Citizen Science Terminology Matters: Exploring Key Terms

Authors

  • M V Eitzel Science and Justice Research Center, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
  • Jessica L Cappadonna Queensland University of Technology S Block, Level 10, Room 1002, Gardens Point Campus, Brisbane, Queensland,
  • Chris Santos-Lang Citizen Science Belleville
  • Ruth Ellen Duerr Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship
  • Arika Virapongse Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship
  • Sarah Elizabeth West Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York
  • Christopher Conrad Maximillian Kyba GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
  • Anne Bowser Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
  • Caren Beth Cooper North Carolina State University and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
  • Andrea Sforzi Maremma Natural History Museum
  • Anya Nova Metcalfe Northern Arizona University
  • Edward S Harris Scleroderma Education Project Ltd., 2726 Van Hise Ave, Madison, WI 53705
  • Martin Thiel Universidad Católica del Norte, Millennium Nucleus Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Island (ESMOI), Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA)
  • Mordechai Haklay University College London
  • Lesandro Ponciano Federal University of Campina Grande
  • Joseph Roche Trinity College Dublin
  • Luigi Ceccaroni 1000001 Labs
  • Fraser Mark Shilling University of California, Davis
  • Daniel Dörler Citizen Science Working Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
  • Florian Heigl Citizen Science Working Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
  • Tim Kiessling Universidad Católica del Norte
  • Brittany Y Davis Allegheny College
  • Qijun Jiang Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.96

Keywords:

crowdsourcing, community-based participatory research, epistemology, public participation in science and research, ontology, participatory action research

Abstract

Much can be at stake depending on the choice of words used to describe citizen science, because terminology impacts how knowledge is developed. Citizen science is a quickly evolving field that is mobilizing people’s involvement in information development, social action and justice, and large-scale information gathering. Currently, a wide variety of terms and expressions are being used to refer to the concept of ‘citizen science’ and its practitioners. Here, we explore these terms to help provide guidance for the future growth of this field. We do this by reviewing the theoretical, historical, geopolitical, and disciplinary context of citizen science terminology; discussing what citizen science is and reviewing related terms; and providing a collection of potential terms and definitions for ‘citizen science’ and people participating in citizen science projects. This collection of terms was generated primarily from the broad knowledge base and on-the-ground experience of the authors, by recognizing the potential issues associated with various terms. While our examples may not be systematic or exhaustive, they are intended to be suggestive and invitational of future consideration. In our collective experience with citizen science projects, no single term is appropriate for all contexts. In a given citizen science project, we suggest that terms should be chosen carefully and their usage explained; direct communication with participants about how terminology affects them and what they would prefer to be called also should occur. We further recommend that a more systematic study of terminology trends in citizen science be conducted. 

 

Publisher's Note: There has been an amendment to the acknowledgements section of this article.

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Published

2017-06-05

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Review and Synthesis Papers

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