Instructions: These questions begin with large-scale features and work down to small-scale -- every outcrop investigation should take this approach. In addition, remember that outcrop work progresses from the bottom up (oldest to youngest). Therefore, if you are on a hill, work your way uphill; if the strata are dipping, work downdip. As you work through the questions, answer them in narrative form within your field notebook. In other words, your answers should be phrased so that another geologist could make sense of your field notes without having to read the original question.

Later we'll discuss what other information (e.g. locality, stratigraphy, etc.) needs to be included in your field notes above these observations. For the moment though, just leave room at the top for a paragraph or so of information. It is important to work at a rapid pace while making observations, at the same time this is not an Easter egg hunt. Therefore, I've included suggested times to complete each task. However, to accomplish these tasks in the time alloted you must do two things: (1) quickly read through the questions before you start, (2) be thinking about these characteristics and mentally recording them as you make other observations. Completing A-H should then require no more than 30 minutes.

1. Outcrop scale: Step back and look at the outcrop from a distance, then begin your observations.

A. Do rock type(s), bedding thickness, and bedding contacts appear more-or-less homogenous throughout, or does the outcrop host recognizable large-scale features such as channels, paleokarst (e.g. filled sinkholes, brecciated zones, etc.), faults, folds, paleoslumps or other deformed horizons, major facies changes, or especially notable joint sets? [2-5 min.]

B. What is the weathering profile of the outcrop? Are some units resistant cliff-formers? Non-resistant slope-formers? Slumped or covered? (You might quickly sketch the profile.) [2 min.]

C. Are there lateral changes in rock type or bedding thickness? [2 min.]

2. Sub-outcrop scale: While walking down the face of the outcrop at a fairly rapid pace (i.e. don't linger too long at any one spot) and still maintaining a 5-10' distance that gives you a broad perspective, continue making observations, and consider the following questions.

D. How does bedding character and thickness change upward? Estimate total outcrop thickness. [2-5 min.]

E. What is the range of bedding thickness and what is the average thickness? [2-3 min.]

F. Are different rock types (e.g. limestone and shale) interbedded on a smaller scale, or are the bedsets in the outcrop of relatively homogenous composition? [2-3 min.]

G. What medium-scale stratification (if any) can you see, such as cross-bedding, or wavy bedding? [3-5 min.]

3. Bedset scale: At this point, you should be able to tentatively subdivide the outcrop into what are known as depositional units, i.e., discrete "packages" of strata that are genetically related, and easily distinguishable from the over- and underlying strata.

H. How many depositional units are there in the outcrop? Assign each a letter and estimate unit thickness, starting at the outcrop's base and working upwards. [5-10 min.]

4. Bed scale: Next, you should begin moving in and working closer to the outcrop. At this point, the deposits in each depositional unit should be described separately -- in order -- from bottom to top. You'll soon receive a separate handout to help with this task.

5. Hand-sample scale: If you were undertaking a complete study of these rocks, you would describe and sample the rock for the purpose of assigning them to facies. You'll also receive a separate handout to help with this task.