Peer Review

Experiment.com: Crowdfunding Open Science Platform for Science Research

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Reviewed:: Oct 15, 2016 by Psychology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

Experiment.com is a "platform for funding scientific discoveries." The site currently hosts 555 publicly funded experiments in 20 discipline areas. At the time of this review, there were 54 funded psychology experiments.

Independent scientists, academic scientists, and corporate scientists all can propose projects. The Experiment.com team reviews all proposed studies according to a set of criteria that are detailed on the website. The site also provides extensive guidance for proposal development, including the establishment of funding targets. All projects are currently U.S.-based, but expansion to Canada, the U.K., and Australia is planned.

As a teaching and learning resource, Experiment.com presents a unique opportunity for students to learn about crowdfunding for scientific research.

Type of Material:

Development Tool; Reference Material; Social Networking Tool

Recommended Uses:

The site has many potential learning-related applications. It could be used in General Psychology courses to illustrate the general phenomenon of crowd-funding for research. It could be used in Research Methods courses to explore and critique real-life research hypotheses and research design approaches. At the graduate level, dissertation students could actually use the site as a funding source.

Technical Requirements:

A basic web browser is needed to surf the site. Audio and video capability are required to view videos that researchers post to explain project goals and progress.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Students who surf and review the research studies presented and described on Experiment.com will meet the following learning goals.

a) Describe and discuss the role of crowd-funding as a contemporary approach to supporting and promoting research;

b) Differentiate among research projects that are more vs. less likely to be crowd-sourced;

c) Examine and critique real-life applications of research methods in psychology (and other disciplines);

d) Identify contemporary psychology research topics.

Target Student Population:

Both undergraduate and graduate students in psychology (and multiple disciplines) could benefit from Experiment.com.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Though not strictly required, prior knowledge of research design concepts would be beneficial.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: • The site provides examples of current, well-designed research studies that are informed by scholarship. • A well-detailed Researcher Guide serves to illustrate best practices in project design, project description, project budget development, and more. • All Experiment.com projects are reviewed, and the criteria for review are publicly communicated on the Experiment.com website. Projects from academic researchers require institutional review and approval. • Overall, the site provides a clear, well-organized introduction to the details involved in crowd-funding for research.
Concerns:: None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: • Individual research project descriptions include statements of each study’s goals and significance, general budget information, endorsements, researcher background information, lab notes, and references. For teaching and learning purposes, the funded research projects offer students both “start-to-finish” and “in-progress” views of contemporary research. • Many of the studies address “real-life,” relatable subjects that are likely to engender student interest.
Concerns:: • Because the site is not designed as a teaching tool, instructors who use the site to inform lectures or class activities will need to develop learning goals and assignments.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: • The site features a design that is professional-appearing, well-organized, and easy to navigate.
Concerns:: • The Discover link takes visitors to the different fields of study, but there are no sub-discipline links. There also are no links that would take visitors directly to sub-topics such as research results.

Other Issues and Comments:: Experiment.com offers a unique opportunity for psychology instructors to introduce students to the merits and challenges associated with crowd-funding of research.
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