sample of library visit report

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Education and Communications
Official Writing
Report Writing

How to Write a Visit Report

Last Updated: March 30, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Madison Boehm . Madison Boehm is a Business Advisor and the Co-Founder of Jaxson Maximus, a men’s salon and custom clothiers based in southern Florida. She specializes in business development, operations, and finance. Additionally, she has experience in the salon, clothing, and retail sectors. Madison holds a BBA in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from The University of Houston. This article has been viewed 653,380 times.

Whether you’re a student or a professional, a visit report helps you document the procedures and processes at an industrial or corporate location. These reports are fairly straightforward. Describe the site first and explain what you did while you were there. If required, reflect on what you learned during your visit. No additional research or information is needed.

Writing a Visit Report

Explain the site's purpose, operations, and what happened during the visit. Identify the site's strengths and weaknesses, along with your recommendations for improvement. Include relevant photos or diagrams to supplement your report.

Describing the Site

Step 1 Look over the requirements of your visit report.

Reports are usually only 2-3 pages long, but in some cases, these reports may be much longer.
In some cases, you may be asked to give recommendations or opinions about the site. In other cases, you will be asked only to describe the site.
Ask your boss or instructor for models of other visit reports. If you can't get a model, look up samples online.

Step 2 Start the paper with general information about the visit.

If you visited a factory, explain what it is producing and what equipment it uses.
If you visited a construction site, describe what is being constructed and how far along the construction is. You should also describe the terrain of the site and the layout.
If you’re visiting a business, describe what the business does. State which department or part of the business you visited.
If you’re visiting a school, identify which grades they teach. Note how many students attend the school. Name the teachers whose classes you observed.

Step 4 Explain what happened during the visit in chronological order.

Who did you talk to? What did they tell you?
What did you see at the site?
What events took place? Did you attend a seminar, Q&A session, or interview?
Did you see any demonstrations of equipment or techniques?

Step 5 Summarize the operations at the site.

For example, at a car factory, describe whether the cars are made by robots or humans. Describe each step of the assembly line.
If you're visiting a business, talk about different departments within the business. Describe their corporate structure and identify what programs they use to conduct their business.

Reflecting on Your Visit

Step 1 Describe what you learned at the site if you’re a student.

Is there something you didn’t realize before that you learned while at the site?
Who at the site provided helpful information?
What was your favorite part of the visit and why?

Step 2 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the site.

For example, you might state that the factory uses the latest technology but point out that employees need more training to work with the new equipment.
If there was anything important left out of the visit, state what it was. For example, maybe you were hoping to see the main factory floor or to talk to the manager.

Step 3 Provide recommendations for improvement if required.

Tailor your recommendations to the organization or institution that owns the site. What is practical and reasonable for them to do to improve their site?
Be specific. Don’t just say they need to improve infrastructure. State what type of equipment they need or give advice on how to improve employee morale.

Formatting Your Report

Step 1 Add a title page to the beginning of your report.

If you are following a certain style guideline, like APA or Chicago style, make sure to format the title page according to the rules of the handbook.

Step 2 Write in clear and objective language.

Don’t just say “the visit was interesting” or “I was bored.” Be specific when describing what you learned or saw.

Step 3 Include any relevant pictures if desired.

Sample Visit Report

Community Q&A

↑ http://services.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/471286/Site_Reports_for_Engineers_Update_051112.pdf
↑ https://www.examples.com/business/visit-report.html
↑ https://www.thepensters.com/blog/industrial-visit-report-writing/
↑ https://eclass.aueb.gr/modules/document/file.php/ME342/Report%20Drafting.pdf

About This Article

To write a visit report, start by including a general introduction that tells your audience where and when you visited, who your contact was, and how you got there. Once you have the introduction written out, take 1 to 2 paragraphs to describe the purpose of the site you visited, including details like the size and layout. If you visited a business, talk about what the business does and describe any specific departments you went to. Then, summarize what happened during your visit in chronological order. Make sure to include people you met and what they told you. Toward the end of your report, reflect on your visit by identifying any strengths and weaknesses in how the site operates and provide any recommendations for improvement. For more help, including how to format your report, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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REPORT WRITING ON STUDY VISITS FOR LIBRARY STUDENTS: AN EXAMPLE.

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Site visit reports

Key stages of conducting a site visit and reporting your observations and findings.

When you visit a site, company, institution, plant or other location outside the university to observe how your field of study operates in practice, you are often required to write about what you saw. Whether you have to write a standalone report or record your observations for a larger piece of assessment, following the stages below will help you get the most out of your site visit.

Before your visit

Your visit might be the only chance you have to collect information about the site that is not available from other sources.

To prepare for your site visit:

Review your subject material in the LMS and your notes, and brainstorm what you already know about the site.
Do some preliminary research about the site in relevant library databases and online, so you know what information is already available in published sources.
Make a list of the information you think you need to collect at the site.
Prepare questions to ask staff at the site, if they will be available.

Collate the materials you will need to refer to at the site, e.g. your task brief, list of information to collect and questions, in a format you can access easily while on the move. Ensure that you have a reliable way to take notes, and that your phone has plenty of charge for taking photos.

A notebook or document with prepared headings makes it easy to record the information you need. You should also make sure you:

Complete any forms or health and safety requirements for your subject.
Know how to get to the site, and who to contact if you are delayed.
Wear clothing that is appropriate to the site conditions and the weather.

During your visit

To maximise the information you gather:

Take notes of any impressions or observations you have, of all aspects of the visit, under subheadings. Extra notes can help you recall important details you may not have realised were relevant at the time.
Record voice messages or memos of insights as they happen to avoid having to rely on your memory.
Take photos from different perspectives. If you need to include images in your assessment, you will be glad you have a range to choose from. You may not have a chance to return to the site to take more photos if you missed something important on the day.
Ask questions when you have the opportunity. If you meet any staff at the site, they are likely to expect you to ask questions and are usually happy to answer.

Gathering as much information as possible during the site visit will give you a wider range of material to draw from when you are preparing your report or assessment, and you will be able to produce a more accurate and polished piece of work.

Sections of a site visit report

Site visit reports may vary from subject to subject, so you should always check the information you’ve been given in your assessment brief or in other subject material. If your site visit report contains the following features, these explanations may help you gain a sense of the purpose of various sections:

Include the title of the visit or project, name of the site, the date of the site visit, and your name and student number. You may also need to include your tutor’s name, your tutorial group, or your team members for group assignments.

An executive summary is a condensed version of the whole report. It typically contains a few sentences on the background and location of the site, the purpose of the report, a statement about what was observed, and a few sentences that offer a conclusion or recommendations.

The introduction of the report should set the context for the level of observation conducted on the site visit. Include the importance of what is being observed and what you can learn from those observations. This might be, for example, to address a problem or provide a solution in another location.

This section is highly dependent on your context. It may involve explaining procedures and processes, such as chemical processes, construction, or commercial operations of a plant, or how certain features of the site are arranged.

In the final section, you should sum up the key findings from the site visit and comment on the implications of these findings, and you may also give recommendations if that is appropriate to the task. If you are required to reflect on your experience, try and make connections between what you have observed at the site and what you have learned in your subject.

Provide references to literature and published sources if you are required to integrate these into your site visit report.

Write up your findings as soon as possible after your site visit. The sooner you write your report, the more you’ll remember.

Reflection / Observation

If you are asked to write a reflection of your visit, try to:

Make links between theory and practice, i.e. what you’ve been doing in your subject, what you’ve read, any previous professional experience you have in the field and the practices you observed at the site.
Demonstrate in your reflection that you understood the most important features of the site.
Evaluate and discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the processes and procedures you observed (e.g. technology, efficiency).

A site visit is far more than an excursion or trip. It is an excellent opportunity to gain insights into how your area of study operates in practice, and if you adequately prepare to collect extensive information during your visit, you will be able to produce a higher quality report or assessment as well.

Looking for one-on-one advice?

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How to Write a Library Report

Patricia harrelson.

