Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Citizen science refers to the involvement of ordinary people in scientific research and data collection. It allows individuals without formal scientific training to contribute to scientific projects and make meaningful contributions to research.
Crowdsourcing involves obtaining ideas, services, or content from a large group of people, typically through an online platform. It can be seen as a form of citizen science where individuals collectively contribute their knowledge or skills towards a common goal.
Biodiversity-related Science Projects: These are specific types of citizen science projects that focus on studying and monitoring biodiversity. Participants may collect data on species diversity, population sizes, or habitat conditions to better understand ecosystems and conservation efforts.
Data Collection: In citizen science, data collection refers to the process of gathering information or observations from participants. This collected data is then used by scientists for analysis and research purposes.