Inclusivity, equity, and empowerment in ‘citizen science’ research: persistent issues for science, policy, and participation

Abstract ‘Citizen science,’ an umbrella term for researchers and public participants collaborating to produce scientific knowledge, has both produced data informing public policies and been included in policies guiding future scientific inquiries. Yet, its use and influence remain challenging. Research has found incorporating inclusivity, equity, and/or empowerment principles into citizen science can bolster its value to science and society. This scoping review of 127 citizen science publications, identified via the Web of Science and other sources, explores how these publications describe the application of these principles in citizen science, and their linkages to data quality and ethics. The results describe linkages between these three principles, data quality, ethics, and the achievement of citizen science aims. Incorporating these principles requires significant design choices, influencing the distribution of costs, risks, and responsibilities. The findings also highlight multiple gaps in knowledge and related policies regarding applying these principles in citizen science.