What is one common pitfall in qualitative data analysis related to field notes?

A common pitfall is treating field notes as a finished product instead of a living document that needs constant checking and updating. Researchers often write notes quickly and then forget to revisit them, which can lock in early impressions and bias the analysis. This means later interpretations might be built on incomplete or misremembered details. For example, a student who records only the main event of a meeting without noting the surrounding atmosphere might later misinterpret a participant’s enthusiasm as agreement, when the notes actually show nervousness. Regularly revisiting and cross‑checking notes with audio or video recordings helps keep the analysis accurate and unbiased.