Project 2463: M. A. O’Leary, K. Alphonse, A. H. Mariangeles, D. Cavaliere, A. Cirranello, T. G. Dietterich, M. Julius, S. Kaufman, E. Law, M. Passarotti, A. Reft, J. Robalino, N. B. Simmons, S. Y. Smith, D. W. Stevenson, E. Theriot, P. M. Velazco, R. L. Walls, M. Yu, M. Daly. 2018. Crowds Replicate Performance of Scientific Experts Scoring Phylogenetic Matrices of Phenotypes. Systematic Biology. 67 (1):49-60.
Abstract
Scientists building the Tree of Life face an overwhelming challenge to categorize phenotypes (e.g., anatomy, physiology) from millions of living and fossil species. This biodiversity challenge far outstrips the capacities of trained scientific experts. Here we explore whether crowdsourcing can be used to collect matrix data on a large scale with the participation of the non-expert students, or “citizen scientists.” Crowdsourcing, or data collection by non-experts, frequently via the internet, has enabled scientists to tackle some large-scale data collection challenges too massive for individuals or scientific teams alone. The quality of work by non-expert crowds is, however, often questioned and little data has been collected on how such crowds perform on complex tasks such as phylogenetic character coding. We studied a crowd of over 600 non-experts, and found that they could use images to identify anatomical similarity (hypotheses of homology) with an average accuracy of 82% compared to scores provided by experts in the field. This performance pattern held across the Tree of Life, from protists to vertebrates. We introduce a procedure that predicts the difficulty of each character and that can be used to assign harder characters to experts and easier characters to a non-expert crowd for scoring. We test this procedure in a controlled experiment comparing crowd scores to those of experts and show that crowds can produce matrices with over 90% of cells scored correctly while reducing the number of cells to be scored by experts by 50%. Preparation time, including image collection and processing, for a crowdsourcing experiment is significant, and does not currently save time of scientific experts overall. However, if innovations in automation or robotics can reduce such effort, then large-scale implementation of our method could greatly increase the collective scientific knowledge of species phenotypes for phylogenetic tree building. For the field of crowdsourcing, we provide a rare study with ground truth, or an experimental control that many studies lack, and contribute new methods on how to coordinate the work of experts and non-experts. We show that there are important instances in which crowd consensus is not a good proxy for correctness.Read the article »
Article DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syx052
Project DOI: 10.7934/P2463, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P2463
This project contains | Matrices |
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Download Project SDD File | Total scored cells: 98 Total media associated with cells: 100 Total labels associated with cell media: 3 |
Characters | |
Total characters: 5 Total characters with associated media: 5 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 15 Total character states with associated media: 15 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:5/0 |
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 2463
MorphoBank Project 2463
- Creation Date:
28 June 2016 - Publication Date:
30 May 2017 - Project views: 119402
- Media downloads: 1
- Matrix downloads: 3
This research
supported by
Authors' Institutions
- Ohio State University
- Oregon State University
- University of Arizona
- University of Michigan
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Waterloo
- American Museum of Natural History
- Drexel University
- Kenx Technology Inc
- New York Botanical Garden
- St. Cloud State University
- Stony Brook University
- Whirl-i-gig
- College of William and Mary
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Members
member name | taxa | specimens | media | chars | character
| cell scorings (scored, NPA, "-") | cell
| rules | ||||||
Ramona Walls Project Administrator | 20 | 56 | 254 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 98 (98, 0, 0) | 100 | 3 | 0 | ||||
Dario Cavaliere Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Maureen O'Leary Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Selena Smith Observer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Dennis Stevenson Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M24092' (20 Taxa)
taxon | unscored cells |
scored cells |
no cell support |
NPA cells |
"-" cells | cell images | labels on cell images |
member access |
[1] Lapageria rosea Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
[2] Drymophila moorei Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[3] Alstroemeria pelegrina Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[4] Schelhammera multiflora Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[5] Drymophila cyanocarpa Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[6] Paris quadrifolia Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[7] Tricyrtis formosana Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[8] Erythronium japonicum Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[9] Alstroemeria aurentiaca Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[10] Calochortus apiculatus Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[11] Clintonia borealis Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[12] Erythronium americanum Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[13] Heterosmilax gaudichaudiana Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[14] Lilium martagon Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[15] Lilium speciosum Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[16] Philesia magellanica Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[17] Ripogonum album Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[18] Smilax herbacea Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[19] Streptopus streptopoides japonica Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
