I do Citizen Science with birding groups and was really interested in how many things everyday people can do to help. Anyone who is interested in helping with new discoveries needs to have this book

Developed by the awesome team at SciStarter, The Field Guide to Citizen Science introduces the reader to the world of "public involvement in the discovery of new scientific knowledge." Basically, with this accessible, positive, and aesthetically pleasing know-how-to book, there is no reason for you not to get involved.

Beginning with a detailed overview of the history and importance of citizen science, the book discusses the various projects the average non-scientist can contribute their natural talents, skills, and interests to, whether it involves general data collection, photography of nature in one's local surroundings, or the completion of online surveys from the comfort of your home. They even provide ideas for projects you sign up for easily. (I completed the C-BARQ and F-BARQ questionnaire for my dog after creating an account on SciStarter.)

I plan on sifting through more of the projects outlined in the book and also purchase it when it officially comes out. I feel "citizen science" was something that should have been brought up more in school and I particularly hope this book reaches the hands of younger people with the drive and energy to change the future.

Okay, who took part in SETIhome? Raise your hand... I did for a couple of years and it's in here. I have way too many reading obligations (ARCs and borrowed) but this popped up and I... let myself be sidetracked with this advance review copy received from the publisher from <a href="http://www.netgalley.com">NetGalley</a>, due out in February 2020. Fortunately, it is a very fast read. It comes off targeted to youth/young adults, but Mses. (I know Messrs. is the plural of Mr., but had to look up the plural of Ms.) Cavalier, Hoffman, and Cooper talk early on of "[e]xposing your children to citizen science..."

The authors give “fifty-plus” programs to participate in and they range from things seemingly obvious like bird/animal watching/observing to mushrooms, monarch butterfly migrations, or trash on beaches, Alzheimer’s observations and selfies at streams to help map all of the streams, even reporting infrequent events like landslides. They tell the reader how to find the project, what’s required (simple as a clipboard or a computer, perhaps needing special software or specific collecting materials), how broad the scope is (localized or global), the goal, task, outcome and their opinion why they like the project.

Most importantly, the authors affirm the value of citizen science. You don’t need scientific credentials. You <I>do</I> need to “review all of the instructions, training modules, and information” before beginning. And for it to work...you need to participate. Rightly, the authors advise that the project needs to fit you as much as you fit it. You may not have the time, resources or maybe passion to commit, and we all know sifting bad data is a necessary burden, but responsible limiting of bad data is so, so welcome.

Cringe when reading it moment: An MIT project called DeepMoji is designed to teach Artificial Intelligence systems about emotions, but requires a ... [cringe again as I type this}...<i>Twitter</I> account. Oh, MIT, Twitter? Really? Sifting the sludge, I guess, has some value.

Really cool eye opener when reading it moment: One project (Foldit) has teams solving folding puzzles to help predict protein structures (and gathering data on pattern recognition and general puzzle solving to teach computers how to solve better), used in genetics and drug targeting. The eye-opener./..teams that successfully solve protein folding puzzles become coauthors on the scientific papers!

Five stars for being a novel book on something extremely important, particularly as the US slips backwards on the science front. Check out <a href=“https://scistarter.org/“>SciStarter</a> for more information and opportunities.

This book is a perfect introduction to the world of citizen science. It starts with an in-depth discussion of the history and value of citizen science, suitable for both adults and older children who are new to the subject.

After providing the proper background, the book delves into a host of citizen science projects anyone can participate in, and it guides the reader through getting started with projects in SciStarter. The projects range from nature projects that require data collection in backyards, lakes, and beaches to online projects citizen scientists can get involved in without leaving the house. I identified several projects I wanted to participate in from their lists of projects and the summary of the study goals and tasks required for each of them. It's a great guide for any interested citizen scientist or a parent or teacher hoping to get children involved in citizen science.