One way for a marine enthusiast to participate in ocean conservation is as a citizen scientist. Citizen science engages individuals or teams of volunteers, many of whom have no special scientific training, in research-related tasks. This allows scientists to accomplish research objectives more easily and also promotes public engagement with science research.
Explore the SciStarter website (http://scistarter.com).
Evaluate the website and work with the information to answer the following questions:
Is this a reliable information source? Does the organization have a clear and transparent agenda?
Who runs this website? Do the organization’s credentials make the information presented reliable or unreliable? Explain.
What is the mission of this website? What are its underlying values? How do you know this?
From the “Pick a Topic” drop-down menu, select “Ocean & Water.”
How many different projects related to oceans and water are there? What sorts of information about each project does the website offer? Provide some examples.
Are there any projects directly related to coral reefs? What are they, and how can a citizen scientist be involved?
Would you participate in a citizen science project? If so, what type? Do you think that the citizen science model is valid and effective? Explain your responses.
How might the citizen science model be useful as a way to influence public understanding of environmental issues and shape environmental policy?
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