5.9.5: Anecdotal Records

Learning Objectives

1. Define anecdotal record.
2. Explain how anecdotal records are used to document specific child behaviors and developmental progress.
3. Identify the components of a high-quality anecdotal record.

What is an Anecdotal Record?

An Anecdotal Record is “an informal observation method often used by teachers to understand the child’s personality or behavior. It provides a running account of behavior that is either typical or unusual for the child” (Bentzen, 2009, p. 178). Anecdotal Records, also called "anecdotal notes," are direct observations of a child that offer a window of opportunity to see a child's actions, interactions, and reactions to people and events.

When to Use an Anecdotal Record

An Anecdotal Record is an excellent tool that provides teachers with a collection of narratives that can be used to showcase a child's progress over time. Compared to a running record, anecdotal records provide brief notes focused on a specific event or activity. Anecdotal Records are the most practical and useful of all of the observation methods for classroom teachers. These records focus on typical and atypical child behaviors.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Table \(\PageIndex{1}\). Advantages and Disadvantages of Anecdotal Records

Advantages	Disadvantages
Provides vivid details about the who, what, when, where, and how	Data can be tainted if it is not written in the moment
Takes less time to write up an observation as compared to using Running Records	Focuses on one event, situation, or behavior at a time and can miss or overlook important information
Evidence is documented as it occurs, in a sequence	Does not provide quantitative data results
Provides objective and descriptive evidence	May not always report a child’s typical pattern of development or behavior
Interpretation notes can be added afterwards	Bias can affect the selection of events to record
Evidence can be gathered formally (planned) or informally (spontaneously)	Improper wording can lead to misinterpretations
No special training is required	Intentionally left blank.
Provides qualitative data over time and helps track changes in a child’s development over time	Intentionally left blank.

Collecting Your Data

To gather useful observation evidence, you need to include the following components:

1. Accurate and specific details of the event (vivid descriptions precisely as you see and hear them happening - do not summarize, assume, or make judgments)
2. The context, setting, and situation that surrounds the event (the where, when, who, what, and how)
3. Objective facts about the child’s behavior and interactions (report actions and conversations)
4. Write records in the past tense

Here are some examples of observation evidence you might want to gather:

• Social interactions with peers
• Every day routines, like mealtime and transition times
• How they utilize materials at the various centers (block, math, science, art, music)
• How they engage in teacher-directed activities (structured learning opportunities)
• How they engage in child-directed activities (open exploration opportunities)
• How they are inside and how they are outside

Anecdotal Records are considered an informal method of observation. Since you are observing only a particular event or behavior, Anecdotal Records are selective. If you observe typical and/or atypical behaviors, you are also being selective in your recording. The amount of inference is made when you are observing atypical behaviors. You need to infer if the behavior is typical or atypical for a child at that age.

Organizing Your Data

Once you have completed the Anecdotal Record, you will take a moment to interpret the data. You will look for patterns and note whether the data reflects typical or unusual behavior for the child. To measure a child’s developmental progress, you will look for their strengths (skills and milestones that have been mastered) and their needs (skills and milestones that the child needs further support with). The summary notes help you clarify instructional recommendations (adjustments that you will make to the environment to accommodate the child's learning style). The records you take can help you generate developmentally appropriate lesson plan activities and interactions. All Anecdotal Records must be dated and stored safely in the child's portfolio or file folder.

Put It Into Practice

Putting it Into Practice	Video	Video Description and Text Link
Writing Anecdotal Records		4C Writing Observation: Documentating a Child's Development Through Observations by Independence Television Text link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsXvbflrLu4&t=92s
Using Anecdotal Records		NCQTL- Anecdotal Records by Casey Swain Text link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAczTiO1rUg&t=3s

Examples

Without Interpretation/Evaluation

Date/Time	Sept 9, 4:15 p.m.-
Setting/Situation	Room 4 Outdoor; Complies with a request
Teacher	Carol
Child's Name and Age	Rocky, 3
Domain	Social relationships

Observation: Rocky is playing in the sandbox with his two other friends. A teacher calls him three times. He looks up and then goes back to play. The fourth time, he asks, “Why?” He starts walking up to the steps with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes frowned, and his lips protruded.

With Interpretation/Evaluation

Date/Time	February 2, 8:39 a.m.
Setting/Situation	Room 2 Indoor; Still breakfast time
Teacher	Sari
Child's Name and Age	Willow, 2
Domain	Developing self-help skills

Observation: Only three girls are eating at the table. Willow is holding a slice of toasted bread in her left hand. Then, she lifts her right hand and picks up a small spoon containing some peanut butter. She places the spoon over the bread and attempts to spread the peanut butter on it from right to left.

Interpretation/Evaluation: Willow seems to like to try things out by herself. I guess she observed or remembered someone spreading the peanut butter on the bread and wanted to do it as well. I believe this relates to Vygotsky's theory, in which there is an impact on the children's social interactions and cultural influences as well. It seems obvious that she knows that the peanut butter could be spread out on the bread, which could result from a cultural practice that she has noticed in the people around her.

References, Contributors and Attributions

This section is a derivative from:

Peterson, G., Elam, E. & Studinka, D. (2020). Observation, assessment, and participation in early childhood. College of the Canyons, CA. https://www.palomar.edu/childdevelop...rly-childhood/ CC BY 4.0.

Bentzen, W. R. (6th ed.) (2009). Seeing young children: a guide to observing and recording behavior. Thomson Delmar Learning.