Authors: Stijn Brouwer, Nicolien van Aalderen.
This article is published on openresearch.amsterdam with permission from KWR Water.
Citizen Science handbook for the water sector
This handbook offers a new approach to Citizen Science (CS) projects, specifically developed for the
Dutch water sector. It describes five steps – Strive, Weigh, Mark, Explicate and
Put down – which are the result of thorough literature research and practical experience. The first step of 'striving' consists of clearly defining the impact that the project envisages at various levels. The next step consists of 'weighing up' the most suitable target group, the research strategy and the desired involvement of the participating citizen scientists in the research project. The choices made in the previous steps lead to the 'marking' of the geographical scale and duration of the project. In the fourth step, the focus shifts to practical matters and a number of protocols are elaborated by means of 'explicating'. In the fifth and final step, 'set up', it is all about making preparations so that the project can start. For example, the necessary training for the participating citizen scientists must be considered and a manual and logistical planning are required.
This manual is explicitly aimed at professionals in the water sector and has a result-oriented approach to Citizen Science projects. Illustrated with numerous examples and with insights from science and practice, the user can immediately get started.
The Handbook is written in Dutch.
Image credits
Header image: Handboek Citizen Science in de watersector - KWR
Icon image: Handboek Citizen Science in de watersector - KWR