Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Science--Methodology; Science--Social aspects--Public opinion; Research--Citizen participation--Public opinion;

Abstract

This study focused on a perceptions-based citizen science project that emphasizes meaning over measurement. Specifically, student perceptions of citizen science in a unique location, rather than the specific data outcomes of the water quality citizen science activity were analyzed. Many researchers have used citizen science participants to collect samples from water sources around them, increasing the use of mass data collection for scientific purposes.This study was a mixed-methods design, using triangulation of the pre-survey, modified focus group, and post-survey. The goal was to gauge the perceptions of participants in perceived benefits and gains before and after participating in a water quality citizen science activity in an international setting. While citizen science is widely used to increase data collection and knowledge about science, this study achieves a fuller understanding of the motivations and benefits of participants and how location plays a role in their decision to volunteer. This study demonstrates the importance of geography and the geographic threads of citizen science that determines the role that location plays on participants, and how it impacts the use of future citizen science studies.

Year of Submission

2021

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Geography

First Advisor

Lisa Tabor, Chair

Date Original

5-2021

Object Description

1 PDF file (x, 112 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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