College faculty often encourage students to become proficient, comfortable users of the library. In addition to requiring students to complete a research project, they also expect students to use the library to explore difficult or intriguing topics from a lecture or the course reading. According to Peter Suber, philosophy instructor at Earlham College, students should visit “the library routinely to find scholarship that clarifies difficult passages in the reading, answers background questions, or deepens . . . understanding of a fascinating idea.” Suber, like other college instructors, assigns a library report to assess students’ engagement with the library.

Maintain a record of you library visits in a notebook or on note cards.

Note the topics you explore and sources you consult.

Consult books, book chapters and journal articles in addition to web sites, dictionaries and encyclopedias. Also seek students and library staff with whom you can consult.

Write summaries and/or responses about the material you consider and the people with whom you speak. You may wish to write an in-depth analysis of one or two sources.

Organize your notes by visit, topic or alphabetically by source and then write a brief commentary about each entry. Commentary might include a summary of a pertinent resources, a description of two opposing views, clarification of a difficult topic, background information or analysis and exposition of a source.

Type the final report.

About the Author

Patricia Harrelson is a retired college English instructor who began writing in 1987. She writes about education, communication and theater in publications such as the "San Francisco Chronicle," "California English" and "Central Sierra Seasons." She specializes in Web content, including blogging for businesses. Harrelson has a Master of Science in speech pathology, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Antioch University.

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The purpose of a field report in the social sciences is to describe the deliberate observation of people, places, and/or events and to analyze what has been observed in order to identify and categorize common themes in relation to the research problem underpinning the study. The content represents the researcher's interpretation of meaning found in data that has been gathered during one or more observational events.

Flick, Uwe. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Collection . London: SAGE Publications, 2018; Lofland, John, David Snow, Leon Anderson, and Lyn H. Lofland. Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2022; Baker, Lynda. "Observation: A Complex Research Method." Library Trends 55 (Summer 2006): 171-189.; Kellehear, Allan. The Unobtrusive Researcher: A Guide to Methods . New York: Routledge, 2020.

How to Approach Writing a Field Report

How to Begin

Field reports are most often assigned in disciplines of the applied social sciences [e.g., social work, anthropology, gerontology, criminal justice, education, law, the health care services] where it is important to build a bridge of relevancy between the theoretical concepts learned in the classroom and the practice of actually doing the work you are being taught to do. Field reports are also common in certain science disciplines [e.g., geology] but these reports are organized differently and serve a different purpose than what is described below.

Professors will assign a field report with the intention of improving your understanding of key theoretical concepts by applying methods of careful and structured observation of, and reflection about, people, places, or phenomena existing in their natural settings. Field reports facilitate the development of data collection techniques and observation skills and they help you to understand how theory applies to real world situations. Field reports are also an opportunity to obtain evidence through methods of observing professional practice that contribute to or challenge existing theories.

We are all observers of people, their interactions, places, and events; however, your responsibility when writing a field report is to conduct research based on data generated by the act of designing a specific study, deliberate observation, synthesis of key findings, and interpretation of their meaning.

When writing a field report you need to:

Systematically observe and accurately record the varying aspects of a situation . Always approach your field study with a detailed protocol about what you will observe, where you should conduct your observations, and the method by which you will collect and record your data.
Continuously analyze your observations . Always look for the meaning underlying the actions you observe. Ask yourself: What's going on here? What does this observed activity mean? What else does this relate to? Note that this is an on-going process of reflection and analysis taking place for the duration of your field research.
Keep the report’s aims in mind while you are observing . Recording what you observe should not be done randomly or haphazardly; you must be focused and pay attention to details. Enter the observation site [i.e., "field"] with a clear plan about what you are intending to observe and record in relation to the research problem while, at the same time, being prepared to adapt to changing circumstances as they may arise.
Consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework . This is what separates data gatherings from reporting. The theoretical framework guiding your field research should determine what, when, and how you observe and act as the foundation from which you interpret your findings in relation to the underlying assumptions embedded in the theoretical framework .

Techniques to Record Your Observations Although there is no limit to the type of data gathering techniques you can use, these are the most frequently used methods:

Note Taking This is the most common and easiest method of recording your observations. Tips for taking notes include: organizing some shorthand symbols beforehand so that recording basic or repeated actions does not impede your ability to observe, using many small paragraphs, which reflect changes in activities, who is talking, etc., and, leaving space on the page so you can write down additional thoughts and ideas about what’s being observed, any theoretical insights, and notes to yourself that are set aside for further investigation. See drop-down tab for additional information about note-taking.

Photography With the advent of smart phones, an almost unlimited number of high quality photographs can be taken of the objects, events, and people observed during a field study. Photographs can help capture an important moment in time as well as document details about the space where your observation takes place. Taking a photograph can save you time in documenting the details of a space that would otherwise require extensive note taking. However, be aware that flash photography could undermine your ability to observe unobtrusively so assess the lighting in your observation space; if it's too dark, you may need to rely on taking notes. Also, you should reject the idea that photographs represent some sort of "window into the world" because this assumption creates the risk of over-interpreting what they show. As with any product of data gathering, you are the sole instrument of interpretation and meaning-making, not the object itself. Video and Audio Recordings Video or audio recording your observations has the positive effect of giving you an unfiltered record of the observation event. It also facilitates repeated analysis of your observations. This can be particularly helpful as you gather additional information or insights during your research. However, these techniques have the negative effect of increasing how intrusive you are as an observer and will often not be practical or even allowed under certain circumstances [e.g., interaction between a doctor and a patient] and in certain organizational settings [e.g., a courtroom]. Illustrations/Drawings This does not refer to an artistic endeavor but, rather, refers to the possible need, for example, to draw a map of the observation setting or illustrating objects in relation to people's behavior. This can also take the form of rough tables, charts, or graphs documenting the frequency and type of activities observed. These can be subsequently placed in a more readable format when you write your field report. To save time, draft a table [i.e., columns and rows] on a separate piece of paper before an observation if you know you will be entering data in that way.

NOTE: You may consider using a laptop or other electronic device to record your notes as you observe, but keep in mind the possibility that the clicking of keys while you type or noises from your device can be obtrusive, whereas writing your notes on paper is relatively quiet and unobtrusive. Always assess your presence in the setting where you're gathering the data so as to minimize your impact on the subject or phenomenon being studied.

ANOTHER NOTE: Techniques of deliberate observation and data gathering are not innate skills; they are skills that must be learned and practiced in order to achieve proficiency. Before your first observation, practice the technique you plan to use in a setting similar to your study site [e.g., take notes about how people choose to enter checkout lines at a grocery store if your research involves examining the choice patterns of unrelated people forced to queue in busy social settings]. When the act of data gathering counts, you'll be glad you practiced beforehand.

YET ANOTHER NOTE: An issue rarely discussed in the literature about conducting field research is whether you should move around the study site while observing or remaining situated in one place. Moving around can be intrusive, but it facilitates observing people's behavior from multiple vectors. However, if you remain in one place throughout the observation [or during each observation], you will eventually blend into the background and diminish the chance of unintentionally influencing people's behavior. If the site has a complex set of interactions or interdependent activities [e.g., a play ground], consider moving around; if the study site is relatively fixed [e.g., a classroom], then consider staying in one place while observing.

Examples of Things to Document While Observing

Physical setting . The characteristics of an occupied space and the human use of the place where the observation(s) are being conducted.
Objects and material culture . This refers to the presence, placement, and arrangement of objects that impact the behavior or actions of those being observed. If applicable, describe the cultural artifacts representing the beliefs [i.e., the values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions] of the individuals you are observing [e.g., the choice of particular types of clothing in the observation of family gatherings during culturally specific holidays].
Use of language . Don't just observe but listen to what is being said, how is it being said, and the tone of conversations among participants.
Behavior cycles . This refers to documenting when and who performs what behavior or task and how often they occur. Record at which stage this behavior is occurring within the setting.
The order in which events unfold . Note sequential patterns of behavior or the moment when actions or events take place and their significance. Also, be prepared to note moments that diverge from these sequential patterns of behavior or actions.
Physical characteristics of subjects. If relevant, document personal characteristics of individuals being observed. Note that, unless this data can be verified in interviews or from documentary evidence, you should only focus on characteristics that can be clearly observed [e.g., clothing, physical appearance, body language].
Expressive body movements . This would include things like body posture or facial expressions. Note that it may be relevant to also assess whether expressive body movements support or contradict the language used in conversation [e.g., detecting sarcasm].

