Awareness, views and experiences of Citizen Science among Swedish researchers — two surveys

In 2021 Sweden’s first national portal for citizen science will be launched to help researchers practice sustainable and responsible citizen science with different societal stakeholders. This paper present findings from two surveys on attitudes and experiences of citizen science among researchers at Swedish universities. Both surveys provided input to the development of the national portal, for which researchers are a key stakeholder group. The first survey (n=636) was exclusively focused on citizen science and involved researchers and other personnel at Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU). 63% of respondents at SLU had heard about citizen science (CS) prior to the survey; however a majority of these (61%) had not been involved in any CS initiative themselves. Dominant reasons for researchers choosing a CS approach in projects were to enable collection of large amounts of data (68%), improving the knowledge base (59%), improving data quality (25%), promote participants’ understanding in research (21%) and promote collaboration between the university and society (20%). The other survey (n=3 699) was on the broader topic of communication and open science, including questions on CS, and was distributed to researchers from all Swedish universities. 61% of respondents had not been engaged in any research projects where volunteers were involved in the process. A minority of the researchers had participated in projects were volunteers had collected data (18%), been involved in internal or external communication (16%), contributed project ideas (14%) and/or formulated research questions (11%). Nearly four out of ten respondents (37%) had heard about CS prior to the survey. The researchers were more positive towards having parts of the research process open to citizen observation, rather than open to citizen influence/participation. Our results show that CS is a far from well-known concept among Swedish researchers. And while those who have heard about CS are generally positive towards it, researchers overall are hesitant to invite citizens to take part in the research process.

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A critical discussion of the use of film in participatory research projects with homeless young people: an analysis based on case examples from England and Canada

Qualitative Research ◽

10.1177/1468794120965374 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 146879412096537

Author(s):

Alastair Roy ◽

Jacqueline Kennelly ◽

Harriet Rowley ◽

Cath Larkins

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Research Process ◽

Critical Discussion ◽

The Other ◽

Symbolic Violence ◽

Research Projects ◽

Case Examples ◽

Key Aspects ◽

Distinct Role

The focus of this paper is on the complex and sometimes contradictory effects of generating films with and about young people who have experienced homelessness, through participatory research. Drawing on two projects – one in Ottawa, Canada, and the other in Manchester, UK – we scrutinise two key aspects of participatory research projects that use film: first, how to appropriately communicate the complexity of already-stigmatised lives to different publics, and second, which publics we prioritise, and how this shapes the stories that are told. Through a theoretical framework that combines Pierre Bourdieu’s account of authorised language with Arthur Frank’s socio-narratology, we analyse the potential for generating justice versus reproducing symbolic violence through participatory research and film with homeless young people. In particular, we scrutinise the distinct role played by what we are calling first, second and third publics – each with their own level of distance and relationship to the participatory research process.

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The Role of Data Systems to Enable Open Science

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10349 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rahul Ramachandran ◽

Kaylin Bugbee ◽

Kevin Murphy

Keyword(s):

Citizen Science ◽

Research Process ◽

Open Science ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Team Approach ◽

Data Systems ◽

Scientific Culture ◽

Scientific Process ◽

Scientific Publications ◽

Research Objects

Open science is a concept that represents a fundamental change in scientific culture. This change is characterized by openness, where research objects and results are shared as soon as possible, and connectivity to a wider audience. Understanding about what Open Science actually means&#160; differs from various stakeholders.Thoughts on Open Science fall into four distinct viewpoints. The first viewpoint strives to make science accessible to a larger community by focusing on allowing non-scientists to participate in the research process through citizen science project and by more effectively communicating research results to the broader public. The second viewpoint considers providing equitable knowledge access to everyone by not only considering access to journal publications but also to other objects in the research process such as data and code. The third viewpoint focuses on making both the research process and the communication of results more efficient. There are two aspects to this component which can be described as social and technical components. The social component is driven by the need to tackle complex problems that require collaboration and a team approach to science while the technical component focuses on creating tools, services and especially scientific platforms to make the scientific process more efficient. Lastly, the fourth viewpoint strives to develop new metrics to measure scientific contributions that go beyond the current metrics derived solely from scientific publications and to consider contributions from other research objects such as data, code or knowledge sharing through blogs and other social media communication mechanisms.&#160;Technological change is a factor in all four of these viewpoints on Open Science. New capabilities in compute, storage, methodologies, publication and sharing enable technologists to better serve as the primary drivers for Open Science by providing more efficient technological solutions. Sharing knowledge, information and other research objects such as data and code has become easier with new modalities of sharing available to researchers. In addition, technology is enabling the democratization of science at two levels. First, researchers are no longer constrained by lack of infrastructure resources needed to tackle difficult problems. Second, the Citizen Science projects now involve the public at different steps of the scientific process from collecting the data to analysis.This presentations investigates the four described viewpoints on Open Science from the perspective of any large organization involved in scientific data stewardship and management. The presentation will list possible technological strategies that organizations may adopt to further align with all aspects of the Open Science movement.&#160;

