The purpose of this manual is to provide an overview of coastal geology and a discussion of data sources and study methods applicable to coastal geological field studies. "Coastal geology" is defined as the science of landforms, structures, rocks, and sediments with particular emphasis on the coastal zone. Material in this manual has been adapted from textbooks and technical literature from the fields of geology, geomorphology, geophysics, oceanography, meteorology, and geotechnical engineering. The practicing scientist involved in coastal projects is expected to be able to obtain a general overview of most aspects of coastal geology and to be able to refer to the reference list for additional information on specific topics.