Brief notes about all of these examples contextualize your observations; however, your observation notes will be guided primarily by your theoretical framework, keeping in mind that your observations will feed into and potentially modify or alter these frameworks.

Sampling Techniques

Sampling refers to the process used to select a portion of the population for study . Qualitative research, of which observation is one method of data gathering, is generally based on non-probability and purposive sampling rather than probability or random approaches characteristic of quantitatively-driven studies. Sampling in observational research is flexible and often continues until no new themes emerge from the data, a point referred to as data saturation.

All sampling decisions are made for the explicit purpose of obtaining the richest possible source of information to answer the research questions. Decisions about sampling assumes you know what you want to observe, what behaviors are important to record, and what research problem you are addressing before you begin the study. These questions determine what sampling technique you should use, so be sure you have adequately answered them before selecting a sampling method.

Ways to sample when conducting an observation include:

Ad Libitum Sampling -- this approach is not that different from what people do at the zoo; they observe whatever seems interesting at the moment. There is no organized system of recording the observations; you just note whatever seems relevant at the time. The advantage of this method is that you are often able to observe relatively rare or unusual behaviors that might be missed by more deliberately designed sampling methods. This method is also useful for obtaining preliminary observations that can be used to develop your final field study. Problems using this method include the possibility of inherent bias toward conspicuous behaviors or individuals, thereby missing mundane or repeated patterns of behavior, and that you may miss brief interactions in social settings.
Behavior Sampling -- this involves watching the entire group of subjects and recording each occurrence of a specific behavior of interest and with reference to which individuals were involved. The method is useful in recording rare behaviors missed by other sampling methods and is often used in conjunction with focal or scan methods [see below]. However, sampling can be biased towards particular conspicuous behaviors.
Continuous Recording -- provides a faithful record of behavior including frequencies, durations, and latencies [the time that elapses between a stimulus and the response to it]. This is a very demanding method because you are trying to record everything within the setting and, thus, measuring reliability may be sacrificed. In addition, durations and latencies are only reliable if subjects remain present throughout the collection of data. However, this method facilitates analyzing sequences of behaviors and ensures obtaining a wealth of data about the observation site and the people within it. The use of audio or video recording is most useful with this type of sampling.
Focal Sampling -- this involves observing one individual for a specified amount of time and recording all instances of that individual's behavior. Usually you have a set of predetermined categories or types of behaviors that you are interested in observing [e.g., when a teacher walks around the classroom] and you keep track of the duration of those behaviors. This approach doesn't tend to bias one behavior over another and provides significant detail about a individual's behavior. However, with this method, you likely have to conduct a lot of focal samples before you have a good idea about how group members interact. It can also be difficult within certain settings to keep one individual in sight for the entire period of the observation without being intrusive.
Instantaneous Sampling -- this is where observation sessions are divided into short intervals divided by sample points. At each sample point the observer records if predetermined behaviors of interest are taking place. This method is not effective for recording discrete events of short duration and, frequently, observers will want to record novel behaviors that occur slightly before or after the point of sampling, creating a sampling error. Though not exact, this method does give you an idea of durations and is relatively easy to do. It is also good for recording behavior patterns occurring at a specific instant, such as, movement or body positions.
One-Zero Sampling -- this is very similar to instantaneous sampling, only the observer records if the behaviors of interest have occurred at any time during an interval instead of at the instant of the sampling point. The method is useful for capturing data on behavior patterns that start and stop repeatedly and rapidly, but that last only for a brief period of time. The disadvantage of this approach is that you get a dimensionless score for an entire recording session, so you only get one one data point for each recording session.
Scan Sampling -- this method involves taking a census of the entire observed group at predetermined time periods and recording what each individual is doing at that moment. This is useful for obtaining group behavioral data and allows for data that are evenly representative across individuals and periods of time. On the other hand, this method may be biased towards more conspicuous behaviors and you may miss a lot of what is going on between observations, especially rare or unusual behaviors. It is also difficult to record more than a few individuals in a group setting without missing what each individual is doing at each predetermined moment in time [e.g., children sitting at a table during lunch at school]. The use of audio or video recording is useful with this type of sampling.

Alderks, Peter. Data Collection. Psychology 330 Course Documents. Animal Behavior Lab. University of Washington; Emerson, Robert M. Contemporary Field Research: Perspectives and Formulations . 2nd ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 2001; Emerson, Robert M. et al. “Participant Observation and Fieldnotes.” In Handbook of Ethnography . Paul Atkinson et al., eds. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001), 352-368; Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes . 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Hazel, Spencer. "The Paradox from Within: Research Participants Doing-Being-Observed." Qualitative Research 16 (August 2016): 446-457; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports. Scribd Online Library; Presser, Jon and Dona Schwartz. “Photographs within the Sociological Research Process.” In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers . Jon Prosser, editor (London: Falmer Press, 1998), pp. 115-130; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing. UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. "On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports. Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

Structure and Writing Style

How you choose to format your field report is determined by the research problem, the theoretical framework that is driving your analysis, the observations that you make, and/or specific guidelines established by your professor. Since field reports do not have a standard format, it is worthwhile to determine from your professor what the preferred structure and organization should be before you begin to write. Note that field reports should be written in the past tense. With this in mind, most field reports in the social sciences include the following elements:

I. Introduction The introduction should describe the research problem, the specific objectives of your research, and the important theories or concepts underpinning your field study. The introduction should describe the nature of the organization or setting where you are conducting the observation, what type of observations you have conducted, what your focus was, when you observed, and the methods you used for collecting the data. Collectively, this descriptive information should support reasons why you chose the observation site and the people or events within it. You should also include a review of pertinent literature related to the research problem, particularly if similar methods were used in prior studies. Conclude your introduction with a statement about how the rest of the paper is organized.

II. Description of Activities

Your readers only knowledge and understanding of what happened will come from the description section of your report because they were not witnesses to the situation, people, or events that you are writing about. Given this, it is crucial that you provide sufficient details to place the analysis that will follow into proper context; don't make the mistake of providing a description without context. The description section of a field report is similar to a well written piece of journalism. Therefore, a useful approach to systematically describing the varying aspects of an observed situation is to answer the "Five W’s of Investigative Reporting." As Dubbels notes [p. 19], these are:

What -- describe what you observed. Note the temporal, physical, and social boundaries you imposed to limit the observations you made. What were your general impressions of the situation you were observing. For example, as a student teacher, what is your impression of the application of iPads as a learning device in a history class; as a cultural anthropologist, what is your impression of women's participation in a Native American religious ritual?
Where -- provide background information about the setting of your observation and, if necessary, note important material objects that are present that help contextualize the observation [e.g., arrangement of computers in relation to student engagement with the teacher].
When -- record factual data about the day and the beginning and ending time of each observation. Note that it may also be necessary to include background information or key events which impact upon the situation you were observing [e.g., observing the ability of teachers to re-engage students after coming back from an unannounced fire drill].
Who -- note background and demographic information about the individuals being observed e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, and/or any other variables relevant to your study]. Record who is doing what and saying what, as well as, who is not doing or saying what. If relevant, be sure to record who was missing from the observation.
Why -- why were you doing this? Describe the reasons for selecting particular situations to observe. Note why something happened. Also note why you may have included or excluded certain information.

