How to Participate in Zooniverse (Citizen Science)
Go to the Zooniverse website., Click on Register., Fill in the registration form., Click Register., Check your profile., Click on the tab that says Get Involved Now!., Browse through the boxes., Click on a project of interest., Start a project...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the Zooniverse website.
It's at: https://www.zooniverse.org. -
Step 2: Click on Register.
This is found at the top right hand corner of the site's front page. , You'll need to come up with a unique user name, a password and your email address.
It will also ask you for real name, should you wish to be named in any scientific articles that are developed.
Agree to the privacy policy.
Decide whether or not you want to be emailed now and then Decide whether or not you wish to be alerted to new projects as they arise. , Follow the prompts sent to your email address for signing in.
You're now ready to begin. , Here you'll find things you've favorited, collections you've made and the statistics on the projects you've participated in. , This will take you to the page of current projects, shown in image boxes. , Which ones spring to mind as being interesting for you? The selection is growing regularly––while the site originated with astronomy projects (and still has many of these), it now covers a wider range of science and humanities projects, including climate, ecology, animals/nature, war, ocean, shipping, art, cyclones, and more. , Read through what is involved in the project and consider whether it is something you'd enjoy doing.
Browse through a few before making up your mind. , Click on the Get Started tab.
This will take you straight to the project page.
Start classifying, sorting, noting or whatever else you've been asked to do.
Things to consider when you first start out:
It can feel tricky to begin with.
That's perfectly normal but rest assured that the more you do, the more familiar it will become and soon you'll be recognizing the things you're meant to without any problems.
Many projects allow for comments and discussion.
If you want to leave a comment about an image or selection you're working on, click on the comment button and simply leave your Comment.
If you wish to discuss it with other Zooniverse community members, click on the Discussion button and begin your discussion.
Don't forget to check back to keep the discussion going.
Some discussions can end up solving scientific issues! , Try to set aside a regular time to come back to the project you're working on.
This way, you will get into the habit of helping out, even if it's just five minutes here and 10 minutes there.
Be aware that many of the projects experience a big rush of enthusiasm at the beginning, only to wane over time (experiencing the long tail phenomenon).
If the project really matters to you, try to keep coming back to it., When one project ends or you've done your share of it, look for another one.
In fact, there's no harm in having several projects going at the same time. , While doing your citizen science research, if you come across images or information you really like, click on the heart symbol at the base of the image.
This will store it for you and you can check your Favorites on your profile page. -
Step 3: Fill in the registration form.
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Step 4: Click Register.
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Step 5: Check your profile.
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Step 6: Click on the tab that says Get Involved Now!.
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Step 7: Browse through the boxes.
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Step 8: Click on a project of interest.
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Step 9: Start a project.
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Step 10: Stay with the project for as long as you're keen.
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Step 11: Try out new projects.
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Step 12: Favorite images.
Detailed Guide
It's at: https://www.zooniverse.org.
This is found at the top right hand corner of the site's front page. , You'll need to come up with a unique user name, a password and your email address.
It will also ask you for real name, should you wish to be named in any scientific articles that are developed.
Agree to the privacy policy.
Decide whether or not you want to be emailed now and then Decide whether or not you wish to be alerted to new projects as they arise. , Follow the prompts sent to your email address for signing in.
You're now ready to begin. , Here you'll find things you've favorited, collections you've made and the statistics on the projects you've participated in. , This will take you to the page of current projects, shown in image boxes. , Which ones spring to mind as being interesting for you? The selection is growing regularly––while the site originated with astronomy projects (and still has many of these), it now covers a wider range of science and humanities projects, including climate, ecology, animals/nature, war, ocean, shipping, art, cyclones, and more. , Read through what is involved in the project and consider whether it is something you'd enjoy doing.
Browse through a few before making up your mind. , Click on the Get Started tab.
This will take you straight to the project page.
Start classifying, sorting, noting or whatever else you've been asked to do.
Things to consider when you first start out:
It can feel tricky to begin with.
That's perfectly normal but rest assured that the more you do, the more familiar it will become and soon you'll be recognizing the things you're meant to without any problems.
Many projects allow for comments and discussion.
If you want to leave a comment about an image or selection you're working on, click on the comment button and simply leave your Comment.
If you wish to discuss it with other Zooniverse community members, click on the Discussion button and begin your discussion.
Don't forget to check back to keep the discussion going.
Some discussions can end up solving scientific issues! , Try to set aside a regular time to come back to the project you're working on.
This way, you will get into the habit of helping out, even if it's just five minutes here and 10 minutes there.
Be aware that many of the projects experience a big rush of enthusiasm at the beginning, only to wane over time (experiencing the long tail phenomenon).
If the project really matters to you, try to keep coming back to it., When one project ends or you've done your share of it, look for another one.
In fact, there's no harm in having several projects going at the same time. , While doing your citizen science research, if you come across images or information you really like, click on the heart symbol at the base of the image.
This will store it for you and you can check your Favorites on your profile page.
About the Author
Elizabeth Cox
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