Loose-leaf sheets are numbered serially to ensure that all sheets are kept and turned in.
The instructions for return of the notes or cassette tapes are clearly marked and any special-
handling requirements are noted. An index of the field notes and a cross-reference to
additional books or binders should also be shown.
Party personnel and their duties and the project's beginning and ending dates are listed.
Instruments used (including types, serial numbers, calibration dates, constant values, and
dates used) are listed.
A generalized sketch and description of the project are shown.
The actual survey notes are shown on each page containing data.
The completed heading, to include the station names (including the establishing agency and
date), survey date, weather data, actual observed data, and any pertinent notes are listed.
The observer's initials are marked in the bottom right corner of the recording form (indicating
that the observer has checked all entries for correctness).
d. Standard abbreviations, signs, and symbols should be used in all survey notes and must be
consistent with guidelines in such publications as AR 310-50 and FMs 21-31 and 101-5-1. Spell out
words if there is any doubt about the meaning or interpretation of a symbol or abbreviation.
e. Field notes are considered legal documents and can be used in court proceedings. As such, no
erasures or write overs are permitted. No position should be voided or rejected in the field, except in
cases where the instrument or target was disturbed or the wrong target was observed. In either case, the
position should be reobserved and the location of the reobserved data should be noted in the remarks
section.
(1) All fieldwork should be done in black or blue-black ink (with no erasures) suitable for
photocopying. The only exception is the field sheet of a plane-table survey.
(2) Field notes show what happened in the field. If a number is changed, make a single slanted
line through the incorrect number, and insert the correct number directly above or next to the corrected
value, creating the new entry. The person making the change should initial the changed entry. A note
should be entered in the remarks column stating why the number was changed.
2-13
EN0593
Previous Page
