Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing: Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes

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In this companion volume to John van Maanen's *Tales of the Field*, three scholars explore how ethnographers transform direct experience and observation into written fieldnotes that form the basis of ethnography. Drawing on extensive teaching and field research, the authors provide guidelines and practical advice for writing effective fieldnotes across various cultural and institutional settings. They use actual unfinished notes to illustrate methods for composing, reviewing, and refining fieldnotes into polished texts. Key strategies discussed include evoking sensory details, synthesizing complete scenes, and balancing perspectives, as well as the importance of notetaking as a mindset. The authors emphasize that vivid descriptions stem not just from memory but from envisioning scenes for writing. A successful ethnographer must remember dialogue and movement like an actor, perceive colors and shapes like a painter, and sense moods like a poet. They also highlight the importance of capturing the meanings that subjects attach to their actions, demonstrating how to amplify their voices in the text. Furthermore, they analyze the "processing" of fieldnotes, including coding for themes and weaving excerpts into a cohesive narrative. This work goes beyond a simple manual; it examines the interactive and interpretive nature of writing fieldnotes, revealing how researchers’ commitments shape their accounts. Ultimately, it illustrates t