By As a project manager, you can edit your CitSci projects and manage the members, contributions and participation in these projects. As a project manager, you can also analyse data and download it for other purposes. In this tutorial, we will navigate the tools available to project managers and how to use them.
STEP 1: Finding the Project Profile
The first step in editing any CitSci project is to find the project’s profile. As a project manager, you will have a tab next to your username on the CitSci website called My Projects. Under this tab, click on the project you want to view and edit.
ProTip: If you are not a project manager and want to view the projects you are participating in, you can find them in your User Profile.
STEP 2: Editing Project Profile and Members
At the top of a Project Profile, you have options to download data, edit the project profile and manager project members.
Downloading Data
The CitSci Download link allows you to download project data for other purposes outside of CitSci. Clicking on this link will bring you to the Download Data page, where you can name the data file and choose what data measurements you want included in the download. To have a data measurement ignored, click on the data name and drag it to the Ignore section of the page. You can also choose which file type you would like to have your data saved as for other work.
Editing Project Profile
To edit options and aesthetics within the Project Profile, click on the Edit Profile link which will bring you to the Edit Your Project Page. At the top of the page, you can edit the project name, description, goals and tasks (Please see picture below for examples).
In the middle of the page, you can choose whether you want membership to the project to be open or closed to the public, the privacy of the projects data, the option to have participants email you as a project manager, and decide if you want the project’s data linked with SciStarter.
Lastly, at the bottom of the page, you can upload a photo to represent your project. You can also add the project’s specific location on a map by searching for the address or by adding the locations latitude and longitude.
Managing Project Members
By clicking on the Manage Members link, you can organize member roles and manage member invites and participation. Here on the Manage Project Members Page, you can start by inviting people to join your project via email with a personalized message. This is a great way to increase participation in your project! Next, you can manage members in your project by assigning roles to participants and viewing the requested roles from members. On this page, you can also send updates and emails to the project’s members. Lastly, you can choose to assign or remove a project member to a specific location.
Tabs in Project Profile
Under the Managing Tab option, you can choose what options are available to project members and the order which members see these options.
STEP 3: Managing Project Logistics
Use the list of Tabs in the middle of the screen to manage the details of your project, provide additional information to members and analyze project data.
View Data
This tab allows you to view current data in your CitSci project from different perspectives. You can view a list of current observations from members, view observations using the Google Map integration, or view the latitude and longitude of specific observations
Submit Data
The Submit Data tab is an easy way for any project manager to contribute to their own project.
Resources
Under the Resources tab, you can upload external links and other pages for project members to learn more about your CitSci project. This is a great place to put learning materials such as slides, pdfs, and links to video trainings.
Media
Under the Media tab, you can upload photos to represent your project or provide updates through photos sent to you by members.
Feedback
Under the Feedback Tab, you can upload surveys for project members to complete that reflect their experiences in your CitSci project.
Questions
Under the Questions Tab, you can add research questions that your project members can read and consider when making contributions.
Analyses
The Analyses Tab visualizes your data in various analyses for you to track the progress of your CitSci project. You can view trends in the data, different relationships between unique data sets and compare data sets side by side.
Forum
The Form Tab allows you to post discussion platforms for members to discuss their participation and contributions to your CitSci project.
Wiki
Under the Wiki Tab, you can provide a longer description of your CitSci project for other members in CitSci to read and learn more before contributing. You can type in text that helps participants understand information from updates and other communications
Can all project members make changes to your CitSci project?
No. Project managers are the only ones who can make changes to CitSci projects and access manager tools.
Will project members receive notifications when changes are made using manager tools?
Project members will not be automatically notified when changes are made. However, you have the option to send out project wide emails informing members of these changes.
When you create and manage a citizen science project, you are helping other scientists and providing an opportunity for people across the world to find their own role in research! We are so happy you chose CitSci to host your project, and will be available to help you every step of the way.
Feature Image PC: Pixabay
