Buckinghamshire Council Archaeology Service (BCAS) generic brief for an archaeological geophysical survey

A report will be required for every geophysical survey and should always contain the following elements:

• A non-technical summary of the results
• The objectives of the project
• The circumstances and date at which it was undertaken
• The identity of the organisation and individuals carrying out the work (in particular the names of the project director, site supervisor)
• Methodology and techniques
• A summary written account of the strategy and the results of the project with appropriate supporting illustrations
• A site location plan at an appropriate scale
• A referenced summary, and location plan (at 1:2500 or 1:10 000) of all previously known and newly discovered sites within or adjacent to the evaluation site
• A plan at an appropriate scale indicating areas surveyed by each method
• Description of present land use; geology and topography
• A summary of physical and health and safety constraints
• A conclusion, including a confidence of the results
• The proposed location of the archive
• References

In addition:

• All plans should be clearly related to the Ordnance Survey national grid
• If a report includes assessments of archaeological importance or recommendations or further work these will be noted but will not be binding on the Council Archaeology Service

Submission of the report and data

1. 1. 1. One hard copy of the final report should be supplied to the County Historic Environment Record along with a digital copy in PDF format (to allow reports to be made available on the web). A copy of any specialist papers relating to the project should also be supplied to the Council Archaeology Service.
      2. The HER will be supplied with copies of all grayscale plots of the processed data, preferably ArcGIS georeferenced, and interpretation layers as ArcGIS shapefiles for inclusion into the HER.
      3. One copy of the report should also be supplied to the local planning authority, if appropriate.
         iv. Reports submitted in support of planning applications are automatically considered to be public documents and will be made available for public consultation through the Historic Environment Record. Other reports will also be treated as a public document unless specifically identified as being confidential. Where a report is so identified then confidentiality should apply for an agreed period not normally exceeding 12 months from its submission to the Council Archaeology Service.