Australians' Interest and Engagement with Science

During National Science Week, from 13 to 21 August 2011, the ABC Science\r\nOnline hosted a citizen science project that provided an opportunity for\r\ncitizens to participate in research being undertaken by Australian\r\nresearchers.\r\n\r\nIn 2011, the science research topic was multi-tasking and the Victorian\r\nGovernment Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI)\r\nwas offered the opportunity to frame a series of questions around Australians’\r\ninterest and engagement with science to add to the ABC survey.\r\n\r\nThe number of survey questions included by DSDBI formed a small part of the\r\nABC citizen science survey. The questions included by DSDBI looked at interest\r\nand engagement with science, behaviour around searching for and seeking\r\nscientific information and how science information is used.\r\n\r\nData collected for one of DSDBI's questions was not accessible due to a\r\ntechnical error. The question for which data was inaccessible and the\r\nassociated lost data entries have been removed from the questionnaire and data\r\nset published.\r\n\r\nThe data is accessible to analyse in an xls format, available for download at\r\nthe right hand box, and the [survey questionnaire](http://www.data.vic.gov.au/\r\ndatasets/DBI_Science_Questionnaire_20120723.doc) is available for reference in\r\nWord document format. The data was collected from a total of 3074 participants\r\nin the ABC science survey project.\r\n\r\nThe survey tool and survey analysis were undertaken by Sweeney Research. The\r\nDepartment also acknowledges the ABC Science Unit for their assistance in\r\ncollecting this data.\r\n\r\nDSDBI has also commissioned studies tracking Victorians' attitues and\r\nengagement with science and technology - the 2007 [Community Interest and\r\nEngagement with Science and Technology in Victoria Research\r\nReport](http://www.business.vic.gov.au/industries/science-technology-and-\r\ninnovation/overview/snapshot/science-and-community-research) (prepared by\r\nQuantum Market Research) and the 2011 [Community Interest and Engagement with\r\nScience and Technology in Victoria](http://www.business.vic.gov.au/industries\r\n/science-technology-and-innovation/overview/snapshot/science-and-community-\r\nresearch) report (prepared by Sweeney Research). [Raw SPSS\r\ndatasets](http://www.data.vic.gov.au/raw_data/community-interest-and-\r\nengagement-with-science-and-technology-in-victoria/196) for both studies and\r\nan [interactive data tool](http://www.data.vic.gov.au/data_tool/community-\r\ninterest-and-engagement-with-science-and-technology-in-victoria/195) allowing\r\ncomparisons of datasets and filtering by dempgraphic characteristics are also\r\navailable.\r\n\r\n