While **field study** and **field research** are distinct terms, they are often used interchangeably in academic contexts, with their specific differences depending on the discipline. In social sciences, for example, “field research” typically involves actively gathering data through methods like interviews, experiments, or questionnaires, whereas “field study” focuses more on observing and documenting phenomena in natural settings. In [[Geology]], a [[Geology field study]] generally refers to the process where geologists directly observe, record, and analyze geological features—such as rock outcrops, stratigraphic sequences, structural formations, or fossils — in natural environments. Through systematic mapping, specimen collection, and detailed documentation of these features, geologists reconstruct regional geological histories or develop evolutionary models, ultimately determining the geological history of an area.