Citizen science
Citizen science is a way of conducting scientific research in which citizens actively contribute to its execution or conduct it entirely themselves. Collaboration between researchers and the general public makes science more accessible to society and society more accessible to science. It connects research directly to society.
The manifestations of citizen science are diverse and depend on the type of research and the field in which it is applied. It can be incorporated at any stage, or in several phases of research: right at the beginning when formulating research questions or research design, but more often it happens during data collection and/or analysis.
Not always is citizen involvement a form of citizen science. If citizens are used as research objects, it is not citizen science. Citizens must have a truly active role in conducting the research. For example, citizens who record observations in nature via an app, volunteers who transcribe archives or serious gamers who help solve issues through play.
Why citizen science
Citizen science is a way of doing research more transparent and inclusive and thus an important pillar of the Radboud Open Science Programme. It can greatly benefit your research and offers researchers unique advantages:
- Access to larger and more diverse datasets, because you can collect a lot of data in a short time, cover a larger area and make use of various connections of citizen scientists.
- Data collection in places you would otherwise not have had access to or would have been more difficult to reach.
- Ability to integrate different perspectives and specific knowledge
- Connection to socially relevant themes and needs within society, making your research more relevant and effective
Besides the benefits for researchers, there are also benefits for citizens and society. For instance, citizens gain more knowledge about the topic and research method and contribute to something they consider important. Society benefits from innovative solutions and new insights resulting from broad-based research.
How to apply citizen science in your research
When setting up citizen science activities, there are specific points of consideration because you are working with (sometimes large groups of) non-scientists. It is important to pay close attention to these to ensure the project runs smoothly and the data is reliable. Read on for the key factors to consider.
Read more about the important factors you need to take into account
Citizen science in practice
Citizen science at Radboud University is not new. Several projects have already been successfully implemented or are ongoing. Do you know of any citizen science activities? Please let us know!
Citizen science in Europe
Radboud University adheres to the guidelines of The European Citizen Science Association (ECSA).
Contact
Would you like to know more about citizen science, are you planning to start a citizen science project or are you already working on one? We would love to get in touch with you.