Francis L. W. Ratnieks|Felix Schrell|Rebecca C. Sheppard|Emmeline Brown|Oliver E. Bristow|Mihail Garbuzov
Data reliability in citizen science: learning curve and the effects of training method, volunteer background and experience on identification accuracy of insects visiting ivy flowers
University of Sussex|University of Sussex|University of Sussex|University of Sussex|University of Sussex|University of Sussex
summary citizen science involvement volunteers collecting scientific data useful research tool however data collected volunteers often lower quality collected professional scientists studied accuracy volunteers identified insects visiting ivy hedera flowers sussex england first experiment examined effects training method volunteer background prior experience fiftythree participants trained duration using one three different methods pamphlet pamphlet slide show pamphlet direct training almost immediately following training tested ability participants identify live insects ivy flowers one 10 taxonomic categories recorded whether identifications correct incorrect without providing feedback results showed type training method significant effect identification accuracy p 0008 participants identified 791 insects correctly using onepage colour pamphlet 856 correctly using pamphlet viewing slide show 943 correctly using pamphlet combination direct training field direct training cannot delivered remotely following year conducted second experiment different sample 26 volunteers received pamphlet plus slide show training repeatedly three times moreover experiment participants received c 2 min additional training material either videos insects stills taken videos testing showed identification accuracy increased 886 913 975 across three successive tests also found borderline significant interaction type additional material test number p 0053 video gave fewer errors stills first two tests common errors made volunteers misidentifications honeybees social wasps hover fly mimics also tested six experts achieved nearly perfect accuracy 998 shows possible practice overall study shows two three sessions remote training good one direct training even relatively challenging taxonomic discriminations include distinguishing models mimics