Anecdotal Recordings

Anecdote:

• “A short account of an interesting or humorous incident.”

ANECDOTAL RECORDSWhat are they?

Brief account of any happening, recorded with notes as it is happening and elaborated

upon later in the day.Told like a story in narrative form, including

direct quotes from the participants.Report of whatever seems noteworthy,

although often is atypical behavior.

Anecdotal records are

• An open method, assuming that it preserves the raw data provided by detailed description.

• Can be highly selective if only very unusual behavior is targeted but is usually less selective.

• Inferences are made afterwards and kept separate from the recording.

Anecdotal Records can beA. General notes

with no specific focus in mind.

OR

B. Topical with SPECIFIC

1. BEHAVIOR (cooperation, reasoning, social participation)

OR

2. EVENT (snack time, group time, arrival, departure, dramatic

play)

They can:

• FOCUS ON AN INDIVIDUAL CHILD– Record child’s actions, behaviors, interactions.– Identify child’s response to specific activities,

materials, experiences, people.– Identify a child’s interests. – Evaluate play interactions.– Assess child’s knowledge, skills, dispositions.

They can also

• FOCUS ON A GROUP OF CHILDREN– Evaluate appropriateness of equipment,

materials and experiences.– Evaluate effectiveness of routines,

schedules, transitions.– Evaluate effectiveness of limits and

guidance techniques.

What to include:• Include information that identifies the

setting including the date, time of day, brief description of surroundings, or any other information that is necessary to describe the conditions under which the observation was conducted.

• Action is recorded in sequence– Anecdote should have a beginning, middle and

end.

Include 3 levels of action:

• Main Action: “Ellen and Mary were putting puzzles together on the floor.”

• Support Action: “Ellen was putting the hospital puzzle together.”

• Relevant Details: How the action was carried out; the qualitative or descriptive addition to the anecdote. ”Ellen carefully put each piece in the puzzle until it was completed.”

• Include relevant action and vocalization of central character.

• Include relevant reactions and responses of other people.

• Remain objective and factual.

How to write it:

• Record a few phrases and key words for elaboration later.

• Write complete anecdote as soon after as possible to preserve accuracy of record.

• Quote exact words and include relevant description to preserve accuracy of record.

• Record observations in exact order of sequence.• Interpret anecdote - make interpretations that can be

clearly justified by the observation.• Make recommendations as indicated.

Anecdotal records may be used to:

•Portray an incident that indicates a child’s development in a specific area.

•Record a humorous incident to share with families.

•Preserve the details of a curious incident for later reflection.

•Record the exact details of a child’s disclosure of an incidence of abuse.

•Exemplify a child’s typical behavior.

•Record the details of an incident that is totally foreign to the child’s typical behavior.

The Anecdotal Record is a narrative account of an incident that may be a few seconds or several minutes in length.

The Anecdotal Recording recounts the event, telling the reader:

WHEN

WHERE

WHO

and

WHAT.

It does not answer the question WHY in the body of the recording.

That conclusion or inference is

separated from the recording (see ÔSignificanceÕ on form).

An inference is an informed judgment or conclusion based on observation.

SUPPORTING NOTES

• Example: When we see a child crying our inference is that the child is sad or hurt. We may or may not be correct.– Consider yourself a newspaper reporter,

police officer or insurance claims adjuster.

– Your written facts on the scene or very shortly thereafter are the most accurate.

When an event occurs that is important to remember:

A few notes are jotted down to refer to later. If an interesting conversation is happening it

is recorded word for word.

It is written as much as possible as it is happening.

Use your own abbreviated form of note

taking.

By the end of your day the notes are amplified and rewritten into a full account while the details are still fresh.

Refer to first figure. 1. Sets the stage for the reader, ÒIn cubbies

dressing for outdoor play.Ó 2. Identifies the characters, target child by fake

name. Abbreviations are used in the writing for speed. Sherita, other child by initial for anonymity.

3. The account describes the action in detail.

ÒSherita bends over with eyes close to DÕs zipper.Ó

4. It describes the interaction between characters.

ÒT bends down and says,Ó

5. It records exact quotes including pronunciation as it is heard. ÒI tanÕt dit it!Ó

6. It concludes with result or reaction between

characters. ÒYouÕre my buddy, right?Ó

ADVANTAGES• No special forms, setting or time frame.• Are preserved facts and details for any reader

to draw conclusions.• Give a short, contextual account of an

incident.• Give the reader a ‘sense of being there.’• Gives an on going record to help teacher

understand child’s behavior in particular situations and settings.

• Separate judgments or inferences from details of incident.

• Are useful for recording all areas of development.

• Are necessary for capturing exact details for specific purposes, such as speech/language development and child abuse disclosure.

DISADVANTAGES• Choosing which incidents to record gives the writer

selectivity that may influence positive or negative collections, ie: observer bias

• Intense writing to capture all details, quotes, body movements.

• Diverts attention from interactions with children.• Can only focus on a few minutes of action.• Can only focus on one or two children at a time.• Since these records can follow child in cumulative

records, can provide self-fulfilling prophecy.

Pitfalls to Avoid• Avoid attention-getting behavior.• Use a systematic approach by sorting your students into groupings and then assigning an observation week to each group.

• Use a variety of developmental areas to account for the whole child.

• Use your center’s evaluation plan as a guide so you obtain the needed observation results to aid you in completing forms and conducting parent/ teacher conferences.

• Be certain to write factually. • Avoid inferences, explanations, reasons, feelings and biases.

• The recorder constantly needs to test if the reader will “see” it in the mind.

• If it is not describing an event exactly as it occurred then the writer is summarizing and it ceases to be an accurate recording.

• The recorder must stretch vocabulary to describe actions in non-inferential, nonjudgmental terms.– “Zipped Davi’s jacket,” NOT “helped”– Jumped and fell,” NOT “clumsy”– “Gave a piece of PlayDough,” NOT “shared”– “Eyes widened, mouth open,” NOT “looked

surprised”

• Types of Information to Record:

• Self-Care SkillsSeparation and AdjustmentPhysical DevelopmentSocial DevelopmentEmotional DevelopmentLanguage and SpeechAttention Span and InterestsCognitive DevelopmentLiteracyCreativitySociodramatic PlaySelf- EsteemChild Abuse Disclosure

• REVIEW OF ANECDOTAL RECORDINGS:

• Detailed incident on one child (others may interact in the incident)

• Include the setting, action/reaction

• Use exact quotes, and results.

• It should be detailed enough for the reader to “be there.”

Anecdotal Record FormName_____________________________________________________ Child’s Name___________________________Date______ ___________ Center Name__________________________ Time_________________ Location______________________ _____________________________ Anecdote: Significance: Curriculum / Social Plans:

Anecdotal Log Sheet• DATE NAME ANECDOTE KEY• ____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• KEY:• C = COGNITIVE L = LANGUAGE /LITERACY P = PHYSICAL• M = MATH E = EMOTIONAL/SOCIAL S = SYMBOLIC