Quality Assurance Handbook and Toolkit for Participatory Science Projects

Participatory science—also known as citizen science, community science, volunteer monitoring, public participation in scientific research, and other terms—uses the collective strength and knowledge of the public to gather and analyze data to answer environmental and public health questions.  

For data generated by the public to have a meaningful impact, quality assurance during data gathering is critical. EPA has created a Quality Assurance Toolkit to help organizations starting or growing a participatory/citizen science project.

The toolkit includes the following: 

• Handbook for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation
• Make Your Data Count Video Series 
• Improving Citizen Science Data Quality: Orientation Guide and Fact Sheets

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Handbook for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation

This Handbook for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation is for organizations that are starting or growing a participatory/citizen science project, and where transparency in the scientific methods for collecting the data are central to the outcome of the project. The Handbook has two companion documents, Examples and Templates. We have provided a Word version of the templates to allow you to customize them. 

The Handbook explains the purpose of each of the templates. The Templates provide instructions, tables and questions, and the Examples provide specific examples of quality assurance documentation. Together, these documents will help your organization complete a Quality Assurance Project Plan and provide information for data users to evaluate the quality of data collected by the public.

• Handbook for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation (pdf) (498.91 KB, March 2019)
  This Handbook conveys common expectations for quality assurance and documentation; and best management practices to level the playing field for organizations that train and use volunteers in the collection of environmental data. It is useful for three broad categories of participatory science projects: increasing public understanding; scientific studies and research; and legal and policy action.
• Examples for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation (pdf) (810.71 KB, March 2019)
  These Examples provide tools and procedures to help participatory science organizations properly document the quality of data. Use them with the Handbook and the Templates document.
• Templates for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation (pdf) (478.94 KB, March 2019)
  These Templates provide tools and procedures to help participatory science organizations properly document the quality of data. Use these with the Handbook and the Examples document. An editable Word version of the templates is also available.

Editable Templates

​ Templates for Citizen Science Quality Assurance and Documentation (docx) (145.81 KB) These Templates are the same ones provided in the PDF version of the document. This Word version allows you to customize the templates. Please keep in mind that you are responsible for your own editing. Use the Templates with the Handbook and Examples document. 

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Make Your Data Count Video Series 

In 18 minutes, these training videos walk you through the main concepts of the EPA QA Handbook to help them develop a project plan—a key step to producing quality data that can answer environmental and public health questions. ​​​

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Orientation Guide: The orientation guide for government agencies can be used alongside the training videos, fact sheets and webinars to help provide agencies, laboratories and participatory science groups with information, strategies and resources to collaboratively develop a project plan using the EPA QA Handbook. ​ 

Orientation Guide: Working Together to Improve Citizen Science Data Quality (pdf) (3.45 MB)

Fact Sheets: The first fact sheet highlighting 5 steps to improve participatory/citizen science data quality outlines the quality assurance steps in field- and laboratory-based citizen science projects. Meanwhile, the second fact sheet on essential elements of a citizen science project can be used as a companion to the "Make Your Data Count" training videos listed above.

5 Steps to Improve Citizen Science Data Quality (pdf) (483.29 KB)

Essential Elements of a Citizen Science Project (pdf) (386.61 KB)