Sociography is writing on society, societal sub-divisions and societal patterns, done without first conducting the in-depth study typically required in the academic field of sociology. The term was coined by the Dutch sociologist Sebald Rudolf Steinmetz in 1913. Sociography typically takes the form of loose commentary, although it may also be found as portions of novels that depict life in a given society. Much of the sociography currently in print focuses on society sub-groups, such as ethnic, neighborhood or occupational-geographic groupings.