III. Interpretation and Analysis

Always place the analysis and interpretations of your field observations within the larger context of the theoretical assumptions and issues you described in the introduction. Part of your responsibility in analyzing the data is to determine which observations are worthy of comment and interpretation, and which observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework that allows you to make these decisions. You need to demonstrate to the reader that you are conducting the field work through the eyes of an informed viewer and from the perspective of a casual observer.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when analyzing your observations:

What is the meaning of what you have observed?
Why do you think what you observed happened? What evidence do you have for your reasoning?
What events or behaviors were typical or widespread? If appropriate, what was unusual or out of the ordinary? How were they distributed among categories of people?
Do you see any connections or patterns in what you observed?
Why did the people you observed proceed with an action in the way that they did? What are the implications of this?
Did the stated or implicit objectives of what you were observing match what was achieved?
What were the relative merits of the behaviors you observed?
What were the strengths and weaknesses of the observations you recorded?
Do you see connections between what you observed and the findings of similar studies identified from your review of the literature?
How do your observations fit into the larger context of professional practice? In what ways have your observations possibly changed or affirmed your perceptions of professional practice?
Have you learned anything from what you observed?

NOTE: Only base your interpretations on what you have actually observed. Do not speculate or manipulate your observational data to fit into your study's theoretical framework.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

The conclusion should briefly recap of the entire study, reiterating the importance or significance of your observations. Avoid including any new information. You should also state any recommendations you may have based on the results of your study. Be sure to describe any unanticipated problems you encountered and note the limitations of your study. The conclusion should not be more than two or three paragraphs.

V. Appendix

This is where you would place information that is not essential to explaining your findings, but that supports your analysis [especially repetitive or lengthy information], that validates your conclusions, or that contextualizes a related point that helps the reader understand the overall report. Examples of information that could be included in an appendix are figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, pictures, maps, drawings, or, if applicable, transcripts of interviews. There is no limit to what can be included in the appendix or its format [e.g., a DVD recording of the observation site], provided that it is relevant to the study's purpose and reference is made to it in the report. If information is placed in more than one appendix ["appendices"], the order in which they are organized is dictated by the order they were first mentioned in the text of the report.

VI. References

List all sources that you consulted and obtained information from while writing your field report. Note that field reports generally do not include further readings or an extended bibliography. However, consult with your professor concerning what your list of sources should be included and be sure to write them in the preferred citation style of your discipline or is preferred by your professor [i.e., APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.].

Alderks, Peter. Data Collection. Psychology 330 Course Documents. Animal Behavior Lab. University of Washington; Dubbels, Brock R. Exploring the Cognitive, Social, Cultural, and Psychological Aspects of Gaming and Simulations . Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2018; Emerson, Robert M. Contemporary Field Research: Perspectives and Formulations . 2nd ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 2001; Emerson, Robert M. et al. “Participant Observation and Fieldnotes.” In Handbook of Ethnography . Paul Atkinson et al., eds. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001), 352-368; Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes . 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports. Scribd Online Library; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing. UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. "On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports. Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

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How to Write a Library Report

Instructions

Make up your mind You need a positive mindset before going to the library. If you are doing it as a formality, it will not help you at all and the teachers won’t be inspired by your report. So, go with a purpose of gaining knowledge and the results will be good for you eventually.

Enlist the topics you wish to search There will be quite a few topics, which you will be looking to search. So, make a list of them all, and keep it with you when you enter the library.

Note your visiting frequency Another important thing is to keep record of the number of visits you are paying to the library. Moreover, mention the average time spent in the library as well.

Consult friends If you are new to the library, consult friends who visit regularly, as they will guide you how to search for relevant topics.

Type the report Once you have pointed out everything you do in the library, type it down and present the final report to your instructor.

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Step 1: determine your purpose, step 2: be observant and write what happened, step 3: reflect on your visit, step 4: download a template and insert the details, step 5: organize details according to the format.

Site visit report
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CC0006 Basics of Report Writing

Structure of a report (Case study, Literature review or Survey)
Structure of report (Site visit)

Structure of a report (Site visit)

Citing Sources
Tips and Resources

A site visit methodology may look like this: you visit a site for a limited period of time and gather information through your own experience or through the reported experiences of others in order to find the answer to your research question. In addition to observation, interviews can also be employed to gather information.

For example, a site visit to clean energy buildings and conduct an analysis of the associated technology / policy approaches. Add a section on the feasibility of more such buildings, compare it with other such buildings across the world, etc.

The report structure of a site visit based project is slightly different from that of a case study. literature review or survey.

Structure of a report for the site visit method is as follows.

Table of Contents
Summary / Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Information about the site(s)
Field Observations
Reflection of visit experience and Implication(s)
Discussion and Limitation(s)
Conclusion and Recommendations
Appendix (if necessary/any)

Please access Structure of a report (Case study, Literature review or Survey) to know more about other sections.

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Next: Citing Sources >>
Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 11:52 AM
URL: https://libguides.ntu.edu.sg/report-writing

You are expected to comply with University policies and guidelines namely, Appropriate Use of Information Resources Policy , IT Usage Policy and Social Media Policy . Users will be personally liable for any infringement of Copyright and Licensing laws. Unless otherwise stated, all guide content is licensed by CC BY-NC 4.0 .

Organizing Academic Research Papers: Writing a Field Report

Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Glossary of Research Terms
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Executive Summary
Background Information
The Research Problem/Question
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tertiary Sources
What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Annotated Bibliography
Dealing with Nervousness
Using Visual Aids
Grading Someone Else's Paper
How to Manage Group Projects
Multiple Book Review Essay
Reviewing Collected Essays
About Informed Consent
Writing Field Notes
Writing a Policy Memo
Writing a Research Proposal
Acknowledgements

Field reports require the researcher to combine theory and analysis learned in the classroom with methods of observation and practice applied outside of the classroom. The purpose of field reports is to describe an observed person, place, or event and to analyze that observation data in order to identify and categorize common themes in relation to the research problem(s) underpinning the study. The data is often in the form of notes taken during the observation but it can also include any form of data gathering, such as, photography, illustrations, or audio recordings.

How to Approach Writing a Field Report

How to Begin

Field reports are most often assigned in the applied social sciences [e.g., social work, anthropology, gerontology, criminal justice, education, law, the health care professions] where it is important to build a bridge of relevancy between the theoretical concepts learned in the classroom and the practice of actually doing the work you are being taught to do. Field reports are also common in certain science and technology disciplines [e.g., geology] but these reports are organized differently and for different purposes than what is described below.

Professors will assign a field report with the intention of improving your understanding of key theoretical concepts through a method of careful and structured observation of and reflection about real life practice. Field reports facilitate the development of data collection techniques and observation skills and allow you to understand how theory applies to real world situations. Field reports are also an opportunity to obtain evidence through methods of observing professional practice that challenge or refine existing theories.

We are all observers of people, their interactions, places, and events; however, your responsibility when writing a field report is to create a research study based on data generated by the act of observation, a synthesis of key findings, and an interpretation of their meaning. When writing a field report you need to:

Systematically observe and accurately record the varying aspects of a situation . Always approach your field study with a detailed plan about what you will observe, where you should conduct your observations, and the method by which you will collect and record your data.
Continuously analyze your observations . Always look for the meaning underlying the actions you observe. Ask yourself: What's going on here? What does this observed activity mean? What else does this relate to? Note that this is an on-going process of reflection and analysis taking place for the duration of your field research.
Keep the report’s aims in mind while you are observing . Recording what you observe should not be done randomly or haphazardly; you must be focused and pay attention to details. Enter the field with a clear plan about what you are intending to observe and record while, at the same time, be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances as they may arise.
Consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework . This is what separates data gatherings from simple reporting. The theoretical framework guiding your field research should determine what, when, and how you observe and act as the foundation from which you interpret your findings.

