Use of web-based species occurrence information systems by academics and government professionals

Web-based information systems designed to increase access to species occurrence data for use in research and natural resource decision-making have become more prevalent over the past few decades. The effectiveness of these systems depends on their usability and extent of use by their intended audiences. We conducted an online survey of academics and government professionals in the United States to compare their species occurrence data needs and their perceptions and use of web-based species occurrence information systems. Our results indicate that although views and perceptions held by academics and government professionals about the importance, usefulness, and ease of use of these information systems tend to be similar, there were differences in their use of species occurrence data and web-based species occurrence information systems. The baseline information obtained in this study will help inform future directions for improvements in species occurrence information systems. Methods A survey consisting of a combination of close-ended questions and open-ended questions was developed to examine use of species occurrence data and web-based species occurrence information systems by professionals in the United States. This dataset only includes responses to closed-ended questions of the survey. Most closed-ended questions were developed as individual Likert-type items. Selection of one response was allowed per closed-ended question except for those that included ‘select all that apply’. A list of names and emails of potential survey participants was compiled from websites of relevant academic departments in universities of the United States classified as doctoral universities of highest research activity in the 2015 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Names and emails of potential government participants were compiled from websites of natural resource agencies in each of the fifty states of the United States and the federal government. The survey was administered online via Qualtrics. Invitations to participate in the online survey were sent from Qualtrics to academic and government professionals. A generic link to the survey was also provided to participants who had expressed interest in inviting other colleagues to participate in the survey. The online survey was open to all participants for one month in March 2017. The survey was opened a second time in June 2017 to invitees from a government agency that required clearance before staff could participate in the survey. The online survey was permanently closed on July 2017.过去数十年来，旨在提升物种出现数据（species occurrence data）可及性以供科研与自然资源决策使用的基于网络的信息系统愈发普及。这类系统的效能取决于其目标用户群体的易用性体验与使用广度。我们针对美国的学术研究者与政府从业者开展了一项在线调查，以对比二者的物种出现数据需求，以及其对基于网络的物种出现信息系统的认知与使用情况。研究结果显示，尽管两类群体对这类信息系统的重要性、实用性与易用性的看法和认知趋于一致，但他们在物种出现数据的使用方式，以及对基于网络的物种出现信息系统的使用行为上存在差异。本研究获取的基准信息将为后续物种出现信息系统的优化方向提供参考依据。 研究方法 本研究开发了一套结合封闭式问题与开放式问题的调查问卷，用以考察美国从业者对物种出现数据及基于网络的物种出现信息系统的使用情况。本数据集仅包含调查问卷中封闭式问题的作答结果。多数封闭式问题采用独立李克特（Likert）式条目设计，除"可多选"类问题外，每个封闭式问题仅允许选择一个作答选项。 我们从美国2015年卡内基高等教育机构分类（Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education）中划归为最高研究活动水平的博士授予类大学的相关院系官网，整理得到潜在学术调查对象的姓名与电子邮箱信息；针对政府调查对象，则从美国50个州的自然资源机构及联邦政府的官网收集其姓名与电子邮箱信息。 本调查通过Qualtrics平台在线开展。Qualtrics向学术研究者与政府从业者发送了参与邀请。对于表示愿意邀请其他同事参与调查的受访者，我们也提供了通用的调查问卷链接。本次在线调查于2017年3月对所有参与者开放，为期一个月。2017年6月，我们针对某一要求员工需先获得审批方可参与调查的政府机构的受邀对象再次开放了调查。本次在线调查最终于2017年7月永久下线。