[20] Veratrum album oxysepalum Last Modified in 06/29/16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Project views
type | number of views | Individual items viewed (where applicable) |
Total project views | 119402 | |
Media views | 74673 | Media search (3818 views); M424055 (446 views); M424091 (345 views); M424087 (394 views); M424114 (358 views); M424092 (339 views); M424037 (449 views); M424068 (379 views); M424089 (364 views); M424029 (462 views); M424101 (351 views); M424116 (348 views); M424097 (486 views); M424079 (347 views); M424113 (421 views); M424043 (449 views); M424027 (430 views); M424086 (363 views); M424080 (367 views); M424082 (365 views); M424023 (465 views); M424038 (432 views); M424036 (453 views); M424026 (418 views); M424022 (445 views); M424076 (373 views); M424024 (445 views); M424093 (359 views); M424032 (423 views); M424081 (335 views); M424108 (378 views); M424053 (440 views); M424104 (345 views); M424057 (433 views); M424070 (369 views); M424054 (461 views); M424039 (423 views); M424109 (400 views); M424105 (362 views); M424044 (458 views); M424117 (336 views); M424056 (431 views); M424085 (529 views); M424040 (448 views); M424106 (364 views); M424096 (361 views); M424107 (369 views); M424084 (369 views); M424034 (419 views); M424062 (368 views); M424073 (464 views); M424061 (398 views); M424050 (423 views); M424025 (483 views); M424120 (384 views); M424094 (356 views); M424065 (400 views); M424066 (407 views); M424111 (350 views); M424095 (499 views); M424030 (456 views); M424045 (499 views); M424051 (452 views); M424067 (410 views); M424028 (425 views); M424041 (448 views); M424103 (371 views); M424069 (392 views); M424046 (537 views); M424098 (387 views); M424118 (338 views); M424072 (402 views); M424063 (406 views); M424048 (441 views); M424102 (355 views); M424052 (456 views); M424047 (460 views); M424042 (433 views); M424099 (374 views); M424077 (362 views); M424090 (424 views); M424112 (364 views); M424074 (374 views); M424121 (507 views); M424075 (368 views); M424115 (372 views); M424110 (373 views); M424071 (348 views); M424033 (429 views); M424035 (455 views); M424083 (365 views); M424088 (369 views); M424064 (414 views); M424215 (351 views); M424177 (205 views); M424157 (235 views); M424176 (234 views); M424189 (225 views); M424058 (455 views); M424245 (225 views); M424135 (237 views); M424140 (238 views); M424199 (231 views); M424168 (404 views); M424155 (247 views); M424219 (243 views); M424196 (234 views); M424214 (248 views); M424239 (228 views); M424031 (449 views); M424078 (362 views); M424049 (455 views); M424123 (240 views); M424198 (354 views); M424156 (230 views); M424205 (252 views); M424241 (217 views); M424142 (231 views); M424174 (212 views); M424166 (231 views); M424235 (247 views); M424127 (227 views); M424206 (231 views); M424175 (239 views); M424237 (224 views); M424179 (225 views); M424183 (230 views); M424218 (248 views); M424232 (223 views); M424150 (233 views); M424170 (243 views); M424213 (236 views); M424216 (336 views); M424129 (241 views); M424178 (236 views); M424143 (233 views); M424185 (363 views); M424191 (233 views); M424195 (235 views); M424242 (235 views); M424246 (223 views); M424172 (243 views); M424221 (232 views); M424186 (257 views); M424148 (238 views); M424152 (243 views); M424229 (236 views); M424230 (203 views); M424180 (225 views); M424160 (236 views); M424163 (236 views); M424224 (241 views); M424154 (216 views); M424132 (241 views); M424169 (251 views); M424059 (439 views); M424228 (236 views); M424240 (244 views); M424208 (231 views); M424220 (227 views); M424197 (235 views); M424194 (230 views); M424149 (232 views); M424225 (228 views); M424211 (240 views); M424244 (207 views); M424161 (240 views); M424203 (228 views); M424234 (229 views); M424137 (232 views); M424171 (236 views); M424147 (225 views); M424153 (275 views); M424133 (238 views); M424187 (246 views); M424159 (233 views); M424226 (228 views); M424122 (236 views); M424141 (229 views); M424060 (436 views); M424190 (230 views); M424119 (360 views); M424164 (247 views); M424212 (229 views); M424192 (233 views); M424162 (234 views); M424201 (226 views); M424222 (235 views); M424130 (229 views); M424167 (240 views); M424165 (227 views); M424200 (236 views); M424202 (237 views); M424209 (239 views); M424207 (232 views); M424181 (230 views); M424138 (229 views); M424145 (255 views); M424223 (221 views); M424182 (235 views); M424238 (232 views); M424131 (233 views); M424100 (363 views); M424146 (261 views); M424158 (233 views); M424231 (225 views); M424151 (231 views); M424243 (235 views); M424204 (235 views); M424128 (234 views); M424144 (220 views); M424173 (228 views); M424236 (235 views); M424193 (230 views); M424227 (228 views); M424188 (228 views); M424217 (371 views); M424136 (235 views); M424139 (226 views); M424210 (235 views); M424124 (245 views); M424134 (227 views); M424126 (218 views); M424125 (238 views); M424184 (357 views); M424233 (228 views); M424273 (2 views); M424264 (2 views); M424268 (2 views); M424271 (1 view); M424274 (2 views); M424261 (1 view); M424248 (1 view); M424251 (8 views); M424259 (1 view); M424262 (1 view); M424270 (1 view); M424258 (1 view); M424256 (1 view); M424252 (2 views); M424250 (1 view); M424265 (1 view); M424272 (1 view); M424266 (3 views); M424247 (1 view); M424249 (2 views); M424255 (1 view); M424263 (1 view); M424254 (1 view); M424260 (1 view); M424257 (1 view); M424253 (1 view); M424269 (1 view); M424275 (1 view); M424267 (1 view); |
Matrix views | 1407 | Matrix landing page (1116 views); monocot floral characters for crowd sourcing (291 views); |
Project overview | 2323 | |
Taxon list | 7918 | |
Specimen list | 28664 | |
Views for media list | 2498 | |
Documents list | 1055 | |
Bibliography | 864 |
Project downloads
type | number of downloads | Individual items downloaded (where applicable) |
Total downloads from project | 222 | |
Project downloads | 216 | |
Document downloads | 2 | Supplementary Material (2 downloads); |
Matrix downloads | 3 | monocot floral characters for crowd sourcing (3 downloads); |
Media downloads | 1 | M424078 (1 download); |