Techniques to Record Your Observations Note Taking This is the most commonly used and easiest method of recording your observations. Tips for taking notes include: organizing some shorthand symbols beforehand so that recording basic or repeated actions does not impede your ability to observe, using many small paragraphs, which reflect changes in activities, who is talking, etc., and, leaving space on the page so you can write down additional thoughts and ideas about what’s being observed, any theoretical insights, and notes to yourself about may require further investigation. See drop-down tab for additional information about note-taking. Video and Audio Recordings Video or audio recording your observations has the positive effect of giving you an unfiltered record of the observation event. It also facilitates repeated analysis of your observations. However, these techniques have the negative effect of increasing how intrusive you are as an observer and will often not be practical or even allowed under certain circumstances [e.g., interaction between a doctor and a patient] and in certain organizational settings [e.g., a courtroom]. Illustrations/Drawings This does not an artistic endeavor but, rather, refers to the possible need, for example, to draw a map of the observation setting or illustrating objects in relation to people's behavior. This can also take the form of rough tables or graphs documenting the frequency and type of activities observed. These can be subsequently placed in a more readable format when you write your field report.

Examples of Things to Document While Observing

Physical setting . The characteristics of an occupied space and the human use of the place where the observation(s) are being conducted.
Objects and material culture . The presence, placement, and arrangement of objects that impact the behavior or actions of those being observed. If applicable, describe the cultural artifacts representing the beliefs--values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions--used by the individuals you are observing.
Use of language . Don't just observe but listen to what is being said, how is it being said, and, the tone of conversation among participants.
Behavior cycles . This refers to documenting when and who performs what behavior or task and how often they occur. Record at which stage is this behavior occurring within the setting.
The order in which events unfold . Note sequential patterns of behavior or the moment when actions or events take place and their significance.
Physical characteristics of subjects. If relevant, note age, gender, clothing, etc. of individuals.
Expressive body movements . This would include things like body posture or facial expressions. Note that it may be relevant to also assess whether expressive body movements support or contradict the use of language.

Sampling Techniques

Sampling refers to the process used to select a portion of the population for study . Qualitative research, of which observation is one method, is generally based on non-probability and purposive sampling rather than probability or random approaches characteristic of quantitatively-driven studies. Sampling in observational research is flexible and often continues until no new themes emerge from the data, a point referred to as data saturation.

Ways to sample when conducting an observation include:

Ad Libitum Sampling -- this approach is not that different from what people do at the zoo--observing whatever seems interesting at the moment. There is no organized system of recording the observations; you just note whatever seems relevant at the time. The advantage of this method is that you are often able to observe relatively rare or unusual behaviors that might be missed by more deliberate sampling methods. This method is also useful for obtaining preliminary observations that can be used to develop your final field study. Problems using this method include the possibility of inherent bias toward conspicuous behaviors or individuals and that you may miss brief interactions in social settings.

Behavior Sampling -- this involves watching the entire group of subjects and recording each occurance of a specific behavior of particular interest and with reference to which individuals were involved. The method is useful in recording rare behaviors missed by other sampling methods and is often used in conjunction with focal or scan methods. However, sampling can be biased towards particular conspicuous behaviors.

Continuous Recording -- provides a faithful record of behavior including frequencies, durations, and latencies [the time that elapses between a stimulus and the response to it]. This is a very demanding method because you are trying to record everything within the setting and, thus, measuring reliability may be sacrificed. In addition, durations and latencies are only reliable if subjects remain present throughout the collection of data. However, this method facilitates analyzing sequences of behaviors and ensures obtaining a wealth of data about the observation site and the people within it. The use of audio or video recording is most useful with this type of sampling.

Focal Sampling -- this involves observing one individual for a specified amount of time and recording all instances of that individual's behavior. Usually you have a set of predetermined categories or types of behaviors that you are interested in observing [e.g., when a teacher walks around the classroom] and you keep track of the duration of those behaviors. This approach doesn't tend to bias one behavior over another and provides significant detail about a individual's behavior. However, with this method, you likely have to conduct a lot of focal samples before you have a good idea about how group members interact. It can also be difficult within certain settings to keep one individual in sight for the entire period of the observation.

Instantaneous Sampling -- this is where observation sessions are divided into short intervals divided by sample points. At each sample point the observer records if predetermined behaviors of interest are taking place. This method is not effective for recording discrete events of short duration and, frequently, observers will want to record novel behaviors that occur slightly before or after the point of sampling, creating a sampling error. Though not exact, this method does give you an idea of durations and is relatively easy to do. It is also good for recording behavior patterns occurring at a specific instant, such as, movement or body positions.

One-Zero Sampling -- this is very similar to instantaneous sampling, only the observer records if the behaviors of interest have occurred at any time during an interval instead of at the instant of the sampling point. The method is useful for capturing data on behavior patterns that start and stop repeatedly and rapidly, but that last only for a brief period of time. The disadvantage of this approach is that you get a dimensionless score for an entire recording session, so you only get one one data point for each recording session.

Scan Sampling -- this method involves taking a census of the entire observed group at predetermined time periods and recording what each individual is doing at that moment. This is useful for obtaining group behavioral data and allows for data that are evenly representative across individuals and periods of time. On the other hand, this method may be biased towards more conspicuous behaviors and you may miss a lot of what is going on between observations, especially rare or unusual behaviors.

Alderks, Peter. Data Collection. Psychology 330 Course Documents. Animal Behavior Lab. University of Washington; Emerson, Robert M. Contemporary Field Research: Perspectives and Formulations. 2nd ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 2001; Emerson, Robert M. et al. “Participant Observation and Fieldnotes.” In Handbook of Ethnography. Paul Atkinson et al., eds. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001), 352-368; Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports . Scribd Online Library; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing . UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports . Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

Structure and Writing Style

How you choose to format your field report is determined by the research problem, the theoretical perspective that is driving your analysis, the observations that you make, and/or specific guidelines established by your professor. Since field reports do not have a standard format, it is worthwhile to determine from your professor what the preferred organization should be before you begin to write. Note that field reports should be written in the past tense. With this in mind, most field reports in the social sciences include the following elements:

I. Introduction The introduction should describe the specific objective and important theories or concepts underpinning your field study. The introduction should also describe the nature of the organization or setting where you are conducting the observation, what type of observations you have conducted, what your focus was, when you observed, and the methods you used for collecting the data. You should also include a review of pertinent literature.

II. Description of Activities

Your readers only knowledge and understanding of what happened will come from the description section of your report because they have not been witness to the situation, people, or events that you are writing about. Given this, it is crucial that you provide sufficient details to place the analysis that will follow into proper context; don't make the mistake of providing a description without context. The description section of a field report is similar to a well written piece of journalism. Therefore, a helpful approach to systematically describing the varying aspects of an observed situation is to answer the "Five W’s of Investigative Reporting." These are:

What -- describe what you observed. Note the temporal, physical, and social boundaries you imposed to limit the observations you made. What were your general impressions of the situation you were observing. For example, as a student teacher, what is your impression of the application of iPads as a learning device in a history class; as a cultural anthropologist, what is your impression of women participating in a Native American religious ritual?
Where -- provide background information about the setting of your observation and, if necessary, note important material objects that are present that help contextualize the observation [e.g., arrangement of computers in relation to student engagement with the teacher].
When -- record factual data about the day and the beginning and ending time of each observation. Note that it may also be necessary to include background information or key events which impact upon the situation you were observing [e.g., observing the ability of teachers to re-engage students after coming back from an unannounced fire drill].
Who -- note the participants in the situation in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, and/or any other variables relevant to your study. Record who is doing what and saying what, as well as, who is not doing or saying what. If relevant, be sure to record who was missing from the observation.
Why -- why were you doing this? Describe the reasons for selecting particular situations to observe. Note why something happened. Also note why you may have included or excluded certain information.

