The demands on citizen science projects are high, and open data — Open (Research) Data — play a central role in ensuring transparency and sustainability. Open data principles should be considered from the very beginning of any citizen science project. To support this, the Compass Open Data in Citizen Science offers a practical guide for getting started. Acting as a compass, it walks readers through the fundamentals and essential insights on open data. For deeper exploration, a glossary provides definitions, guidance, and links to relevant tools — covering topics from anonymisation and digital ethics to repositories such as Zenodo. The OeAD Centre for Citizen Science, together with additional partners from the D-A-CH working group, contributed to the development of the compass.
The Citizen Science D-A-CH Working Group (AG) is a network of various actors from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland engaged in citizen science. Its aim is to strengthen collaboration across the German-speaking region, leverage synergies, exchange best practices, and establish efficient routes for (informal) communication. In 2023–2024, the group jointly planned and organised the event series “Open Data in Citizen Science.” The compass and its accompanying glossary are based on the content of this series.
Publication on Zenodo
Brink, W., Dörler, D., Heigl, F., Höhener, O., Müller, M., Rössel, J., Schauermann, E., Stämpfli, T., & Zumthurm, T. (2025). Kompass Open Data in Citizen Science – Eine Orientierung für Einsteiger*innen Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17802533
