English for Academic

and Professional
Purposes
12
Quarter 4
Self Learning Module 8
Writing a Field
Report

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English for Academic and Professional Purposes – Grade 12
Quarter 4 – Module 8: Writing a Field Report
First Edition, 2020

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English for Academic and
Professional Purposes 12
Quarter 4
Module 8
Writing a Field Report

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Introductory Message

For the facilitator:

Welcome to the English for Academic and Professional Purposes (Grade 12) Self
Learning Module on Writing a Field Report!

This Self Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by
educators from Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its Officer-In-Charge
Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin in partnership
with the Local Government of Pasig through its mayor, Honorable Victor Ma. Regis
N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum using the
Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) while overcoming their personal,
social, and economic constraints in schooling.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help
learners acquire the needed 21st century skills especially the 5 Cs namely:
Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Character while
taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of
the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies
that will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

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For the learner:

Welcome to the English for Academic and Professional Purposes (Grade 12) Self
Learning Module on Writing a Field Report!

The hand is one of the most symbolized part of the human body. It is often used to
depict skill, action and purpose. Through our hands we may learn, create and
accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a
learner is capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant
competencies and skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in
your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities
for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be
enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectation - These are what you will be able to know after completing the
lessons in the module

Pretest - This will measure your prior knowledge and the concepts to be
mastered throughout the lesson.

Recap - This section will measure what learnings and skills that you
understand from the previous lesson.

Lesson - This section will discuss the topic for this module.

Activities - This is a set of activities you will perform.

Wrap Up - This section summarizes the concepts and applications of the

lessons.

Valuing - This part will check the integration of values in the learning
competency.

Posttest - This will measure how much you have learned from the entire
module.

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 EXPECTATIONS

This is your self-instructional module in English for Academic and

Professional Purposes. All the activities provided in this lesson will help you learn
and understand: Writing a Field Report

PRETEST

Determine whether the following statements are True or False.

1. Appendices should be arranged alphabetically.

2. Material culture include the excessive body movements observed.
3. You may include new information in the conclusion section of your field report.
4. You should always have complete art materials in making illustrations of your
observations.
5. You should write complete, lengthy paragraphs while taking notes.

RECAP
In your previous lesson, you have learned how to present the results of your
survey in an organized manner, which is by writing a survey report. This time, you
will learn how to document and present your observations in a systematic way.
This is through the use of the field report.

LESSON

What is a field report?

A field report is a type of academic writing focusing on writing assignments

that require observation and analysis. It aims to inform readers about the result
and impact of an observed person, place, or event. Just like any type of academic
writing, the field report should follow the principles of good writing and must
include the essential parts that help explain an event or phenomenon. But before
that, the writer must also follow a systematic way of observing his/her subject/s.

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What should we keep in mind while doing observations?

• Observe systematically and record the different aspects of a situation

accurately. Always approach your field study with a detailed plan about what
you will observe, where you should conduct your observations, and the method
by which you will collect and record your data.
• Analyze your observations regularly. Always look for the meaning underlying
the actions you observe in the duration of your field research. Ask yourself,
“What's going on here? “What does this observed activity mean? “What else does
this relate to?”
• Keep the report’s aims in mind while you are observing. Recording what you
observe should not be done randomly or haphazardly; you must be focused and
pay attention to details. Enter the field with a clear plan about what you are
intending to observe and record while, at the same time, be prepared to adapt to
changes if they may arise.
• Consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the
context of a theoretical framework. In your previous research subjects, you
already learned what the theoretical framework is and its purpose. Now, in
writing your field report, the theoretical framework should be your guide and
should determine what, when, and how you observe and act as the foundation
from which you interpret your findings.

What are some techniques in recording our observations?

• Note Taking - Organize some shorthand symbols beforehand so that recording

basic or repeated actions does not delay your ability to observe. Use small
paragraphs which reflect changes in activities. Leave space on the page so you
can write down additional thoughts and ideas about what’s being observed.
• Photography – Use a camera or your own smartphone to capture an important
moment in time as well as to document details about the space where your
observation takes place. Taking a photograph can save you time in documenting
the details of a space that would otherwise require extensive note taking.
• Video and Audio Recordings - Recording your observations through video or
audio gives you an unfiltered record of the observation event. It also enables you
to rewatch or listen to what you recorded. This can be particularly helpful as
you gather additional information or insights during your research.
• Illustrations/Drawings - This does not necessarily mean that you need to be a
good artist to do this. You may do this by drawing a map of the observation
setting or illustrating objects in relation to people's behavior. This can also take
the form of rough tables, charts, or graphs documenting the frequency and type
of activities observed.

What are things that we should document while observing?

• Physical setting - Take note of the place where the observation is being
conducted.
• Objects and material culture - This refers to the presence, placement, and
arrangement of objects that impact the behavior or actions of those being
observed. These objects could be the cultural artifacts or clothing that represent

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 the beliefs, values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions of the individuals you are
observing.
• Use of language – Observe the use of language and the tone of conversations
among participants.
• Behavior cycles - This refers to documenting when and who performs what
behavior or task and how often they occur.
• The order in which events unfold - Note patterns of behavior or the moment
when actions or events take place and their significance. Also, be prepared to
note moments that arise that seem different from these sequential patterns of
behavior or actions.
• Physical characteristics of subjects - Note personal characteristics of
individuals being observed. Note that you should only focus on characteristics
that can be clearly observed.
• Expressive body movements - This includes body posture or facial
expressions. It may be relevant to also assess whether body movements support
or contradict the language used in conversation.

