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The best practices in participatory research (PR) are the methods identified as most effective. (1) However, the best method in PR studies to increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) interest in adolescents remains a challenge. There are different types of PR methodologies, such as community-engaged research, community-based participatory research (CBPR), participatory action research, and citizen science (CS), among others. (2) The more widely recognized PR approach is CBPR. (3) Moreover, CS has intrinsic links with CBPR and it can take local approaches to problem solving to a global scale. (4) In particular, the term CS is in a state of flux, although it is generally agreed that it refers to the inclusion of members of the public in some aspects of scientific research. (5) In the last few years, appeared different definitions of CS. In 2014 the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) described the CS as a "scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, often in collaboration with or under the direction of professional scientists and scientific institutions”. (6) Bonney et al. in 2016 suggested that future modifications of the OED definition should highlight the diversity, scale, and value of CS projects from both strands, the “democratic” CS (which emphasizes the responsibility of science to society) and the “participatory” CS (people contribute observations or efforts to the scientific enterprise). (7,8) The CS can be characterized in different forms, as a tool (instrumentally), as part of a movement and as a knowledge-producing capacity of society. The form that matches more to the goal of this scoping review is to see the CS as a tool. When CS is considered as a tool or method of research collaboration, it is associated with the potential for significant benefits for volunteers, such as the article of Bonney et al. (2009) about the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.(6,7) In addition, there are different levels of participation and engagement in CS projects from the most basic level, the "crowdsourcing", in this level the participation of citizens is limited to the provision of resources, and the cognitive engagement is minimal. To "extreme citizen science" where professional and non-professional scientists are involved in deciding on which scientific problems to work on, in collecting data, in the analysis and publication or utilisation of results. Citizens can choose their level of engagement. (9) Over the past few years, STEM careers are associated with the most advanced and productive sectors of the job market in the European Union and the world (10) while only the 25% of boys and 24% of girls reported that they expect to work in STEM occupations. (11) Students’ science interest, including STEM interest, declines during adolescence, corresponding with the early years of secondary education. (12) For this reason, the target population for this scoping review to identify best practices to increase STEM interest by PR will be adolescents, between 11-18 years old. A possible way to increase interest in STEM is to involve the adolescents in the study by PR because this methodology aims to recognize subjects as researchers themselves (13) and to expand their knowledge about a professional field. (14) However, all aspects exposed have not been comprehensively reviewed, leading us to propose the present scoping review. (15) In this context, the research question generated is: 1. What are the best practices to engage effectively adolescents in STEM interest by PR? References: 1. Israel BA , Eng E , Schulz AJ , et al . Methods for community-based participatory research for health. 2nd Edn: Jossey-Bass, 2012. 2. English PB, Richardson MJ, Garzón-Galvis C. From Crowdsourcing to Extreme Citizen Science: Participatory Research for Environmental Health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2018;39:335-350. 3. Cargo M, Mercer SL. The Value and Challenges of Participatory Research: Strengthening Its Practice. Annu Rev Public Health [Internet]. 2008; 29(1):325–50. Available from: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.29.091307.083824 4. Katapally TR. The SMART Framework: Integration of Citizen Science, Community-Based Participatory Research, and Systems Science for Population Health Science in the Digital Age. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2019;7(8):e14056. 5. Eitzel, M.V., Cappadonna, J.L., Santos-Lang, C., Duerr, R.E., Virapongse, A., West, S.E., Kyba, C.C.M., Bowser, A., Cooper, C.B., Sforzi, A., Metcalfe, A.N., Harris, E.S., et al. 2017. Citizen Science Terminology Matters: Exploring Key Terms. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. 2017; 2(1), p.1. 6. OED (2016a). “citizen science”. Oxford English Dictionary, Available at: http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/33513?redirectedFrom=citizen+science#eid316619123 7. Bonney, Rick & Cooper, Caren & Dickinson, Janis & Kelling, Steve & Phillips, Tina & Rosenberg, Kenneth & Shirk, Jennifer. Citizen Science: A Developing Tool for Expanding Science Knowledge and Scientific Literacy. BioScience. 2009; 59:977-984. 8. Cooper, C.B. and Lewenstein, B.V. (2016). Two meanings of Citizen Science In: Cavalier, D. ed. The Rightful Place of Science: Citizen Science. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University Press, pp. 51–62. 9. Haklay, M. (2013). Citizen Science and Volunteered Geographic Information: Overview and Typology of Participation. In: Sui, D., Elwood, S., Goodchild, M. (eds) Crowdsourcing Geographic Knowledge. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4587-2_7 10. OECD. PISA 2012 Results: Ready to Learn Students' Engagement, Drive and Self-Beliefs. 2013;3. 11. OECD. PISA 2015 Results in Focus. 2018. 12. Taskinen PH, Schütte K, Prenzel M. Adolescents’ motivation to select an academic science-related career: the role of school factors, individual interest, and science self-concept. Educ Res Eval. 2013;19(8):717–33. 13. PALADIN. Participatory Adult Learning, Documentation and Information Networking [Internet]. [cited 2022 Mar 24]. Available from: https://aladin.uil.unesco.org/paldin/courses.html 14. Participatory Action Research and Evaluation. Organizing Engagement [Internet]. [cited 2022 Mar 24]. Available from: https://organizingengagement.org/models/participatory-action-research-and-evaluation/ 15. Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Khalil H, Larsen P, Marnie C, Pollock D, Tricco AC, Munn Z. Best practice guidance and reporting items for the development of scoping review protocols. JBI Evid Synth. 2022;20(4):953-968.