in the field

prepositional phrase3

1. •
   Away from the office, classroom, or laboratory; working with people or things in their natural environment.

   • In 1915 the average county agent spent 152 days in the field and 140 days in the office. — 1921
2. •
   In a real-world setting, as opposed to the controlled conditions of a laboratory or the hypothesized parameters of a theoretical approach.

   • Taking not of Becker's injunction that 'methodology is too important to be left to methodologists' (Becker, 1970b, p. 3) the focus will be upon the problems that confront the researcher in the field. — 2002
3. •
   Actively engaged in fighting or dealing with the enemy; in battle or on maneuvers.

   • An English medical officer has described an apparatus for the generation of chlorine gas which was used for sterilization of water in the field. — 1917