Writing for the Community
Development Journal (and other
publications)
Mick Carpenter
Editor CDJ, plus CDJ Board
members IACD Conference Presentation,
Glasgow 2014
Structure of the Workshop
• 1 Introducing the Community Development
Journal, and publishing possibilities available
through it
• 2 Workshop Proper
– Questions about CDJ and article writing generally
– Working through some possible article outlines
with willing (or dragooned) participants here
today
Introducing the Journal
• Leading journal in the field, distributed in more than 80
countries
• Launched in 1966 and 2015 is our 50th year
• Published by OUP, a world leader and ‘responsible’
publisher
• Work in partnership with IACD – including offering a
reduced subscription rate
• Part of the International Social Science Citation index –
impact score 0.602 in 2013
• Peer review all relevant articles above a certain quality
threshold
• We’re moving towards ‘freer access’
Publication policy
“The leading international journal in its field, covering
a wide range of topics, reviewing significant
developments and providing a forum for cutting-edge
debates about theory and practice. It adopts a broad
definition of community development to include
policy, planning and action as they impact on the life of
communities. It seeks to publish critically focused
articles which challenge received wisdom, report and
discuss innovative practices, and relate issues of
community development to questions of social justice,
diversity and environmental sustainability”
CDJ Publication Possibilities
• Standard Articles, 6k words – often more
‘academically’ focused and ‘research based’
• Reflections Articles, 2k words – often more
‘practically’ focused or ‘think pieces’
• If you don’t have access to CDJ through a
personal or institutional subscription, you can
access a free trial until September 2014 here:
Sign up (or sign in) My Account at
www.oxfordjournals.org and enter code IACD2014 in
Subscriber Number box
Reflections articles
• Reflections articles – report on practice or debate
particular issues – approx 2k words
• Often more up-to-date than standard articles
• Recent examples
– Jazz and Community Development
– Ingrid Burkitt’s reflective article on IACD Appreciating
Assets report
– Community responses to austerity in Ireland
– Golden Dawn’s far right and divisive approach to
community organising in Greece
– Community development in Pittsburgh USA
• By all means get in touch with Editor and float
suggestions before submitting
Standard articles
• Looks in depth at an issue in theory and/or
practice (preferably both – 6k words)
• Recent (selected) examples:
– Campaign to save a local swimming pool in Australia
– Inclusive Community Development for gypsies and
travellers in UK
– Using poetry as a community development tool
– Tottenham Riots and Big Society in the UK
– Colonial Legacy of International Voluntary Service
Special Issues and Supplements
• We are always open to suggestions for Issues,
usually 1 a year
• Recent Examples
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–
–
–
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Latin America
Feminism and the Politics of Everyday Life
Mental Health
Extractive Industries
The Commons Movement and Community
Development
• Usually free access for limited period, but
Commons Special Supplement permanently free
Key Criteria – some or all of the
following
• Relevance to Community Development theory and/or
practice (preferably both)
• Well written, structured and argued, showing awareness of
relevant literature and displaying robust use of evidence
• Bears CDJ’s international and cross-disciplinary audience in
mind
• Links theory to practice or vice versa, avoiding poles of
theoretical abstraction and purely descriptive case study
• Addresses issues such as social justice, inequality, diversity,
environmental sustainability
• Originality: Adds something new or distinctive to current
knowledge
Further Information
• The Community Development Journal
Website: http://cdj.oxfordjournals.org/
• CDJ Plus website , wholly free – including The
Lisbon Papers, set of papers from the last IACD
Conference in 2012:
http://oxfordjournals.org/cdjc/
• 50 Years Special Issue call:
http://cdj.oxfordjournals.org/
Final Advice
• Get writing, paying attention to basics: good English,
referencing, etc
• Clear Structure:
INTRODUCTION – raise themes and issues
SUBSTANCE – present evidence and review arguments
CONCLUSION – resolve themes and issues
• Say something new and/or address a different theme
• Make clear relevance to community development at
beginning and end
• Remember audience and publication policy
• Even if your article is rejected this time you will get
valuable feedback from your peers