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DR. FRED PIERCY’S
CHECKLIST FOR NEW
AUTHORS
The editor of Journal of Marital and Family Therapy put together a very insightful article in October 2014 for novice authors. He offered fantastic tips and advice for those who are interested in publishing in the field. Some of his key points are presented here for those who plan to pursue journal authorship.
1 Have a hook!
One obvious quality I look for in any article is its relevance to the goals of JMFT, which include moving our field forward through excellence in theory, research, practice, and education. Beyond that, though, I look for a particular “hook.” What makes an article important? Perhaps
it is a meaningful family treatment for a particularly vulnerable group.
WE ARE COMMITTED
TO EXTENDING OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
We are committed to extending our efforts to address diversity and social justice. Articles in recent years have directly addressed issues of sexual and gender diversity, race, class,
culture, gender and their intersectionality.
2 Current theory and practice
JMFT articles reflect current clinical theory and practice. As an example, one of the processes most associated with family therapy today, and one well known to most family therapists through the work of Susan Johnson and Leslie Greenberg and their associates (2013), is the application of the concept of attachment in softening couple interchanges and creating more healthy, emotionally responsive patterns. Attachment and its role in therapy have
been addressed in JMFT in various ways.
3 Professional concerns I also look
for articles that address professional concerns. Examples include the gap between researchers and practitioners, how to apply competencies to social constructionist supervision, and the impact of licensure on our profession.
4 Relationship education and psychoeducation interventions
I have noticed more submissions by researchers applying relationship education and psychoeducation interventions in new ways with important clinical populations, such as high- risk couples and childhood mood disorders.
5
Cost-effectiveness research also remains a priority within both the field and JMFT.
6
I also predict that technology in clinical work will become more and more relevant to the work of family therapists and thus a legitimate focus within the pages of JMFT.
JMFT ARTICLES REFLECT CURRENT CLINICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE.
7 Examples of quality articles
I will mention two of my personally favorite articles, partly because of their content and partly because of the way they were written. In the first, Fife, Whiting, Bradford, and Davis (2014) expand common factors thinking by moving away from specific skills and describing “being with” a client. It is a hard concept
to describe, but one we all know when we experience it. This expansion of common factors is required reading
in my ethics class. To me,
it is worthy of publication because it honors the essence of Martin Buber’s concept of the I-Thou relationship as a legitimate part of our increasingly evidence- based field. It balances the scales. Prospective authors would do well to study this article for how to make a compelling case, illustrate
that case, and then provide concrete ways family therapy educators can teach this concept through various forms of experiential learning.
Cost-effectiveness
Technology
36 FAMILY THERAPY MAGAZINE