III. Interpretation and Analysis

Always place the analysis and interpretations of your field observations within the larger context of the theories and issues you described in the introduction. Part of your responsibility in analyzing the data is to determine which observations are worthy of comment and interpretation, and which observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework that allows you to make these decisions. You need to demonstrate to the reader that you are looking at the situation through the eyes of an informed viewer, not as a lay person.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when analyzing your observations:

What is the meaning of what you have observed?
Why do you think what you observed happened? What evidence do you have for your reasoning?
What events or behaviors were typical or widespread? If appropriate, what was unusual or out of ordinary? How were they distributed among categories of people?
Do you see any connections or patterns in what you observed?
Why did the people you observed proceed with an action in the way that they did? What are the implications of this?
Did the stated or implicit objectives of what you were observing match what was achieved?
What were the relative merits of the behaviors you observed?
What were the strengths and weaknesses of the observations you recorded?
Do you see connections between what you observed and the findings of similar studies identified from your review of the literature?
How do your observations fit into the larger context of professional practice? In what ways have your observations possibly changed your perceptions of professional practice?
Have you learned anything from what you observed?

NOTE: Only base your interpretations on what you have actually observed. Do not speculate or manipulate your observational data to fit into your study's theoretical framework.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

The conclusion should briefly recap of the entire study, reiterating the importance or significance of your observations. Avoid including any new information. You should also state any recommendations you may have. Be sure to describe any unanticipated problems you encountered and note the limitations of your study. The conclusion should not be more than two or three paragraphs.

V. Appendix

VI. References

List all sources that you consulted and obtained information from while writing your field report. Note that field reports generally do not include further readings or an extended bibliography. However, consult with your professor concerning what your list of sources should be included. Be sure to write them in the preferred citation style of your discipline [i.e., APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.].

Alderks, Peter. Data Collection. Psychology 330 Course Documents. Animal Behavior Lab. University of Washington; Emerson, Robert M. Contemporary Field Research: Perspectives and Formulations. 2nd ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 2001; Emerson, Robert M. et al. “Participant Observation and Fieldnotes.” In Handbook of Ethnography. Paul Atkinson et al., eds. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001), 352-368; Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports . Scribd Online Library; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing. UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports. Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

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Example Library Report

City Library provides a range of accessible services to the local community. City Library operates over three branches: North, South and, East. Not only is the library a place where members of the public can access books and other media, the library also hosts educational and social events to engage and enrich the community.

Public Libraries Evaluation Network Project

The City Library has participated in Culture Counts' Public Libraries Evaluation Network (PLEN) since 2019. PLEN is a nationwide initiative designed to better understand and illustrate the vital outcomes generated by libraries. Libraries that partake in the network used Culture Counts to survey public users of the library and event attendees. Feedback was collected on library use, performance, personal and community outcomes from public users of the library.

Evaluation Methodology

City Library distributes a Library Use and Outcomes survey to its membership database once per year. The survey is sent via email and asks members questions regarding; library awareness, learning, and application; outcomes; open text questions; and user demographics. This is a PLEN methodology and the resulting data aligns with the project's big dataset.

The Library also used Culture Counts to create and distribute event surveys throughout the year. In total, 7,765 responses were collected from public attendees via online and display surveys.

Each survey contained a range of ‘dimension’ questions, asking members of the public about their experience at the City Libraries and their programs. These dimensions have been developed and tested in collaboration with industry, practitioners, and academics to measure the impact and value of arts and cultural events and activities.

Dimensions used in the Library Use and Outcomes were chosen based on their alignment with the City Library's strategic objectives.

Dimensions are assessed on a Likert scale, in which respondents move a slider to a point that indicates whether they agree or disagree with the dimension statement. An example of a dimension question in the Culture Counts survey tool is presented below.

Community Profile

Demographics.

Users from all branches of the City Library database were asked a selection of demographic questions, to help the library learn their member and visitor characteristics. This enables results to be filtered by demographic to see how different groups use the library and their programs. Respondents were asked to provide their age, gender, and identity.

The following charts show the proportion of Library Use and Outcomes survey responses captured for each of the age, gender, and identity demographic questions.

The largest age group of respondents was the over 60 bracket (40%), followed by those aged 20-29 (19%). These two groups made up the majority of the total sample size. Respondents in the under 20 bracket made up 3% of the sample. The majority of respondents were female (69%), with 29% identifying as male and 2% identifying their gender in another way.

35% of the sample indicated that they were born overseas and 17% identified as having a disability. 14% of respondents identified as LGBTIQ+ and 12% mainly spoke a language other than English. 6% were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. 53% of the sample did not identify with the options provided.

Location and Postcode

Library Use and Outcomes survey respondents were asked to provide their current postcode. This data identifies the demographic sample of people who responded to the survey and took part in the event. It enables data to be matched to the wider population and responses to be filtered to understand differences in demographics.

The following charts show the proportion of survey responses captured for respondents' identified living location and top postcode results.

Mount Beerie was the most commonly cited postcode (16.4%), followed by Wydu (14.9%), Lakeratoclare Creek (12.2%), and Port Ncolna (12.2%). This indicates that users of City Library travel from various locations to use the library facilities and services.

In order to understand overall membership loyalty, respondents were asked if they were a member of the City Library network. This question indicates how membership influences library use but also identifies the potential for membership base growth.

Of library user respondents, 88% were current members of the City Library. 12% of respondents were not members which show the potential for City Library to grow its membership base, by contacting people that are already accessing the library.

Library Use

Respondents to the Library Use and Outcomes survey were asked to indicate which library branches they used. They were also asked to indicate the last time that they accessed City Library services. This provides information about the most used branches, frequency of use and customer loyalty.

The North Branch (47%) was the most used branch followed by East (41%) then South (22%). 16% of respondents don't use any of the City Library branches. The majority (57%) of respondents had accessed City Library services within the last month, 2% had used the services within the last week. 25% had accessed services in the last six months and 9% in the last year. 6% of respondents said they hadn't accessed library services in over a year.

Over half of the sample (65%) had used the library facilities in the last 12 months, 14% attended an event and 10% accessed services online from home.

Library Outcomes

Outcome averages.

Survey respondents moved a slider to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the included dimension statements in relation to their library use. The following charts contain the response data for 'public' responses, showing the average result for each dimension.

The Culture Counts platform provides various methods to capture survey responses at a minimal marginal cost. Achieving larger samples enables organisations to be more confident about the average results and that opinions of the survey respondents are representative of all attendees. The accompanying margin of error chart shows the expected differences for the associated dimension results calculated at a 95% confidence level.

Of all dimensions measured, 'Learning' (85/100), 'Safe and Trusted' (82/100), and 'Digital Connection' (77/100) received the highest scores on average, indicating that respondents were most likely to agree that City Library has helped them to enjoy learning, feel safe and welcome when using the library service and helped them to be more digitally connected to others. 'Creativity' (76/100) and 'Literacy' (76/100) also scored particularly highly, demonstrating that respondents were also likely to agree that City Library helps people be more creative in their lives and work and their library experience has encouraged them to read more.

At a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error for dimensions ranged from 1.7% to 2.2%. This means that we can be 95% confident that if we surveyed the entire visitor population the average score for 'Literacy' would fall within 2.2% of the average generated by the sample.

Margins of error under 5% are considered reasonable representations of the opinion of the population. As the margin of error is below 5%, this sample can be deemed statistically significant and an accurate representation of City Library users.

Outcomes Agreement

Culture Counts uses a slider input to measure responses for dimension statements as part of the evaluation methodology. This method also provides the capability to understand response results within a typical 5-point agree-to-disagree format.

The following chart contain the response data for 'public' responses and shows the percentage of people that agreed or disagreed with each of the statements, using a 5-point ordinal Likert scale.

At least 72% of respondents agreed with every dimension included in the Library Use and Outcomes survey. Of these, 'Learning' (91%) and 'Safe' (89%) received the highest levels of the overall agreement, demonstrating that most people agreed the library has helped them enjoy learning and that they felt safe and welcome when using the library service.

This was followed by 'Creativity' (85%), 'Digital Connection' (84%), and 'Skills' (82%), demonstrating that the vast majority of the sample agreed that the programs they attended helped them to develop new skills and creativity whilst providing the resources to keep digitally connected with others.

Outcomes by Domain

Dimension statements can be categorised into their representative outcome domain. Outcome domains represent categorisations of dimensions based on their general area of focus. For example:

Stronger and Creative Communities (SACC) Represents dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to provide a safe and inclusive forum, support creative expression, and strengthen communities.