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Helping International Students Succeed Academically through Research Process and Plagiarism Workshops

College & Research Libraries ◽

10.5860/crl-117rl ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 72 (3) ◽

pp. 209-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Yu-Hui Chen ◽

Mary K. Van Ullen

Keyword(s):

International Students ◽

Research Process ◽

Research Questions ◽

The University

Workshops on the research process and plagiarism were designed to meet the needs of international students at the University at Albany. The research process workshop covered formulating research questions, as well as locating and evaluating sources. The plagiarism workshop focused on acknowledging sources, quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing materials, citation styles, and avoiding plagiarism. The effectiveness of the workshops was measured by administering pre-and post-tests and by interviewing students several months after the workshops. The results showed that students achieved significant improvement for both the research process and plagiarism by attending the training, and they continued to apply new skills several months later.

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Exploring University Age-Friendliness Using Collaborative Citizen Science

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnaa026 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. 1527-1537

Author(s):

Stephanie A Chesser ◽

Michelle M Porter ◽

Ruth Barclay ◽

Abby C King ◽

Verena H Menec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Citizen Science ◽

Research Process ◽

Knowledge Mobilization ◽

Community Members ◽

Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽

Physical Barriers ◽

University Of Manitoba ◽

The University ◽

Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Since the launch of Dublin City University’s Age-Friendly University (AFU) Initiative in 2012, relatively little empirical research has been published on its feasibility or implementation by institutions of higher learning. This article describes how collaborative citizen science—a research method where professional researchers and community members work together across multiple stages of the research process (e.g., data collection, analysis, and/or knowledge mobilization) to investigate an issue—was used to identify barriers and supports to university age-friendliness at the University of Manitoba (UofM) in Canada. Research Design and Methods Ten citizen scientists each completed 1 data collection walk around the UofM campus and used a tablet application to document AFU barriers and supports via photographs and accompanying audio commentaries. The citizen scientists and university researchers then worked together in 2 analysis sessions to identify AFU priority areas and brainstorm recommendations for institutional change. These were then presented to a group of interested university stakeholders. Results The citizen scientists collected 157 photos documenting AFU barriers and supports on campus. Accessibility, signage, and transportation were identified as being the most pressing issues for the university to address to improve overall age-friendliness. Discussion and Implications We suggest that academic institutions looking to complete assessments of their age-friendliness, particularly those exploring physical barriers and supports, could benefit from incorporating older citizen scientists into the process of collecting, analyzing, and mobilizing findings.

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Stymulowanie aktywnych taktyk studentów i absolwentów wchodzących na rynek pracy a strategia uczelni

e-mentor ◽

10.15219/em91.1528 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 16-24

Author(s):

Agnieszka Zwolińska ◽

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

The Other ◽

Ethnographic Research ◽

Tracking Systems ◽

Michel De Certeau ◽

Study Results ◽

Research Questions ◽

Humanities Students ◽

The University ◽

Engaged Anthropology

The article aims to illustrate and discuss how the strategies of universities influence the tactics used by students and graduates while entering the labor market. Its author attempted to find the answers to three research questions. First, what are the ways of entering the labor market of students and graduates of the faculties that appear on the highest positions in the graduate tracking systems and those that hold low positions? Secondly, how do university strategies influence the tactics developed by students and graduates? And last but not least, how to help humanities students enter the labor market. To answer those questions, the author applied ethnographic research carried out with individuals in the space of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) and ethnology students and graduates at the University of Warsaw (IEiAK). In her article, she refers to the concept of strategy and tactics developed by Michel de Certeau and describes the implementation of the study results within the framework of the engaged anthropology program at the University of Warsaw. The performed analyses led to the conclusion that SGH had a broader range of strategies that allowed its students and graduates to develop more effective tactics for entering the labor market. On the other hand, implementation of the research results allowed to broaden the scope of both the strategy offered by IEiAK and tactics used by its students and graduates.

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4. Asking Questions: How to Find and Formulate Research Questions

Political Research ◽

10.1093/hepl/9780198820628.003.0004 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 93-122

Author(s):

Sandra Halperin ◽

Oliver Heath

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Research Question ◽

Research Process ◽

The Other ◽

General Question ◽

Asking Questions ◽

Research Questions ◽

The Difference ◽

The One

This chapter deals with the first step of the research process: the formulation of a well-crafted research question. It explains why political research should begin with a research question and how a research question structures the research process. It discusses the difference between a topic or general question, on the one hand, and a focused research question, on the other. It also considers the question of where to find and how to formulate research questions, the various types of questions scholars ask, and the role of the ‘literature review’ as a source and rationale for research questions. Finally, it describes a tool called the ‘research vase’ that provides a visualization of the research process, along with different types of questions: descriptive, explanatory, predictive, prescriptive, and normative.

