http://onlinejournalismblog.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/a-journalists-guide-to-crowdsourcing/ Comment, analysis and links covering online journalism and online news, citizen journalism, blogging, vlogging, photoblogging, podcasts, vodcasts, interactive storytelling, publishing, Computer Assisted Reporting, User Generated Content, searching and all things internet. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:04:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://onlinejournalismblog.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/a-journalists-guide-to-crowdsourcing/#comment-7555 Tish Grier Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:05:30 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/a-journalists-guide-to-crowdsourcing/#comment-7555 The OJR article is good, but leaves out something key to crowdsourced journalism--dealing with people.. I worked on Assignment Zero, perhaps the first crowdsouced journalism project (recenly won Hon. Mention in the '07 Knight-Batten Awards) and we didn't rely all that much on social science. Rather, we relied heavily on people-skills that are more common to working with volunteers. Think of it this way: if you are going to be working with "the crowd" to produce a work of journailsm, you will need to deal with them. You can't be hands-off and simply expect people to contribute to what you're doing. If you'd like information to be more than just a "yes-no-maybe" answer from a poll, you will have to be accessable and answer questions. It then becomes important to communicate with people in an open and genuine manner. If an org is too detatched--as the social scientist model implies--there may be limits to whom among the people a project is able to reach. The OJR article is good, but leaves out something key to crowdsourced journalism–dealing with people.. I worked on Assignment Zero, perhaps the first crowdsouced journalism project (recenly won Hon. Mention in the ‘07 Knight-Batten Awards) and we didn’t rely all that much on social science. Rather, we relied heavily on people-skills that are more common to working with volunteers. Think of it this way: if you are going to be working with “the crowd” to produce a work of journailsm, you will need to deal with them. You can’t be hands-off and simply expect people to contribute to what you’re doing. If you’d like information to be more than just a “yes-no-maybe” answer from a poll, you will have to be accessable and answer questions. It then becomes important to communicate with people in an open and genuine manner. If an org is too detatched–as the social scientist model implies–there may be limits to whom among the people a project is able to reach.

]]> http://onlinejournalismblog.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/a-journalists-guide-to-crowdsourcing/#comment-7015 Jensen Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:11:19 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/a-journalists-guide-to-crowdsourcing/#comment-7015 I agree, online surveys are a wonderful tool for reporters. I've been using <a href="http://www.instantsurvey.com/?CID=Blog-Jensen" rel="nofollow">InstantSurvey]</a> for a while. It's a great way to guage public opinion on important topics, plus its a great way to engage your audience. I agree, online surveys are a wonderful tool for reporters. I’ve been using InstantSurvey] for a while. It’s a great way to guage public opinion on important topics, plus its a great way to engage your audience.

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