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Research ArticleMethodology

The 3 Cs of Content, Context, and Concepts: A Practical Approach to Recording Unstructured Field Observations

Michael D. Fetters and Ellen B. Rubinstein
The Annals of Family Medicine November 2019, 17 (6) 554-560; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2453
Michael D. Fetters
1Mixed Methods Program, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
MD, MPH, MA
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  • For correspondence: mfetters@med.umich.edu
Ellen B. Rubinstein
2Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota
PhD, MA
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Article Information

vol. 17 no. 6 554-560
DOI 
https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2453
PubMed 
31712294

Published By 
The Annals of Family Medicine
Print ISSN 
1544-1709
Online ISSN 
1544-1717
History 
  • Received for publication November 4, 2018
  • Revision received April 12, 2019
  • Accepted for publication May 7, 2019
  • Published online November 11, 2019.

Copyright & Usage 
© 2019 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Author Information

  1. Michael D. Fetters, MD, MPH, MA1⇑ and
  2. Ellen B. Rubinstein, PhD, MA2
  1. 1Mixed Methods Program, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  2. 2Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota
  1. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Michael D. Fetters, MD, MPH, MA, Mixed Methods Program and Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1018 Fuller St Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1213, mfetters{at}med.umich.edu

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The Annals of Family Medicine: 17 (6)
The Annals of Family Medicine: 17 (6)
Vol. 17, Issue 6
November/December 2019
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The 3 Cs of Content, Context, and Concepts: A Practical Approach to Recording Unstructured Field Observations
Michael D. Fetters, Ellen B. Rubinstein
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2019, 17 (6) 554-560; DOI: 10.1370/afm.2453

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The 3 Cs of Content, Context, and Concepts: A Practical Approach to Recording Unstructured Field Observations
Michael D. Fetters, Ellen B. Rubinstein
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2019, 17 (6) 554-560; DOI: 10.1370/afm.2453
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • BACKGROUND
    • RATIONALE FOR COLLECTING FIELD OBSERVATIONS
    • UNSTRUCTURED AND STRUCTURED FIELD OBSERVATIONS
    • THE 3 CS UNSTRUCTURED FIELD OBSERVATIONS TEMPLATE
    • USING THE 3 CS APPROACH IN THE FIELD
    • DISCUSSION
    • Footnotes
    • References
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Subjects

  • Methods:
    • Quantitative methods
    • Mixed methods
  • Other topics:
    • Research capacity building

Keywords

  • primary care
  • family medicine
  • general medicine
  • research methodology
  • qualitative research
  • mixed methods: participatory/action research
  • field observations
  • field notes
  • Hawthorne effect
  • communication
  • behavioral research
  • informed consent

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