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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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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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