What is the format in writing a field report?

A field report usually has the following parts:
I. Introduction
• This should include a description of the specific objective and important
theories or concepts that your field study is based on. It should also describe
the setting where you are conducting the observation, what type of
observations you have conducted, what your focus was, when you observed,
and the methods you used for collecting the data. You may also include a
review of related literature.
II. Description of Activities
• The description section of your report enables your readers to know and
understand what happened to the situation, people, or events that you are
writing about. Given this, it is crucial that you provide sufficient details to
place the analysis that will follow into proper context. The Five W’s may be
helpful in systematically describing the varying aspects of an observed
situation. These are:
o What - Describe what you observed. What were your general impressions
of the situation you were observing?
o Where - Provide background information about the setting of your
observation and note the physical arrangements of material objects that
are important in your observation.
o When - Record facts about the day and the beginning and ending time of
each observation. Include background information or past events that
may have had an impact on the situation you were observing.
o Who - Note the participants in the situation in terms of age, gender,
ethnicity, and any other characteristics relevant to your study. Record
who is doing what and saying what, as well as, who is not doing or saying
what.

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 o Why – Ask yourself why were you doing this? Describe the reasons for
selecting particular situations to observe. Note why something happened.
Also note why you may have included or excluded certain information.
III. Interpretation and Analysis
• Always place the analysis and interpretations of your field observations
within the larger context of the theories and issues you described in the
introduction. Part of your responsibility in analyzing the data is to determine
which observations are worthy of comment and interpretation, and which
observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework
that allows you to make these decisions. When analyzing observations, here
are some of the questions that you may ask yourself:
o What is the meaning of what you have observed?
o Why do you think what you observed happened? What evidence do you
have for your reasoning?
o What events or behaviors were typical or widespread? If appropriate,
what was unusual or out of ordinary? How were they distributed among
categories of people?
o Do you see any connections or patterns in what you observed?
o Why did the people you observed proceed with an action in the way that
they did? What are the implications of this?
o Did the stated or implicit objectives of what you were observing match
what was achieved?
o What were the relative merits of the behaviors you observed?
o What were the strengths and weaknesses of the observations you
recorded?
o Do you see connections between what you observed and the findings of
similar studies identified from your review of the literature?
o How do your observations fit into the larger context of professional
practice? In what ways have your observations possibly changed your
perceptions of professional practice?
o Have you learned anything from what you observed?
IV. Conclusion and Recommendations
• The conclusion should briefly recap the entire study and reiterate the
importance or significance of your observations. Do not include any new
information. You should also state any recommendations that you may have.
Be sure to describe any unanticipated problems you encountered and note
the limitations of your study. The conclusion should not be more than two or
three paragraphs.
V. Appendix
• This is where you would place information that is not essential to explaining
your findings, but that supports your analysis and validates your
conclusions. Examples of information that could be included in an appendix
are figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, pictures, maps,
drawings, or, if applicable, transcripts of interviews. The order in which they
are organized is dictated by the order they were first mentioned in the text of
the report.

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VI. References
• List all sources that you consulted and obtained information from while
writing your field report. Be sure to write them in the preferred citation style
of your strand/discipline. You may ask you teacher about it.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
At these times, all students, including you, are undergoing through a new
modality in education, which is through modular and online learning. As a student
in this new normal in education, what are your observations? List down as many
observations as you can based on each of the documentation categories placed in
the boxes below.

Physical Setting Objects

Behavior Cycles The Order in which Events Unfold

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Activity 2

Assume you are to continue writing a field report based on your observations
on Activity 1. Compose Part II (Description of Activities) of your field report below.
Do not forget to use the Five W’s. Your composition should comprise of five
paragraphs (one for each of the W). You may write on a separate sheet of paper if
the space provided is not enough.

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 WRAP-UP
The following are the things that I have learned from the lesson:
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________________

VALUING

Guiness Book of World Records’ Most Intelligent Woman, Marilyn vos Savant
once said that, “To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one
must observe.” Observation is not just an important practice in science, but in life
itself, as we may understand everything happening around us through it.
Observation also enables us to be more empathetic or understanding to our
fellowmen.

POSTTEST

Identify the information described by the following questions. Choose the

letter of your answer.
1. Which of the following should we keep in mind while doing observations?
a. Analyze your observations regularly.
b. Keep in mind the aim of the report.
c. Record the aspects of a situation accurately.
d. All of the above
2. Which is a useful technique in recording observations?
a. Illustrations
b. Notetaking
c. Photography
d. All of the above
3. Which of the following is represented by material culture?
a. Assumptions
b. Attitudes
c. Beliefs
d. All of the above

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4. Which of the following is a physical characteristic that you may note while
observing your subject?
a. Attitude
b. Height
c. Mental illness
d. All of the above
5. What data should you include in the introduction section of your field report?
a. Interpretation
b. Recommendation
c. Theories
d. None of the above

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 KEY TO CORRECTION

5. c 5. False
4. a 4. False
3. d Answers may vary Answers may vary 3. False
2. d 2. False
1. d 1. False
Posttest Activity 2 Activity 1 Pretest

REFERENCES
Field Report: Definition, Uses, and Example. 3 May 2020,
www.elcomblus.com/field-report-definition-uses-and-example/.

“Organizing Academic Research Papers: Purpose of Guide.” Research

Guides, library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803.

“Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Writing a Field Report.”

Research Guides, libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/fieldreport.