection, sampling
- soil sciencesoil, topsoil, subsoil, clay, sand
- geologic surveysgeophysics, magnetometry, sample collection, test pit, bore holes
field surveycontrolled experiment
Test isolating one variable
laboratory research · clinical trial · laboratory analysis · lab work
field surveythought experiment
Hypothetical scenario for reasoning
controlled experiment · randomized trial · simulation · mathematical modeling · pure theory
field, survey, fields, surveying, surveyed, surveys, surveyor, surveyors, fielded