On writing fieldnotes

This was an interesting article that discussed the choices an ethnographer makes, both explicitly and implicity.
"what the ethnographer does at the word processor and what he or she does in the field have a meaningful interaction" 87.
"Ethnography places much discretion in the hands of the researcher" 87.

Practical considerations for note-taking
1. whether or not the researcher can take notes in the field
2. focus narrows over time
3. influenced by the audience

The ethnographers background and tacit knowledge influences their notetaking
"ethnographers can start by describing whatever observaions struck them as the most noteworthy, the most interesting, or the most telling" 89.

Ethnographers use a salience hierarchy (which is subjective_ to determine what they take note of. Cases may be salient because:
1. "deviant with resepct to their tacit expectations"
2. "deviant just with respect to others observed"

Researchers may document ommissions or what did not happen to draw attention to what did happen.