Initial Publication Date: August 31, 2020
Field Notes Badge
Overview
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Maintaining field notes is a crucial skill for environmental scientists. This badge targets students' ability to clearly record field observations and data and to clearly communicate procedures and interpretations in the four field course concept areas (hydrology, geology, geomorphology, and ecology). Throughout the course, the students were able to track their progress across multiple field course activities assessed by the field notes badge.
Badge Goals:
- Behavioral: Students are able to create a thorough archive of their field observations, measurements, and interpretations using a systematic procedure.
- Cognitive: Students are able to produce field notes whose organization, clarity, and scientific content allows the accurate recall and further advancement of the field work completed work by the author and/or others.
Assessment Categories
The Field Notes Badge Rubric (Acrobat (PDF) 168kB Jul1 20) assesses students in the following a categories.
- Interpretation: the interpretations are supported by data and are scientifically plausible.
- Useful for Interpretation: the student uses their recorded observations to make correct interpretations.
- Data: the data is recorded correctly, accurately, and completely.
- Figures: figures are neat and legible, and include north arrow, scale, labels, and keys when appropriate; figures clearly differentiate data and interpretation.
- Thoroughness: important site-specific information, errors, and assumptions are clearly recorded.
- Inclusion of Components: the student includes elements such as name and field partner.
- Recollection: Others: others are able to understand the field notes.
- Organization and Clarity: the table of contents is updated and all the information is easy to find.
Field Course Activities:
The field course activities students completed in pursuit of this badge.