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4. Asking Questions

10.1093/hepl/9780198702740.003.0004 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Halperin ◽

Oliver Heath

Keyword(s):

Research Question ◽

Research Process ◽

The Other ◽

General Question ◽

Different Types ◽

Asking Questions ◽

Research Questions ◽

The Difference ◽

The One

This chapter deals with the first step of the research process: the formulation of a well-crafted research question. It explains why political research should begin with a research question and how a research question structures the research process. It discusses the difference between a topic or general question, on the one hand, and a focused research question, on the other. It also considers the question of where to find and how to formulate research questions, the various types of questions scholars ask, and the role of the ‘literature review’ as a source and rationale for research questions. Finally, it describes a tool called the ‘research vase’ that provides a visualization of the research process, along with different types of questions: descriptive question, explanatory question, predictive question, prescriptive question and normative question.

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Pre-service Teachers’ Opinion about Inquiry-Based Learning Through Kindergarten Space

International Journal of Education ◽

10.5296/ije.v11i3.15432 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 173

Author(s):

Marina Sounoglou

Keyword(s):

Discourse Analysis ◽

Preschool Education ◽

Research Process ◽

Inquiry Based Learning ◽

Research Questions ◽

The University ◽

The Way

The research process is a safe way for children to learn. The inquiry-based learning in kindergarten enables children to deepen their knowledge and expand it on existing ones. The kindergarten space contributes to it depending on its layout and how it is utilized of them. The methodology that used was the qualitative discourse analysis in the submitted minutes of students' activities and evaluations coded for the concept of inquiry-based learning. The research sample consists of the texts of 159 pre-service teachers from the School of Preschool Education of the University of Thessaly. The results make it clear that, based on the research questions posed in the present study, pre-service teachers believe that inquiry-based learning can be cultivated in relation to the way that the space is shaped.

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Virtual supervision of pharmacy undergraduate research projects during the COVID-19 lockdown in Zimbabwe

Pharmacy Education ◽

10.46542/pe.2020.202.1314 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 13-14

Author(s):

C.M.J. Matyanga ◽

B. Dzingirai ◽

T.G. Monera-Penduka

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Research ◽

Research Process ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Research Projects ◽

Resource Limited ◽

Virtual Interaction ◽

Internet Connections ◽

The University ◽

Virtual Supervision

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to national lockdowns in multiple states. The education system, including pharmacy education, has been negatively affected by the subsequent closure of universities. Many institutions have resorted to virtual learning, which work best in settings with fast, stable internet connections and where electricity is readily available. In resource-limited settings, popular virtual interaction platforms like Zoom may not work, and educators have to devise novel ways to continue teaching. The University of Zimbabwe used innovative mobile phone-based processes to ensure continuation of the final-year pharmacy students’ honours research projects, supervision, and timely submission. This facilitated rapid communication between students and professors and allowed effective guidance for the students’ research process. All students completed their projects; 13 out of 16 submitted their write-ups within the deadline; all students passed, 69% scored an upper second (2.1) grade or better, indicating the high quality of the majority of the research projects.

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Abstracts of the 42nd Symposium on Cuniculture, ASESCU Murcia, Spain, 11th-12th May, 2017

World Rabbit Science ◽

10.4995/wrs.2017.7772 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 289

Author(s):

Abstracts, Conferences, Congresses, Symposiums...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Health Management ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

The Other ◽

Research Projects ◽

Oral Communications ◽

Rabbit Meat ◽

The University ◽

Veterinary Faculty

The 42nd Congress of the Spanish Association of Cuniculture (ASESCU) was held in Murcia from 11th to 12th May 2017, hosted by the University of Murcia’s Veterinary Faculty. The main papers focussed on analysing the situation of rabbit farming in the Murcia region, the demedicalisation of rabbit health management, a new law on farmers’ organisations and the main presentation forms of infections associated with Staphylococcus aureus. A specific session was devoted to explaining the objectives and progress of the research projects supported by the partnership between the Spanish Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) and the Rabbit Meat Marketing Board (INTERCUN). In addition, two round tables were held, one on the alternatives to massive use of antibiotics and the other on the farmers’ organisations. Moreover, a total of 28 communications were presented both in working sessions with oral communications and posters (reproduction and genetics, pathology, ethology and welfare, management and production, nutrition and feeding and meat quality). The meeting was attended by more than 160 participants, including researchers from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador, among other countries. Abstracts of the contributions presented are reported below.

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