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Help
Here you will find answers to most questions. Should you still have questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

General

New to MISIN?
Report an Observation Online
  • Located toward the right hand side of the blue toolbar you will find the heading My MISIN. You will be given the option on the log in screen to sign in with your username and password or to register for a new account.
  • To register, click on Register Now and fill out the required information indicated by the red asterisk.
  • After completing the registration form, you will receive an automated welcome e-mail. You may now log in to MISIN.
  • Once logged in, click on Report located in the blue toolbar.
  • A list of all the available species to report will be displayed. Click on the name of the species you would like to report.
  • On the reporting page, you have the option to either type in coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) or an address then click on the Locate button OR you may hold down the CRTL button on your keyboard and zoom in to the correct location. The map will automatically zoom to the required level.
  • After placing a marker on the map, continue filling out the remainder of the reporting form. Latitude and Longitude sections of the form will be automatically filled in. 
  • Necessary information includes selecting whether or not this species was detected or not detected, the project you are reporting for, the observation date, the area and density, and any comments and/or photos you would like to include. 
  • After clicking the Submit Report button, you will be redirected to a summary page that tells you that the point was successfully added and provides the reporter with a record ID for easy reference. You will also be provided with a PDF link where you can download and print the summary page for your records.
Updated October 2021
Citing MISIN
Suggested MISIN citation:

MISIN. {year}. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Michigan State University – Department of Entomology. USA. http://www.misin.msu.edu. {Accessed dd month, year}.

For data accessed through MISIN:

{Dataset Author(s)}. {Dataset Year}. {Data Provider/Dataset Name}. In MISIN – Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Michigan State University – Department of Entomology. USA. http://www.misin.msu.edu. {Accessed dd month, year}.

Examples:

MISIN. 2015. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Michigan State University – Department of Entomology. USA. http://www.misin.msu.edu. Accessed 08 June, 2015.

For data accessed through MISIN:

Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2000-2014. Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Project. In MISIN – Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Michigan State University – Department of Entomology. USA. http://www.misin.msu.edu. Accessed 08 June, 2015.

Wild Rivers Invasive Species Coalition. 2000-2014. Wild Rivers Invasive Species Mapping Project. In MISIN – Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Michigan State University – Department of Entomology. USA. http://www.misin.msu.edu. Accessed 08 June, 2015.

Smartphone Apps

Training Video

MISIN Smartphone App Training Video (Mar 2021)

Sections:
0:00 – Intro
0:28 – Installation Process and App Startup
3:08 – Sign In or Register
5:00 – Location Access / Home Screen
5:32 – Map It
5:57 – More (Data Manager, Settings, Help, Credits, About)
6:10 – Data Manager
6:35 – App Settings
7:10 – Begin Reporting Process
7:58 – Species Details (Photos, Fact Sheet, Map, Mark as Favorite)
8:40 – Distribution Map
9:06 – Fact Sheet Information
9:32 – Photos
9:45 – Report Presence
11:07 – Report Absence
11:37 – Working With Data in the Data Manager
12:09 – Sending Data
12:47 – Closing
Update Species Catalog

New invasive species are always being added to MISIN. In order to make sure you app is up to date with the latest species catalog, you will need to tap on More > Settings > Reload (located under Update Species Catalog)

Please make sure your WiFi is turned on and connected before reloading your species catalog – you may receive an error message letting you know that your device is unable to connect to the server if you are not connected to WiFi.

Is there an Android version?
Yes, the MISIN smartphone app is now available for android devices. The app was released October 23, 2013 and can be found in the Google Play store. Download it today, it’s free!
What version of Apple’s iOS should I be running?
For iPhone users, we recommend having at least version 8
Will the MISIN app work without a cellular connection?

Yes, the MISIN app will work without a cellular connection. The observations are always stored locally on your phone. In the case of a lack of network connectivity – the app will disable the “Send Data” feature and notify you when you are reconnected to your cellular network.

I downloaded the app, but keep getting error messages. What should I do?
If for any reason you receive an error message, we suggest deleting the app and reinstalling from iTunes or Google Play. If the re-installation did not correct the problems, please use the Contact Form to report what issues you are having.

Troubleshooting

Become a registered MISIN user?
Yes, you will need to register with the MISIN web site and use those credentials to log into the MISIN app before you can save and submit data.
Where can I get support?
Please use the Contact Form to submit general questions or report bugs. Our developers will respond to your issue as quickly as possible.

Contact us