Veldmethode

Veldmethode, literally field method in Dutch, refers to a class of research techniques applied in real-world settings to collect data outside of controlled environments. It covers planning, data collection, and analysis steps conducted in the field and is used in many disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, linguistics, ecology, geography, and archaeology.

Typical techniques include participant observation, semi-structured interviews, surveys in situ, life histories, ecological sampling, environmental measurements, mapping, GPS data collection, and the use of audio and video recordings. In the social sciences, field methods emphasize context, social interaction, and cultural norms; in the natural sciences, they focus on measurements of organisms, habitats, weather, soils, and landscapes.

Implementation involves preparing fieldwork protocols, obtaining ethics approvals when required, obtaining informed consent, ensuring safety, and maintaining accurate field notes and metadata. Data quality relies on transparency, replication, and calibration; researchers often triangulate observations with multiple sources.

Strengths include ecological validity, contextual understanding, and access to hard-to-reach environments; limitations include logistical constraints, observer bias, time requirements, and potential ethical concerns. The term is used mainly in Dutch-language academic contexts to describe the set of practices used during field-based research.