Authors

• Svahn, Elena (Åbo Akademi University)
• Federation of Finnish Learned Societies

Keywords

citizen participation, citizenship, participation, research, research workers, science

Abstract

The citizen science survey sought to gather the views of citizens, citizen science participants, researchers, and representatives of research and funding organizations on the current state of citizen science.

First, participants were asked whether they had previously taken part in research and whether they were already familiar with the concept of citizen science. In addition, participants were asked to select the most important aspects of citizen science and to evaluate its significance from various perspectives. Following this, they were asked whether participation in citizen science requires special expertise and whether there are citizen science projects within their own organisations.

Next, the respondents were asked about their organisations' guidelines regarding citizen science projects, how these projects are communicated, and whether funding is available for them. Questions were also asked regarding the funding of citizen science. After that, the respondents were asked at what stage of the research citizens participate and how citizens were recruited for the research. Finally, they were asked to describe what citizen science means to them, what technology was used in the citizen science project, what development needs emerged, and how the results were utilized.

Background information included, among other things, the respondent's age group, gender, the organisation they represent, their field of research, education, and occupational group.