TY - JOUR T1 - The 3 Cs of Content, Context, and Concepts: A Practical Approach to Recording Unstructured Field Observations JF - The Annals of Family Medicine JO - Ann Fam Med SP - 554 LP - 560 DO - 10.1370/afm.2453 VL - 17 IS - 6 AU - Michael D. Fetters AU - Ellen B. Rubinstein Y1 - 2019/11/01 UR - http://www.annfammed.org/content/17/6/554.abstract N2 - Most primary care researchers lack a practical approach for including field observations in their studies, even though observations can offer important qualitative insights and provide a mechanism for documenting behaviors, events, and unexpected occurrences. We present an overview of unstructured field observations as a qualitative research method for analyzing material surroundings and social interactions. We then detail a practical approach to collecting and recording observational data through a “3 Cs” template of content, context, and concepts. To demonstrate how this method works in practice, we provide an example of a completed template and discuss the analytical approach used during a study on informed consent for research participation in the primary care setting of Qatar. ER -