Crowdsourced data in public administration research: A review and look to the future

Abstract

Crowdsourcing platforms such as MTurk and Prolific have emerged as data sources for researchers in the social sciences. This article delves into the past, present, and future use of crowdsourced data in public administration scholarship. Through a review of published articles in top public administration journals (years 2013–2022), we uncover a general growth in the use of crowdsourced data over time. Additionally, we document how researchers have leveraged crowdsourced data to study a diverse range of themes and topics, with particular emphasis on survey experimental approaches and the examination of citizen attitudes and responses. Moreover, drawing on insights from a survey among quantitative public administration researchers, we discuss why the use of crowdsourced data is unlikely to diminish in the foreseeable future—despite ongoing debates regarding data quality and validity. We provide a set of guiding questions for researchers to consider when using crowdsourced data in public administration studies.