Personal Development and Wellbeing (PDAW) Represent dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to provide access to information, knowledge and skills development that contribute to personal growth and greater quality of life.

Literacy and Lifelong Learning (LALL) Represents dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to develop youth and adult literacy and provide skills and strategies for lifelong learning.

Community Engagement (CE) Represents dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to provide spaces and programs that bring people together, encouraging connection and supporting participation in community life.

Digital Inclusion (DI) Represents dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to provide access, skills and confidence in using digital technologies, ensuring all communities can connect with others and important online services.

Economic and Workforce Development (EAWD) Represent dimensions that reflect the ability of libraries to support improved employment and productivity outcomes.

When looking at the outcome results by domains, the highest agreement scoring was for 'Personal Development and Wellbeing' (91%) and 'Stronger and Creative Communities' (87%). 'Digital Inclusion' and 'Literacy and Lifelong Learning' outcomes also scored favourably, scoring 84% and 81% respectively.

Learning and Confidence

Library Use and Outcomes survey respondents were asked what way City Library made them feel more confident. The following chart shows the percentage of respondents that rated the library across seven options.

Respondents were asked about the kinds of learning they engaged with at City Library. This chart shows the percentage of respondents that rated the event across these five options.

Respondents claimed that City Library helped them feel the most confident with 'Helping my children learn'(62%). This was followed by 'Reading'(59%) and 'Becoming involved in my community'(55%).

'Reading/Literacy' (79%), 'Early Childhood literacy' (70%) and 'Education/Lifelong Learning' (58%) were the top-scoring learning areas respondents had learnt something new in at City Library. The same areas also scored highest when asked if they intended to apply what was learnt (68%, 55% and 47% respectively).

Fewer respondents indicated that they had learnt 'Job Skills' or 'Civic/Community Engagement' outcomes. Further to this 13% said that they had learnt 'None of the above.'

Comparison & Benchmarks

Demographic breakdowns.

Respondents were asked to provide their age and gender as part of the survey. This data enables results to be filtered to understand any differences that exist because of demography.

The following charts highlight a selection of results based on the gender that respondents identified with as well as by age cohort.

Females and males scored similarly across all dimensions. Respondents identifying in another way scored higher for 'Connection' (81/100), 'Safe and Trusted' (88/100), 'Digital Connection' (84/100), and 'Relevance' (83/100) indicating that respondents who identified their gender beyond the binary were more likely to agree that the library was safe and welcoming, that it connected people and that the library is increasing its relevance.

Respondents in the under 20 and 30-39 age bracket had the highest average score for 'Safe and Trusted' (84/100) indicating that they were more likely to agree that they felt safe and welcome when using the library. 'Learning' was the highest-scoring dimension for respondents aged in the 20-29 (85/100), 40-49 (82/100), 50-59 (88/100), and over 60 (86/100) brackets indicating they were more likely to agree that the library helped them enjoy learning.

Year-on-Year

Dimensions measured in 2021 had also been measured previously. This consistent use of measurement allows organisers to benchmark their results and track progress in achieving strategic outcomes over time.

The following chart compares the results of 2021 to 2020.

Six of the eleven dimensions measured in the 2020 and 2021 Library Use and Outcomes survey, received a higher score in 2021. Most notably, the 'Role' (+9/100), 'Digital Connection' (+5/100), and 'Literacy' (+3/100) increased the most over the year indicating that respondents were more likely to agree that City Library is an important part of the community and that it has provided the resources to connect people and read more.

'Relevance' (-4/100), 'Skills' (-2/100) and 'Time with Children' (-1/100) scored lower in 2021 than 2020. This indicates respondents were less likely to agree that City Library provided a better understanding of today's world, helped gain new skills, and encouraged more quality time spent with children.

PLEN Benchmarks

Libraries that take part in the PLEN project can access benchmark evaluation results from all participating libraries. Benchmarks give context to libraries, to help them understand how their impact compares with the average from the group, and to set targets for achieving improvements to their outcome results that will lift them above the network average.

The below chart shows the average dimension results achieved for City Library, compared to the benchmark interquartile range of other libraries in the PLEN program. Results that sit within the range are be considered a ‘benchmark’ result, with anything above the range considered to be exceptional.

Five out of seven comparable dimensions fell within the PLEN benchmark range, indicating that almost all the City Library outcomes aligned with other libraries in the network. This means that City Library achieves these outcomes to a similar degree as other libraries around Australia.

Of all dimensions on this list, 'Learning' performed the best, with a score that sat at the top end of the interquartile range and demonstrating City Library's ability to help users enjoy learning.

The dimensions that fell below the benchmark were 'Role' and 'Literacy', which indicates that in comparison to other libraries, City Library survey respondents were less likely to agree that the library is an important part of the place where they live and their library experience had encouraged them to read more.

More information about the Culture Counts PLEN Benchmarks available at https://culturecounts.cc/blog/public-library-evaluation-network-first-year-findings/

Library Feedback

Sentiment analysis.

Respondents were asked to leave any additional feedback about their Library use experience. This feedback has been classified into positive, neutral, or negative categories, with the percentage of feedback sentiment types presented in the following chart.

General Feedback

Feedback helps organisations understand where the value of visitor experiences lies and how they can be improved and strengthened in the future. A selection of comments has been highlighted underneath.

I love the library, it helps me focus when I need to study for exams.

I come to use their computers and internet because it's alot faster than the one I have at home.

I love reading so having access to so many books is important!

I come to the library to hang out after school. There's plenty of stuff to do!

I like studying at the library but there are never any tables free.

Would like more sci-fi novels please

I wouldn't rate the City Library to be the best, I would rather go somewhere quieter with better internet. It's always so loud with kids everywhere.

More computers and less books. It's 2021!

I only came here because my printer was broken.

Opportunities

Library User and Outcomes survey respondents were asked how City Library could improve.

A selection of suggestions for each branch has been identified, with the most frequently used words visualised below.

What could City Library do to improve?

North Branch

More kids novels, there aren't enough books that are on my son's reading level. We've asked staff a few times.

A booking system for the computers so people aren't using them for hours.

More desks, there's not enough!

South Branch

Cheaper printing.

Separate study rooms, maybe that are bookable to secure a good study spot in the library.

Have headphones for sale, I always leave mine at home.

East Branch

Napping station.

Soundproof kids room, it will make studying easier.

Cultural activations in empty spaces. There are lots of empty spots in the library we could put art in.

Event Outcomes

In addition to the Library Use and Outcomes survey, City Library surveyed people that participated in the following library events:

Crafternoon

Computer Basics

People that responded to the Library Event surveys were asked a selection of demographic questions, to help the library learn their event attendee characteristics. This enables results to be filtered by demographic to see how different groups attend different events and programs. Respondents were asked to provide their age, gender, and identity.

The following charts show the proportion of Library Events survey responses captured for each of the age, gender, and identity demographic questions.

Overall, those aged over 60 made up the largest cohort of event attendees at City Library (45%), followed by the 40-49 age group (17%). Respondents in the under 20 bracket made up 4% of the sample. The Crafternoon event attracted the largest proportion of attendees aged 39 and under.

The majority of respondents identified as male (37%), 27% as female, and 27% identified their gender in another way. Crafternoon attracted a larger proportion of males, while the Computer Basics session was well attended by those that identify their gender in another way. The Book Club event saw fairly even representation from all genders.

Member Engagement

Members and new users.

In order to understand the frequency of library usage and event attendance, respondents of the Library Event surveys were asked whether they were library members and if it was their first time visiting the library. This question can inform expectations and help organisers to better understand user reach.

52% of Events Survey respondents were current members of the library. Over half of the participants at the Book Club and Computer Basics events were not library members, showing an opportunity for City Library to grow their membership base with event attendees.

