# Conceptual Frameworks for Building Online Citizen Science Projects

**Authors:** Poonam Yadav, John Darlington  
**arXiv:** [1704.05084](https://arxiv.org/abs/1704.05084)  
**Date:** 2017-04-17  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/1704.05084v1/

## Key points

- Citizen science is popular due to its emphasis on informal learning and creativity
- Projects address research questions across various domains
- Scientists are using communication technologies to turn their research into citizen science projects for outreach and engagement
- Building and managing these projects can be difficult without a single tool or framework
- Authors have designed frameworks tailored to each project's specific characteristics
- Frameworks guide creators through every step of creating a new project, from research question to deployment
- Frameworks can be easily extended to include other dimensions not currently perceived
- Careful planning and consideration are important when designing online citizen science projects.

## Summary

Citizen science has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its emphasis on informal learning and the potential for creativity associated with these initiatives. These projects address research questions across a range of domains, from Ecology to Astronomy. With the advancement of communication technologies, scientists are eager to turn their own research into citizen science projects as outreach and engagement with wider communities becomes easier. However, building and managing these projects can be difficult due to the lack of a single tool or framework that guides project development step-by-step. To address this issue, authors have designed frameworks tailored to each project's specific characteristics such as geographical constraints or volunteers' mode of participation. These frameworks guide creators through every step of creating a new project starting from the research question to project deployment and can be easily extended to include other dimensions not currently perceived. Overall, this article provides valuable guidance for anyone looking to create an online citizen science project while highlighting the importance of careful planning and consideration when designing such initiatives.