Use case
nQuire is a community and citizen science platform, developed by the Institute of Educational Technology at The Open University, for designing research projects or taking part in research studies created by others. Users can design and manage their own scientific studies, with support from experts, or contribute to studies led by others in ways that help them to learn about society, the environment, or themselves.
Problem addressed
The general public has been traditionally engaged in research as data collectors or processors. nQuire aims to democratise current research practices by enabling participation of non-professionals in all the stages of the scientific research, from setting up an inquiry of personal interest, to deciding on the methods of data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Added value
Providing a free online tool for designing, piloting and managing scientific and ethically-approved studies, while collecting data as images, text, sensor readings, geolocation and votes.
Displaying live metrics and making data openly accessible for reading, commenting and liking.
Supporting citizen scientists through collaboration with experts, study reviews and ethical approvals, enabling lifelong learning and active engagement.
Illustration of the nQuire workflow. Licence: CC-BY nquire.org.uk
