Crowdsourcing methodology: establishing the Cervid Disease Network and the North American Mosquito Project

Authors: Cohnstaedt, Lee; SNYDER, DARREN - Kansas State University; Maki, Elin; SCHAFER, SHAWN - North American Deer Farmers Association

Submitted to: Veterinaria Italiana
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2016
Publication Date: 9/30/2016
Citation: Cohnstaedt, L.W., Snyder, D., Maki, E.C., Schafer, S. 2016. Crowdsourcing methodology: establishing the Cervid Disease Network and the North American Mosquito Project. Veterinaria Italiana. 52:195-200.

Interpretive Summary: Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people. This new method of acquiring data works well for single reports, but fails when long-term data collection is needed mainly due to reporting fatigue or failure of repeated sampling by individuals. To establish a crowdsourced collections network researchers must recruit, reward, and retain contributors to the project. These three components of crowdsourcing are discussed using the United States Department of Agriculture social networks, the Cervid Disease Network and the North American Mosquito Project. The North American Mosquito Project is a large network of professional mosquito control districts and public health agencies that collect mosquito specimens for genetic studies. The Cervid Disease Network is a crowdsourced disease monitoring system which uses voluntary sentinel farms or wildlife programs throughout the United States of America to report the onset and severity of diseases in local areas for pathogen surveillance studies.

Technical Abstract: Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people. This new method of acquiring data works well for single reports, but fails when long-term data collection is needed mainly due to reporting fatigue or failure of repeated sampling by individuals. To establish a crowdsourced collections network researchers must recruit, reward, and retain contributors to the project. These three components of crowdsourcing are discussed using the United States Department of Agriculture social networks, the Cervid Disease Network and the North American Mosquito Project. The North American Mosquito Project is a large network of professional mosquito control districts and public health agencies that collect mosquito specimens for genetic studies. The Cervid Disease Network is a crowdsourced disease monitoring system which uses voluntary sentinel farms or wildlife programs throughout the United States of America to report the onset and severity of diseases in local areas for pathogen surveillance studies.