About participatory research

We use the term 'Participatory Research' as an umbrella term, encompassing a diverse range of approaches to knowledge creation that spans the entire University - including co-production at the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), 'Public and Patient Involvement' (PPI) in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM), and of course Citizen Science often found in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE). You might also find the term 'Citizen Science' used as an umbrella term; particularly in other European nations. For our service, we have opted to use a more neutral term alongside Citizen Science so as to be as inclusive and encompassing as possible. Here we use the term 'Participatory Research' as follows:

Non-Specialists might be any person who is not working in a professional research capacity. This may be members of a specific community, employees of an NGO or charity, patients, or any other person who engages with the project. Often their engagement is the result of a personal connection with the subject matter or due to their own specialist knowledge, but this is not essential. Some people are involved simply as something to do, or out of curiosity in the subject matter.

Active involvement is an essential component of participatory research. Donating blood to medical research, loaning an artefact to an exhibition, and filling out a questionnaire as part of a psychology study are all examples of passive involvement. These contributions are essential and always valued, but are not of an active variety. In contrast, going out and monitoring bird populations, sitting on a patient panel or steering group,  and collaborating with researchers to interpret data are all active modes of involvement. This is at the heart of participatory research, and this power sharing (the offering of control over a portion of the research project) is what sets it apart.

Any stage of the research process can allow for participatory practices. Participants may become involved very early on, helping to identify and define the research questions, offering constructive feedback on data management plans, ethics, and proposed methods, and may even help to design the study in its entirety. Alternatively, they may only have limited involvement, perhaps at a later stage, such as data collection or analysis.  

Ultimately, any research employing these methods is working to open the door to research, and taking advantage of the wealth of opportunities it offers. On the other hand, such research will all face a new set of challenges unique to this kind of approach. These may result from complications due to the nature of the collaborative partnership involved, difficulties with respect to methodology, or result from new practical needs that need to be met. Our service seeks to use Library resources to help address these challenges.

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Resource List

If you re interested in learning more, the University Library hosts a number of valuable resources that give insight into various types of participatory research. 

Citizen Science : Theory and Practice [Open Access]

Citizen Science: Theory and Practice is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by Ubiquity Press on behalf of the Citizen Science Association. 

Citizen Science : Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy [Open Access]

An edited collection of articles that seek to identify and explain "the role of citizen science within innovation in science and society, and as a vibrant and productive science-policy interface." This includes chapters focusing on the relationship between Citizen Science and Open Science, and it is a solid introduction to the field that puts citizen science in a wider context.

The Science of Citizen Science  [Open Access]

This book "discusses how the involvement of citizens into scientific endeavours is expected to contribute to solve the big challenges of our time, such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity, growing inequalities within and between societies, and the sustainability turn." It is an excellent introduction to the field of Citizen Science for both potential participants and researchers interested in undertaking projects.

ParticipatoryMethods.org [External Site] [Open Access]

 A resource hub by the Participation, Inclusion and Social Change Cluster at the Institute of Development Studies. It offers an excellent collection of resources, along with an overview of Participatory Methods in general, but of particular relevance to those working in social research.

Search for additional materials on the library catalogue DiscoverEd