Resources

What is Citizen Science?

Citizen Science is based on natural and social science methodologies. It involves members of the public in monitoring and scientific research. These projects can range from local to regional, and global scales, and participation can vary from data collection to other aspects of the scientific process, like the creation of research questions, data analysis, project evaluation, and reporting.

Involving members of the public in monitoring and scientific research has been expressed in a number of different ways. For simplicity we use the umbrella term Citizen Science, but encourage practitioners who identify with Community-Based Monitoring (CBM), Community Science, Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR), and other related endeavors to join. This Community of Practice will explore different aspects of working with the public in environmental monitoring and science that may be of interest to practitioners of a number of related fields.

Citizen Science Principles of Good Practice

Alberta Environment and Parks and the Miistakis Institute, with guidance and input from citizen science practitioners and researchers, co-developed the Citizen Science Principles of Good Practice to support the growing field of citizen science in Alberta. The six Principles are intended to serve as a foundation for ongoing conversations and collaboration when using citizen science, and to address information and knowledge gaps across the province. The Principles provide practitioners, researchers, and decision makers guidance for designing, implementing, and evaluating citizen science initiatives.

The guiding document outlines three areas of focus to help advance citizen science in Alberta, one of which is establishing a citizen science community of practice as an opportunity to aid knowledge sharing, and to promote standards of practice and innovation throughout the field.

The Citizen Science Principles of Good Practice were released through Alberta’s Office of the Chief Scientist in 2020. The release was supported by the Advancing Citizen Science in Alberta fact sheet.

How to build a citizen science program

Here we share resources to support different components of citizen science programming. The wheel below provides a description of programming components and a link to more information such as why that component is important, key questions and considerations, and links to relevant resources.

1

Learn

Learn about the field of citizen science, encompassing an understanding of its ethical framework, operational principles, and best practices in the field.

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2

Start

Learn about developing a citizen science program, including: goal articulation, staff recruitment, partnerships, financial sustainability planning, milestone setting, and determination of project closure criteria (setting an end date).

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3

Participate

Learn about volunteer management, including the strategies for recruitment, retention, organization of participatory events, and the administration of necessary legal documentation, to foster an engaged and productive volunteer base. Participation also includes education and outreach activities and science communication with your volunteer base.

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4

Collect

Learn about systematic gathering, storage, and sharing of data relevant to citizen science projects.

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5

Report

Learn about systematic examination of collected data through established analytical methodologies, aimed at deriving significant insights and identifying trends and documenting them in a report. Reporting clearly articulates the progress and outcomes of a project as it relates to the overall project design and purpose.

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6

Evaluate

Learn about comprehensive appraisal of a project’s scientific and outreach contributions, assessing their efficacy and impact relative to predefined objectives to derive actionable insights for future improvement.

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7

Act

Learn about strategic utilization of insights derived from citizen science projects to inform and enhance decision-making processes, policy creation, and implementation strategies.

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Other Citizen Science Hubs and Organizations

If you have a resource to contribute, please email us at info@citscialberta.com.

Disclaimer – Resources are provided for general informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. Any waiver forms or template documents are provided as examples but it is the users responsibility to ensure any use of these or other resources aligns with their organizations mandates and rules. The forms may require customization to meet your organization’s needs and the specific legal requirements of your locality. While we strive to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the forms or the
information or related graphics contained on the resource page for any purpose.