Os cientistas e a ciência cidadã: um estudo exploratório sobre a visão dos pesquisadores profissionais na experiência brasileira

Abstract

This work is the result of an exploratory study about Brazilian scientists’ perception regarding citizen science, its possibilities and limitations. In particular, it focuses on how to handle non-scientists’ contributions and what are the protocols used in such initiatives. The study is based on the perspectives of 18 Ph.D. researchers who work at teaching and/or research institutions in Brazil, who were selected by a preliminary inquiry in the data platform Lattes, from CNPq. Such researchers received a questionnaire with open-ended, multiple-choice, and Likert scale questions. The questions concerned conceptions, practices and uses of citizen science. By analyzing the answers, we reached a preliminary comprehension about these scientists’ perception of citizen science, and developed a profile of the scientists involved in this study, including the areas in which they work within the broader field of citizen science. This allowed us to identify the tools and protocols used in their initiatives, how the data generated is processed, and how they handle authorship issues. The results indicate that scientists tend to have a “pragmatic”, instructional view about citizen science, adopting protocols and strategies that focus on the gathering of data by non-scientists – especially through digital platforms (such as websites and apps). Professional scientists then process this data to guarantee its accuracy, so that it can be used in the publication of scientific studies. There is also a perception that citizen science allows for a more democratic access to science. Despite the fact that open platforms are used in most initiatives analyzed in this study, such democratization of science is not always effective. The aim of this study is to contribute to a better comprehension of the practices surrounding citizen science in Brazil, given the lack of studies about this issue.