Fieldworks may seem exciting when you get the chance to visit your dream locations. However, most university students face many challenges, as not all are prepared for fieldwork activities.
In fact, most scholars involved in courses like Environmental Science Programmes look for Writing Assignment for University, as they lack the latest research reports.
Now, there are a lot of factors that can make your fieldwork successful. All you have to do is start getting prepared. For starters, you will require data sets for research, which requires months of the survey. But, if you have less time, you can use digital tools that are a click away!
To learn more such tips to make your fieldwork a success, check below –
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Start Planning Ahead
Preparation for fieldwork is just as vital as applying it on a significant day. When you create a plan for your fieldwork, you also get a roadmap of where you will head to.
So, start by creating a schedule that includes the two important items below:
- The objective of the fieldwork, and
- The programme or the curriculum throughout the fieldwork
When you figure out these two factors, your tasks will fall into place.
You can also visit the site beforehand to familiarise yourself with the conditions and spot any potential obstacles you or your team need to be aware of. It’s just like doing homework for your upcoming chapter.
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Be Prepared for Delayed Works
Regardless of how well you plan, something will inevitably go wrong. Hence, keep a mindset that a disturbance may occur at any point in your work.
There are prevalent situations like an important piece of equipment may break, arriving at the site only to discover that your only access is locked, or the weather may simply be bad etc.
Even though you won’t be able to control such occurrences, have a backup plan in mind.
When setbacks occur, figure out why they occurred and, if you can, take steps to make sure they don’t happen again.
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Reserve Your Field Gear in Advance
You should plan ahead and secure the equipment you will need a little advance. Since you will likely be on breaks at the same time of the year, contact your instructor, and discuss this in advance.
Many institutes recommend accessing field gears in advance, or they may have to gather them from outside stores. For e.g., course programmes for Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Minnesota offer complimentary field gear, which is included in the coursework.
However, students must book in advance to avoid any last-minute shortage.
You must also check to see if any undergraduate field trips are scheduled at the same time as yours if you plan to borrow equipment from your department.
If you need to rent equipment from a third party, arrange for delivery at least one week in advance. You will have enough time to verify the equipment’s functionality and calibration date during this period. In that case, you won’t have to postpone your fieldwork to find a replacement.
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Get Accustomed to the Local Language
There is a possibility that your field trips will be at distant places, where communicating in English is rarely possible. In that case, you must prepare yourself with the local dialects or the language of that place,
For example, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester offers field trips to locations like Barrême in France, Sicily in Italy etc.
So, when you visit such places, it’s possible that your translator won’t speak English well. So brushing up on the fundamentals will help with communication problems.
This will benefit your research and your ability to get along with those you work with.
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Beware of Logistics Problems
There’s a big chance you’ll lose track of your destined road or forget your student portal password, etc. So for citations like this, it’s always preferred to have some data stored in your hard-binding diary.
Some students even lose their field book, the laptop might get damaged, or the backpack isn’t that waterproof.
These are just some common examples, but there can be much more. So, it’s better to stay precautions. Hence, check all the factors that can prevent you from damaging your work.
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Take Care Of Your Equipment
Often students consider an expensive hard binding filed copy isn’t necessary.
But it’s just the wrong choice of priorities.
So, spend money on quality. Of buy assignment course, they will cost more than a standard notebook, but they have characteristics that make them ideal for fieldwork:
Brightly coloured, making it simpler to locate if you misplace it.
Built with fieldwork in mind, it won’t crumble under heavy use.
Keep in mind that your field copy must be resistant to water.
Also, do not forget to inscribe your name and phone number anywhere that is significant.
This also covers laptops, field diaries, external hard drives, and other out-of-door gear.
If someone finds something that belongs to you, there is a much better chance that it will be returned if they know how to get in touch with you.
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Save and Backup Your Cloud Storage
This is an important step, often overlooked by students, as they get exhausted at the end of the day. But, regularly keeping a backup of your files will just take not more than 10 minutes.
So, every night, make a backup of your work on an external hard drive. Even better, you can store a copy of it in a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Also, remember to take pictures of your handwritten and field notes and include them in your daily backups.
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Buy a Pair of Durable Shoes
You might not expect an out-of-the-box suggestion, but your field trips can be successful when you have the support of a good pair of shoes. Now, that doesn’t mean buying fancy footwear!
So, if you buy a pair, look for durable ones with a strong grip and good ankle support. Also, check the weather report of the area you are visiting.
For the safe side, you can buy waterproof shoes or a good pair of boots that can also prevent muddy roads.
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Motivate Yourself when Necessary
This is the last tip, which is purely based on motivating you.
Working in a field can be challenging. You’ll frequently feel anxious and alone and wonder if you’re acting appropriately.
Always keep in mind why you are there. Motivate yourself by reminding yourself –
- You’ll be able to gather information and make insightful observations that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
- You’ll experience new places, make new friends, and meet new people.
- It can also be an excellent chance to discover who you are and decide whether you want a postdoctoral career that is active in the field.
Apart from self-motivation, you must also remember that field trips significantly mould your career.
Final Words,
Students are often excited when field trips become a part of their coursework. But, it’s not just a trip; it’s for the purpose of covering the experiments and field activities based on your subject.
Hence, take these tips as your precautionary tool, and you can overcome any challenges that come your way.
