  Documenting the context in which data are collected is an integral part of
the scientific research lifecycle. In field-based research, contextual
information provides a detailed description of scientific practices and thus
enables data interpretation and reuse. For field data, losing contextual
information often means losing the data altogether. Yet, documenting the
context of distributed, collaborative, field-based research can be a
significant challenge due to the unpredictable nature of real-world settings
and to the high degree of variability in data collection methods and scientific
practices of different researchers. In this article, we propose the use of
microblogging as a mechanism to support collection, ingestion, and publication
of contextual information about the variegated digital artifacts that are
produced in field research. We perform interviews with scholars involved in
field-based environmental and urban sensing research, to determine the extent
of adoption of Twitter and similar microblogging platforms and their potential
use for field-specific research applications. Based on the results of these
interviews as well as participant observation of field activities, we present
the design, development, and pilot evaluation of a microblogging application
integrated with an existing data collection platform on a handheld device. We
investigate whether microblogging accommodates the variable and unpredictable
nature of highly mobile research and whether it represents a suitable mechanism
to document the context of field research data early in the scientific
information lifecycle.
