The term field is used in survey research to refer to the geographical setting where data collection takes place. Typically this refers to in-person interviewing and thus the name, field survey.

One of the key decisions when designing a survey is the choice of the mode of data collection. Field interviewing is one of three traditional modes of survey data collection (along with telephone and mail). In field surveys, which are also referred to as face-to-face or personal-visit surveys, an interviewer visits the respondent's home or office (or another location) and conducts the interview. This entry outlines the major advantages and disadvantages of field data collection and the variations that are found in modern survey research and concludes with a brief overview of the development of ...