Online Citizen Science: Investigating Skills Training and VolunteerEngagement in Tutorial Content Holly K. Rosser

As opposed to research where volunteers are tasked with specimen and data collection in a natural setting, online citizen science projects ask volunteers to evaluate large sets of data using their computer, tablet, or mobile phone. Like nature-based citizen science, however, completing these tasks accurately often requires specialized scientific and technical skills training. In these cases, tutorials can provide volunteers with the training needed to successfully contribute to scientific research. A good tutorial can also promote initial participation while encouraging ongoing project and community engagement. Consequently, tutorials must balance effective skills training with simultaneous prompting to move volunteers from tutorial to task completion. To investigate tutorial content and design characteristics that may impact volunteer development, participation and engagement, usability testing of projects found on Zooniverse was completed in September 2019. Analysis of think-aloud and interview data shows that tutorial content and design can in fact impact the volunteer experience