Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2102-4745

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Sparks, Eric L.

Committee Member

Baker, Beth H.

Committee Member

Stepenuck, Kristine F.

Date of Degree

12-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Worldwide

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

There are many benefits to using citizen science in scientific research, however, there are several perceived limitations. One being that citizen science data are often viewed as inferior or unusable by the broader science community. A primary concern to the usability and accuracy of this data depends on the level of training a participant receives. Another limitation is the recruitment and retention of volunteers participating in the data collection process. To further understand how training level affects the accuracy of citizen science and how demographics may influence participation, this study evaluated 73 volunteers trained in two different marine debris data collection protocols. This exploration allowed for the determination of best practices in recruiting and training future citizen scientists to collect litter data that yields the most accurate, time-effective, and cost-effective results. Training level, recruitment motivations, and retention factors all had statistically significant impacts on their respective variables.

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