Toward a Citizen Social Science Training Model

We document our experience developing and implementing qualitative and quantitative research methods trainings for community members using a collaborative, community-connected approach. Drawing on citizen social science, this project aims to democratize social scientific knowledge and equip community members to apply analytic techniques to questions in their communities. We build on existing work by developing an open access model that can be adapted to meet diverse needs of social science research projects. We describe how our work originated from a partnership with collaborators working on an independent media project, detailing the process leading to the development of a citizen social science training for residents in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. We share collaborative decisions made regarding training structure, content, and resources; integration of feedback to improve our design process; and application of our work to community development efforts. We discuss how this experience can inform and uplift community-based research in additional communities.