About Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal

[Stephen_Thorpe]

Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal is a multi-disciplinary publication focused on the art and science of group facilitation published by the International Association of Facilitators. The aim of the journal is to advance our knowledge of group facilitation and its implications for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.

Group Facilitation features articles from diverse perspectives, including organizational learning and development, group and system dynamics, collaborative technology, negotiation, mediation, leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, cross-cultural contexts, and education. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, facilitator roles within the group, interventions for conflict management, descriptions of specific facilitation methods, approaches to facilitating specific tasks such as idea generation or priority setting, using computer technology to support facilitation, increasing participation in organizations, exploring the underlying values, beliefs and models of facilitation, and applying facilitation skills and concepts to various settings.

The journal, while practitioner focused, is academically robust. A variety of methods are appropriate, such as case studies, ethnographic studies, and survey or laboratory research. Book reviews are featured regularly. The primary consideration for publication is the ability of the article to inform the practitioner and stimulate the researcher.

In publication since 1999, we invite you to look over our previous issues
http://iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3498 (http://iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3498)
Information for Authors www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj/ (http://www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj/)

Sincerely,

Stephen Thorpe, Editor, journal.editor@iaf-world.org (journal.editor@iaf-world.org)
Steven N. Pyser, Associate Editor, SNPyser@comcast.net (SNPyser@comcast.net)
Sascha Rixon, Associate Editor, associate.ed@iaf-world.org (associate.ed@iaf-world.org)

[Stephen_Thorpe]

Advertising opportunities are available in the IAF Journal
Advertising opportunities are available in the IAF Group Facilitation: A research and applications journal. All advertisements are full-page and located in either the back pages of the issue or on covers. All advertisements except the back cover are black and white. Advertising is limited to 10% of the total number of pages.

Rates as at 31 March 2008 are as follows:
US$500 inside page
US$600 inside back cover
US$700 back cover, 4-color

Readership
The journal reaches over 1500 IAF members in 62 countries via a downloadable pdf document. Hard copies are available via Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Virtualbookworm.com. The journal is also listed on the EBSCO and ProQuest online databases. Hard copies are also available at IAF global conferences.

Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal is a multi-disciplinary publication focused on the art and science of group facilitation published by the International Association of Facilitators. The aim of the journal is to advance our knowledge of group facilitation and its implications for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.

Group Facilitation features articles from diverse perspectives, including organizational learning and development, group and system dynamics, collaborative technology, negotiation, mediation, leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, cross-cultural contexts, and education. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, facilitator roles within the group, interventions for conflict management, descriptions of specific facilitation methods, approaches to facilitating specific tasks such as idea generation or priority setting, using computer technology to support facilitation, increasing participation in organizations, exploring the underlying values, beliefs and models of facilitation, and applying facilitation skills and concepts to various settings.

The journal, while practitioner focused, is academically robust. A variety of methods are appropriate, such as case studies, ethnographic studies, and survey or laboratory research. Book reviews are featured regularly.

Stephen Thorpe, Editor, journal.editor@iaf-world.org (journal.editor@iaf-world.org)
Steven N. Pyser, Associate Editor, SNPyser@comcast.net (SNPyser@comcast.net)
Sandor Schuman, Consulting Editor, sschuman@albany.edu (sschuman@albany.edu)

[Stephen_Thorpe]

It's a wonderful thing sometimes, to be asked to do something. I'm sure many of you can relate to receiving that phone call, or that email, inviting you to do something significant. I received an email like that last November when Sandy Schuman invited me to become the new Editor-in-Chief of the Group Facilitation Journal. For me it really was a wonderful thing, as an article in the IAF Journal was how I came to first know about the wide world of group facilitation.

For those members who may not know much about the IAF Journal, it is a multi-disciplinary publication focused on sharing the art and science of group facilitation. As the new Editor I plan to continue the Journal's tradition of advancing the knowledge of group facilitation and its implications for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.

One of the wonderful things about being on the Journal Editorial Board is receiving submissions. So if you are interested in making a submission I can send you a copy of our Call for Papers that covers a lot of the information most people ask, or you can email me your submission directly to journal dot editor at iaf-world dot org.

We are currently looking to fulfil a few volunteer roles on the Editorial Board. We are looking for a second Associate Editor, an Advertising Coordinator, a Conference Proceedings Editor, and we are always looking for people who would like to review articles, so let me know if you would be interested in helping your fellow facilitators with improving their articles.

Issue #8 is currently available for download (http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4487) from the IAF website. Issue #8 has a number of interesting articles: A Report on the 2006 Survey of Australian Facilitators; Examining the Effect of Marginal Members in Information Sharing Groups; The Effects of Group Size and Decision Type on Decision-making Tasks and The Use and Documentation of Facilitation Techniques. There are three books also reviewed in the issue The Change Handbook, The Art of Facilitation and, Coaching in Depth.

Issue #9 is due out this December and there are some impressive articles to be included. The journal's policy is to publish each article as their review are complete so there are a couple of articles that you can download from Issue #9 already: (http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4495) From a meeting to a learning community by Sibrenne Wagenaar and Joitske Hulsebosch and Evaluating Group Interventions: A Framework for Diagnosing, Implementing, and Evaluating Group Interventions by Jacob de Lichtenberg and Manuel London

Contact me if you are interested in submitting an article, or taking on one of the leadership opportunities on the Journal Editorial Board. If you haven't done so already, download and check out Issue #8 today (http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4487).

