Data reliability in citizen science: learning curve and the effects of training method, volunteer background and experience on identification accuracy of insects visiting ivy flowers

Citizen science, the involvement of volunteers in collecting of scientific data, can be a useful research tool. However, data collected by volunteers are often of lower quality than those collected by professional scientists.
We studied the accuracy with which the volunteers identified insects visiting ivy (Hedera) flowers in Sussex, England. In the first experiment, we examined the effects of training method, volunteer background and prior experience. Fifty-three participants were trained for the same duration using one of three different methods (pamphlet, pamphlet + slide show or pamphlet + direct training). Almost immediately following training, we tested the ability of the participants to identify live insects on ivy flowers to one of 10 taxonomic categories and recorded whether their identifications were correct or incorrect, without providing feedback.
The results showed that the type of training method had a significant effect on identification accuracy (P = 0·008). Participan...