Overall, 56% of all event survey respondents were attending a City Library branch for the first time. Crafternoon and Computer Basics attracted the most new users, with 75% and 77% of respondents respectively, indicating this was their first time attending the library. This shows City Library's ability to reach and attract new visitors through its event program.

Event Outcome Averages

Survey respondents moved a slider to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the included dimension statements in relation to the event they attended. The following charts contain the response data for event survey responses, showing the average result for each dimension.

'Rigour' (81/100) received the highest score on average, indicating that respondents were most likely to agree that events were well thought through and put together. Other dimensions are also positively and similarly across the aggregate data. 'Rigour' scored higher for Book Club and Crafternoon however, Computer Basics scored higher than the other events for 'Challenge'

At a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error for dimensions ranged from 3% to 3.4%. This means that we can be 95% confident that if we surveyed all event attendees the average score for 'Learning' would fall within 3.2% of the average generated by the sample. Margins of error under 5% are considered reasonable representations of the opinion of the population. As the margin of error is below 5%, this sample can be deemed statistically significant and an accurate representation of City Library event attendees.

Event Outcomes Agreement

The following charts contain the response data for each Library Event survey and show the percentage of people that agreed or disagreed with each of the statements, using a 5-point ordinal Likert scale.

Of all dimensions measured, 'Rigour' (87%) scored the highest in disagreement across all dimensions. This was followed by 'Challenge' (80%), 'Belonging' (79%), 'Access' (78%) and 'Learning' (72%). 'Challenge' scored the highest in disagreement across all dimensions. 'Creativity' (72%) scored the lowest, indicating respondents were less likely to agree the events inspired their own creativity.

Respondents to the Crafternoon survey were most likely to agree with the 'Rigour' dimension (90%) and least likely to agree with 'Creativity' (71%) indicating that the event was well produced and presented however it was less likely to inspire attendees' creativity. 'Access' (86%) scored the highest with Book Club respondents, while 'Learning' (69%) scored the least. Computer Basics respondents had the most agreement with the 'Challenge' (88%) dimension and the least with 'Access' indicating the event challenged them to think in a different way but gave them less opportunity to access cultural activities.

Event Survey Comparison

The same dimensions were used throughout evaluations for each event. This consistent use of measurement allows organisers to benchmark their results and track progress in achieving strategic outcomes over time.

The following chart compares the results of the three events City Library surveyed as part of this evaluation period; Book Club, Crafternoon and Computer Basics .

Dimension scores have trended similarly over the three events. When comparing events, one of the biggest differences was seen for the 'Rigour' dimension, with Book Club achieving a score that is +4/100 points higher than that received for Computer Basics , indicating that respondents were more likely to agree that the Book Club event was well thought through and put together.

Attendees from the Computer Basics event were most likely to agree that the event challenged them to think in a different way, with a score for 'Challenge' that exceeded the other events' score by +4/100 points.

Marketing Methods

Respondents were asked about their preferred way to be notified of future library events. This helps organisers understand how attendees find out about library events.

The following chart shows the percentage of respondents that selected one of the following options as their method of marketing of library events, also comparing the results of respondents from each event.

Respondents cited 'Social Media' (67%), 'E-newsletter' (56%), and 'Website' (55%) as the top ways they would like to hear about City Library events and activities. 'Radio' (4%) and 'Flyer' (13%) were the least favorable marketing methods indicating respondents preferred more digital marketing methods. 'Social Media' was the most favorable marketing method amongst Book Club and Crafternoon respondents while 'Word of Mouth' was for Computer Basics repondents.

Event Feedback

Respondents were asked to leave any additional feedback about their Library event experience. This feedback has been classified into positive, neutral, or negative categories, with the percentage of feedback sentiment types presented in the following chart.

Feedback helps organisations understand where the value of event attendee experiences lies and how they can be improved and strengthened in the future. A selection of comments has been highlighted underneath.

I had a great time at Book Club! I hope it is on again soon.

I met some great people and learned a lot at Computer Basics. This program is great for people my age, it's not too overwhelming.

Crafternoon was the best.

The library's events are great for a bunch of different people of different ages.

It was fine, I wish we could have chosen what we got to make.

I didn't learn anything new.

They should offer an intermediate Computer class.

The events at the library are so boring. Why can't we have something more fun?

There are no other events that interest me. It blows.

I hate the books they choose for Bookclub, they are so outdated.

This report has been prepared by Culture Counts for demonstration purposes We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.

We would love to partner with you on your evaluation journey. Please complete the enquiry form and we will be in touch!

Dashpivot article – Site Visit Report example

Site Visit Report example

What is a site visit report.

A site visit report is a formal document that provides a detailed account of a visit to a particular location or project site.

It records the observations, activities, conditions, discussions, and any deviations or issues identified during the visit.

The report often includes recommendations or action items based on these findings.

It serves as an official record, aids in tracking progress or compliance, and can guide future decision-making.

What does the site visit report example cover?

Here's what's covered in the site visit report example:

Report Title: Clearly indicating it's a "Site Visit Report."
Project Name/Title: Name of the project or site.
Location: Address or description of the site visited.
Date of Visit: The exact date the visit took place.
Prepared By: Name of the person or team who prepared the report.
Introduction/Objective: A brief section detailing the purpose and objectives of the site visit.
Attendees/Participants: A list of individuals present during the visit, including their roles or affiliations.
Summary of Activities/Observations: A concise overview of what was done and seen during the visit.
Project Progress: Status of ongoing work.
Safety Measures: Observations related to safety precautions, PPE usage, and potential hazards.
Quality of Work: Comments on the quality of work done so far.
Equipment & Resources: Status and condition of machinery, tools, and other resources.
Personnel: Feedback on staff performance, skill levels, or interactions.
Issues or Concerns Identified: Any problems, discrepancies, or potential risks noticed during the visit.
Recommendations: Based on observations and identified issues, suggest corrective actions, improvements, or next steps.
Photos and Diagrams: Visual documentation can be invaluable in a site report. Include relevant photos with clear captions to illustrate points made in the report.
Conclusion: Sum up the main findings and the overall impression from the site visit.
Next Steps/Follow-Up Actions: Any scheduled follow-up visits, tasks to be done, or decisions to be made after the site visit.
Attachments/Appendices: Additional materials, notes, or detailed data supporting the report's content.
Signatures: Depending on the report's formality, it might be necessary for the person preparing the report and perhaps a superior or project stakeholder to sign off on its contents.

A well-prepared site visit report should be clear, concise, and structured. It provides a factual and objective account of the visit and serves as a vital tool for communication, decision-making, and record-keeping.

Site Visit Report example and sample

Below is an example of a site visit report in action. You can use this example in its entirety or sample it as needed.

Use a free Site Visit Report template based on this Site Visit Report example

Digitise this site visit report example.

Make it easy for your team to fill out site visit reports by using a standardised site visit report template .

The free digital site visit report comes pre-built with all the fields, section and information from the site visit report example above for your team to carry out detailed reports.

Customise the report with any extra information you need captured from your site visit reports with the drag and drop form builder.

Distribute your digital site visit report for your team on mobile or tablet so they can fill it out on site while the information is still fresh and at hand.

Create digital workflows for your site visit reports

Make it easy for your team to request, record and sign off on site visit reports by utilising a dedicated a site visit report app .

Automated workflows move a site visit request from planning to recording to signoff a smooth and simple process.

Quickly and easily share completed site visit reports as perfectly formatted PDF or CSV so your team is always across what's been recorded.

Take photos of site progress on site via your mobile or tablet, attach directly to your site visit reports with automatic timestamps, geotagging, photo markup and more.

Site diary template

Complete and organise your daily diaries more efficiently.

Meeting Minutes template

Capture, record and organise those meeting minutes.

Progress Claim template

Streamline and automate the progress claim process to get paid faster and look more professional.

Sitemate builds best in class tools for built world companies.

About Nick Chernih

Nick is the Senior Marketing Manager at Sitemate. He wants more people in the Built World to see the potential of doing things a different way - just because things are done one way doesn't mean it's the best way for you.

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