Best regards, Stephen Thorpe
Editor-in-Chief
Group Facilitation Journal
journal dot editor at iaf-world dot org
www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj (http://www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj)

[Stephen_Thorpe]

Some questions from authors and answers from the editor

1. What is the maximum length for a journal article?
We do not have a formal length limit. Articles are generally 4,000 to 7,000 words.

2. Is the journal strictly an empirical research journal?
No. We publish research reviews, case studies, practical methods (if they explain the underlying theory), as well as empirical research. Our audience is more the scholarly practitioner than the academic researcher.

3. To which section of the journal do you see this paper belonging?
The sections are described in the Call for Papers and Submission Guidelines, which you should review before submitting an article. If you are not sure for which section your article would be most appropriate (Application and Practice; Theory and Research; or Essay) we will be glad to suggest an appropriate section after we have reviewed the article.


4. Though I have experience with group facilitation, my paper is not about group facilitation per se. How do you see us revising the paper with an orientation toward group facilitators?
What makes a paper desirable for the journal is not that it is about group facilitation, but that it is relevant for group facilitators. You should set the context, drawing on your own group facilitation work.

5. For what purpose should I use the APA Style Guide?
Perhaps the major issue on which the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" (APA Style Guide) guide should be consulted is to how source materials should be cited. This publication and simplified APA style guides can be found in libraries. More information can be found here (http://www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj/about-APA-style.htm).

6. Why do you need a bio for each author?
Bios of each author are published in the journal. Please be sure to include a short bio (75-125 words) on all authors.


7. Is my article more suitable for publication in the journal or in the International Association of Facilitators newsletter (Global Flipchart)?
To distinguish between a journal or newsletter article I think about two easy criteria and then some harder ones. Two easy ones are:
Length: journal articles have varied in length from 3000-7000 words; newsletter articles are shorter.
Citations: journal articles make extensive reference to pertinent literature with specific citations (not just bibliographies); newsletter articles provide limited references or bibliographies.
There are more difficult criteria such as:
Depth: journal articles are more comprehensive and thoughtful, exploring, integrating and/or reconciling multiple points of view; newsletter articles may be narrower in focus and more one-sided.
Contribution: journal articles make a substantive contribution to the field by presenting empirical research, insigthful summary or integration of previous research, or application that produces insights and or raises useful questions. Newsletter articles may repeat existing information tailored for consumption by our audience without necessarily making a new contribution to the field.
These are by no means comprehensive or inflexible but hopefully provide some guidance that suggests which publication a particular article is best suited for.

8. When is the due date for submissions?
Regarding deadlines and due dates, we do not review articles with a particular issue in mind.* Rather, we accept articles for review as they are submitted and publish them on the web as they are completed. Articles, essays, and book reviews that have been accepted for publication must be received in final form by November 1 for inclusion in that year's issue.
*Special Issues are an exception. A special issue has multiple articles on a single topic and has established submission, review and revision deadlines.


9. What should I include in my abstract?
The abstract will appear at the beginning of your article when it is published in the Journal. Also, it will appear on the IAF webpage for the Journal and will be used by any of the publicly accessible databases and indexing services that cover the Journal, such as Proquest (http://www.proquest.com/). Please refer to this information on abstracts (http://www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/gfj/writing-your-abstract.htm).

[Stephen_Thorpe]

Issue #9 of the IAF’s Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal is hot off the press!

“While there are many publications, both popular and scientific, that discuss groups, organizational development and group leadership, Group Facilitation is targeted directly at providing information to the professional group facilitator. Examining the "science" side of the "art and science of facilitation", in a format that is useful to both practicing facilitators and academics. As facilitators continue to investigate and explore the emerging and contemporary questions facing them, the Group Facilitation Journal will continue to fulfill its role in the sharing of facilitation knowledge”. – Stephen Thorpe, Editor.

This issue is full of interesting new articles, a classic from Human Relations by Dorwin Cartwright, two articles drawn from PhD research on Group Facilitation, another article focusing on the development of a community of practice, and an article presenting a framework to help facilitators diagnose, implement, and evaluate interventions. Also included are reviews of two new books. Just take a look at what’s inside…

Editorial

Group Facilitation’s “Editorial” by Stephen Thorpe, Editor
Articles

The Theories and Practices of Facilitator Educators by Glyn Thomas
From “a meeting” to “a learning community” by Sibrenne Wagenaar and Joitske Hulsebosch
Evaluating Group Interventions by Jacob de Lichtenberg and Manuel London
A Proposed Model for Effective Facilitation by Dorothy Wardale

Classics

Achieving Change in People: Some Applications of Group Dynamics Theory by Dorwin Cartwright
Book Reviews

Facilitating Multicultural Groups: A Practical Guide by Christine Hogan - Reviewed by Sasha Rixon
Community: The Structure of Belonging by Peter Block - Reviewed by Carol Sherriff
Download your IAF member’s only copy of the IAF Journal Issue #9 (http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4515) now.

Best regards,
Stephen Thorpe
Editor-in-Chief
Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal
journal.editor@iaf-world.org (journal.editor@iaf-world.org)