Section outline

    • Introduction to Community Building (1 minute) Page
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      Mark as done

      A short video from the course leader about the importance of citizen scientists forming a community.

    • Face-to-face communities (3 minutes) Page
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      In this section we'll read some tips for working face-to-face with groups of people.

    • What type of online discussion tools should I use? (3 minutes) Interactive Content
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      What if you go online instead of face-to-face? To build an online community, you might choose to use social media, blogs or newsletters, a discussion forum, or build discussion tools such as chat boxes directly into your project interface. The best option will vary from project to project, and several projects use more than one type. We'll look at some advantages and disadvantages of each.

    • Should my project have a discussion forum? (10 minutes) Interactive Content
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      A discussion forum can be a wonderful place which the citizen scientist will want to visit and contribute to regularly. However, it's a lot of work to maintain, and depending on the nature of your project people might not want to use it. We'll look at some specific aspects of discussion forums to help you decide whether it's suitable to build one.

    • What will you build into your discussion forum? (Optional - 5 minutes) Interactive Content
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      If you build a discussion forum, what should you put in it? Here is a selection of ideas - not all will necessarily be suitable for your project; you will have to choose.

      If you are not planning to include extensive online discussion in your project, you can skip this section and read the 3-minute "Discussion Forums: Short Summary" instead. Some tips in it may still be relevant to you.
    • Maintaining a positive online atmosphere (Optional - 10 minutes) Interactive Content
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      Online discussion can be wonderful - or full of unpleasantness. Here are some tips to create a pleasant atmosphere in your online community so that all volunteers feel valued and confident.

      If you are not planning to include extensive online discussion in your project, you can skip this section and read the 3-minute "Discussion Forums: Short Summary" instead (this is the same document as the previous section). However, some tips here may still be relevant to you.