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Camilla Heldt: Kathrin Bauer is sitting next to me. Hello, you are an anthropologist and currently analyzing the data from your doctoral research. You told me you returned from the field a year ago. What was the topic of your research, and where were you?

Kathrin Bauer: I conducted research on ADHD, that is, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, in Colombia. I did my initial fieldwork in Medellín, in an urban context, before the pandemic. Then, a year ago, I returned to the field for six months to conduct research in rural communities.

Camilla Heldt: And what recording strategies did you use in the field? For example, how did you record interviews?

Kathrin Bauer: For most interviews, I made audio recordings. Only in three cases did I rely on conversation notes. In the first two cases, it was because I was a bit shy and thought perhaps my conversation partners might feel uneasy if I recorded the interview. These were also somewhat sensitive topics. Only during the third interview did I ask if I could record it, and I then realized that for the participants, it was completely expected that an interview would be recorded. In fact, if I hadn’t recorded it, it might have even seemed less professional.

There was only one interviewee who preferred not to be recorded. For the rest, I used audio recording. Initially, I used my smartphone because I thought it had pretty good quality, and I didn’t have much money before going to the field for the first time. Plus, it’s a bit more discreet than a dedicated recording device.

At the start, I checked the recordings very thoroughly, but later on, only spot-checked them. Unfortunately, when I got back home, I discovered that there had been technical issues. These problems only appeared after the first minute of recording, meaning I ended up with a few lost audios. For these cases, I only had conversation notes, which weren’t very detailed since I had been relying on the audio recordings. That was quite frustrating.

It’s not a disaster for my research since I still have 130 hours of audio recordings, so it’s manageable. However, I do feel a bit guilty because I know how busy my interviewees were. Not being able to use these recordings as I intended still bothers me.

From then on, I started using a dedicated dictation device, while also recording simultaneously with my smartphone.

Camilla Heldt: Yes, thank you for sharing your experiences. So how did you record your field notes?

Kathrin Bauer: It was very important to me that I had them available digitally because I thought that would be an advantage during analysis. I also liked the almost unlimited storage space and the fact that I could travel with very light luggage. Plus, you don’t get the messy handwriting I sometimes end up with when I write a lot or very quickly by hand. I found it neater to correct or add to them afterward, and I liked the option of cloud storage. I know there are data protection concerns about that, but I still found it very practical because, on the one hand, I always had access to the data regardless of the recording device. On the other hand, I thought it was even less secure to have a physical notebook lying around that could get lost or stolen – you never know. And in that case, it would be much easier to associate the statements with individuals in their context than it would be with digital notes. So, I still felt that digital notes were safer than handwritten ones.

Camilla Heldt: I can understand that. How did you actually implement these digital notes?

Kathrin Bauer: At first, I used a laptop, but I had already started taking short notes on my smartphone – just quick points to ensure I wouldn’t forget anything before I could write my field notes. Over time, I gradually shifted to making most of my field notes on my smartphone and then supplementing them with a tablet and an external keyboard. That had several advantages for me. First, I’m quite fast with the swipe mode on the phone. And since you always have your phone with you, you can jot down quick notes anywhere – in the bathroom, on a train, or on a bus. Sometimes, you can even jot something down quickly during the actual situation. Another advantage is that it’s good to use in places with limited electricity access. I had a solar power bank, so I could always charge my phone, which would have been harder with a laptop. I also didn’t need a lamp or a table, so I could still write my field notes at night in the dark while lying in bed.

Camilla Heldt: You’ve outlined the benefits of digital tools very well. Did you also use good old paper at times?

Kathrin Bauer: Yes, I conducted a lot of observations in schools, for example during lessons, and naturally created observation logs. I preferred using a tablet for that because, compared to a smartphone, it doesn’t make you look distracted. Plus, if students aren’t allowed to use smartphones, it feels wrong for me to sit there using one. A tablet seemed better because it offered all the digital advantages. I found it more pleasant to write on, and it could convert handwritten notes into legible text. However, a tablet wasn’t ideal in a classroom because it was distracting for the students – they’d get curious, want to look at it, or even try to play with it. That made me nervous because it was one of my main tools in the field. So, I switched to using a notebook, which was much less conspicuous, and later transcribed those notes. That said, I did get caught in a couple of heavy rainstorms, and my notebook got pretty soaked – at least parts of it. So, it’s very important to use ink that doesn’t smear easily when it gets wet.

Camilla Heldt: Yes, you have to be careful about that. So, would you say, in conclusion, that a mix of analog and digital recording strategies is advisable?

Kathrin Bauer: I’d say you should keep everything in mind and have a kind of toolbox to flexibly choose the recording medium. If you’re researching in just one context, it makes sense to stick to the medium that works best there. But if, like me, you’re working in different contexts – urban and rural, schools, and other environments – then it makes sense to combine various recording methods.

Camilla Heldt: Thank you for your insights, and thanks for the conversation!