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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2019-12-31 </periodOfReport> |
| <notSubjectToSection16> 0 </notSubjectToSection16> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000799165 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> DWSN </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001604461 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Vander Ploeg Mark A </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> 1360 ELDER AVENUE </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> MENLO PARK </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> CA </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 94025 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 1 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 0 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Dawson Geophysical Company-Common Stock $0.01 par value </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2019-12-31 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionTimeliness> |
| <value></value> |
| </transactionTimeliness> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 5368 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 25281 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Dawson Geophysical Company-Common Stock $0.01 par value </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 36792 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Through the Hermosa Trust dated November 3, 2015. </value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Held through the Hermosa Trust, of which the insider and his wife are trustees and beneficiaries. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> Mark A. Vander Ploeg </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-01-02 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |