fieldwork: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal
Quick answer
What does “fieldwork” mean?
The act of working outside an office or laboratory, gathering information directly in a real-world setting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of working outside an office or laboratory, gathering information directly in a real-world setting.
A method of data collection involving direct observation, measurement, or interaction in a natural environment, often for scientific, academic, or commercial purposes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is identical. Usage patterns and connotations are largely the same.
Connotations
Strongly associated with academic disciplines (anthropology, archaeology, geology, sociology) and certain professions (social work, surveying).
Frequency
Equally common in both academic and professional contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “fieldwork” in a Sentence
do ~conduct ~carry out ~undertake ~require ~base conclusions on ~publish ~ resultsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fieldwork” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team will fieldwork the site next month.
- She fieldworked extensively in rural communities.
American English
- The team will do fieldwork at the site next month.
- She conducted extensive fieldwork in rural communities.
adverb
British English
- The data was collected fieldwork.
American English
- The data was collected in the field.
adjective
British English
- He is a fieldwork coordinator.
- They faced fieldwork-related challenges.
American English
- He is a field coordinator.
- They faced challenges related to fieldwork.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Market researchers conducted fieldwork to understand consumer habits.
Academic
Her doctoral thesis is based on two years of ethnographic fieldwork.
Everyday
My son is away doing fieldwork for his geography project.
Technical
The geotechnical engineer scheduled a week of fieldwork to assess soil stability.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fieldwork”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fieldwork”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fieldwork”
- Incorrect pluralisation: 'fieldworks' is not standard.
- Incorrect spelling as two words: 'field work'. The single-word form is standard.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as one word: 'fieldwork'.
While used conversationally in some contexts (e.g., 'We'll fieldwork that area'), it is primarily a noun. The phrases 'do fieldwork', 'conduct fieldwork' are more standard.
'Fieldwork' implies systematic work or research, often with a specific goal of collecting data. A 'field trip' is a more general educational excursion to a location outside the classroom, which may or may not involve 'fieldwork'.
No. While strongly associated with science and academia, it is also used in business (e.g., market research), social work (e.g., community assessments), and other professions involving on-site data gathering.
The act of working outside an office or laboratory, gathering information directly in a real-world setting.
Fieldwork is usually neutral to formal in register.
Fieldwork: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfiːldwɜːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfildwɜːrk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get one's boots dirty (doing fieldwork)”
- “out in the field”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FIELD where you WORK.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A SUBSTANCE TO BE COLLECTED (from the field).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical context for 'fieldwork'?