Category: Research

Just some notes on our recent reading of Emerson’s Writing Field Notes for my own reference (and for anyone else who needs a refresher … )   writing as a construction, a version of the world according to the writer filter vs mirror stylistic  narrative conventions selective and partial asides, commentaries forget and simplify immediacy dictation vs writing internal editor stream-of-conscious fashion what to include and what to leave out include tangential activities and comments “minor” description, dialogue, characterization adjectives and adverbs – color, shape, size, sound, timbre, volume, smell, fragrance, gestures, movements, posture, facial expressions (kinetic) stereotypes – gender, age, race, physical appearance visual cliches avoids evaluative verbs and adjectives tone of voice, attitude of writer – in word choice direct-indirect quotes sketches – brief segments, still life episodes – continuous action or motion asides – brief, reflective bits of analytic writing that clarify explain, interpret, or raise questions about some specific happening or process described in a field note. – tentative hunches commentary – more elaborate reflection, a series of stories portraying slices of life in vivid detail