Understanding engagement, marketing, and motivation to benefit recruitment and retention in citizen science

Hart, A. G. et al. (2022) Understanding engagement, marketing, and motivation to benefit recruitment and retention in citizen science. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 7(1), 5. (doi: 10.5334/cstp.436)

Abstract

In November 2020, a meeting was held to explore what citizen science practitioners can gain from understanding engagement, marketing, and volunteer motivations in order to benefit recruitment and retention in environmental citizen science. This report summarises the lessons learned from considering the role of people as participants within citizen science; although we note that this is only one and, for some, a contested view of participants. Marketing and motivation studies highlighted the importance of knowing more about participants. Framing and user experience experts showed how to convert knowledge into tailored approaches that enhance engagement and retention. Other fields, including the world of commerce, have potential lessons for citizen science practitioners, especially those involved in top-down, mass participatory projects that require high levels of engagement.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The authors thank the British Ecological Society who supported this meeting through their Citizen Science Special Interest Group. MJOP was supported by the Terrestrial Surveillance Development and Analysis partnership of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/ R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Dunkley, Dr Ria
• Authors: Hart, A. G., Adcock, D., Barr, M., Church, S., Clegg, T., Copland, S., De Meyer, K., Dunkley, R., Pateman, R. M., Underhill, R., Wyles, K., and Pocock, M. J.O.
• Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Pedagogy, Praxis & Faith
• Journal Name: Citizen Science: Theory and Practice
• Publisher: Ubiquity Press
• ISSN: 2057-4991
• ISSN (Online): 2057-4991
• Published Online: 24 February 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 7(1): 5
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License