The term field geology implies fieldwork, geology as practiced by direct observation of outcrops, exposures, landscapes, and drill cores (cf. Vol. XIII: Applied Geology). Those engaged in field geology investigate rocks and rock materials in their natural environment. Field geologists thus try to describe and explain surface features, underground structures, and their interrelationships.
The description of materials in the field may take several forms, depending on the nature of the materials at hand. Soils, e.g., require different considerations than do unconsolidated sediments and involve the use of specialized systems for describing profile morphologies and materials (see Soil Fabric), the properties of soil particles (see Vol. XI, Pt. 1: Particle-Size Distribution), and sampling methods (see Soil Sampling). Descriptions of rock, in constrast, are more familiar to most geologists but may involve rather specific methods for determining, by way of one example, the strength of rock...
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Finkl, C.W. (1988). Field geology . In: General Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_29
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