CITIZEN RESEARCHERS. Citizens add value and contribute to science in various ways either through their intellectual input and or via the resources and digital tools they offer a project. By a citizen contributing directly to a project the outcomes have the potential to change and possibly enhance the investigation. The focus group participants highlighted that by including citizen scientists in the collection of data, there is an openness which adds value to the overall activity. This transparency helps to capture a collective intelligence that may exist within a community that an investigator or researcher might not have known existed. The model of citizen research cycle When analysing the data from the focus group, one can pull out that there is a pattern that emerges when engaging citizen scientists. Researchers carry out an investigation and ask questions which are then grounded within a certain methodological framework. The questions are posed to citizens within the sector who then offer data and help contextualize the knowledge that exists at a grassroots level. The Focus group highlighted that this collective knowledge can reflect a global or communal intelligence which in turn has an impact on the investigation and its findings. When this information enters its final stage, it may find its way into publications, recommendations to policy makers and other key stake holders in the field, which will hopefully lead to a positive change and outcome. Typical types of users Participants from the focus group were unfamiliar with the term citizen science but once the definition was explained, they were quick to identify as citizen scientists and use the term throughout the session. According to the participants, they agreed that a citizen scientist could be anyone from any ethnic background, with either a formal, informal and/or non-formal education, who contributes to an investigation or study. They also highlighted that participation can happen in a variety of ways and in a plethora of settings. The focus group participants explained that citizen scientists are volunteers who are interested and committed to a study but not for any monetary gain. A citizen scientist should be included in most or all investigations, where appropriate, as it raises the profile of the investigation and maintains a level of transparency. However, they pointed out that the offered information must be handled in a considered fashion and carried out with care and caution. Volunteers should be seen as...
