9th February 2007, 08:34 PM
Im loving this thread! How sad I must be...
The point I was trying to draw out earlier has now been touched on by Vulpes and Merc: it is about how best to appropriately balance what to record and what not to record. One the one hand we have pointless data collection (e.g. too much photography) but on the other, as touched on by Sniper and others, how do we know when not to record, because we dont want to loose important (and perhaps unexpected) information. In the case of burials that are not photographed this debate is especially pertinent.
I suspect that to achieve best practice (or in the commercial sector more like a 'line of best fit')that there cannot be an overarching methodology, and people have to be clever and experienced enough to judge sites case by case. Am I arguing against standardisation of recording here?! Heresy! Also, in the commercial sector, who we (as fieldworkers) take our methodological cues from (i.e. the law) is particularly relevant, as I suspect that in ten years time, many law enforcers (e.g.County Archs)will not have enough field experience to make the best possible calls. Will they then listen to the good contractors? Only time will tell.
The point I was trying to draw out earlier has now been touched on by Vulpes and Merc: it is about how best to appropriately balance what to record and what not to record. One the one hand we have pointless data collection (e.g. too much photography) but on the other, as touched on by Sniper and others, how do we know when not to record, because we dont want to loose important (and perhaps unexpected) information. In the case of burials that are not photographed this debate is especially pertinent.
I suspect that to achieve best practice (or in the commercial sector more like a 'line of best fit')that there cannot be an overarching methodology, and people have to be clever and experienced enough to judge sites case by case. Am I arguing against standardisation of recording here?! Heresy! Also, in the commercial sector, who we (as fieldworkers) take our methodological cues from (i.e. the law) is particularly relevant, as I suspect that in ten years time, many law enforcers (e.g.County Archs)will not have enough field experience to make the best possible calls. Will they then listen to the good contractors? Only time will tell.