The Journal of Participatory Research Methods (JPRM), in collaboration with Interdisciplinary Research Leaders of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, invites letters of intent (LOIs) for a forthcoming special issue focused on Participatory Dissemination.
Participatory dissemination is the final, critical phase of participatory, community-engaged, or action-oriented research. It refers to the collaborative sharing of research or project results with communities in accessible and actionable ways, particularly to the community. It is a just and ethical outcome of an equitable partnership with the participating community and a key component of participatory and action research.
This special issue of JPRM will highlight innovative and effective dissemination strategies developed by researchers and their community partners. We seek manuscripts that focus on the process of deciding how, with whom, and in what ways research results are shared, especially through creative, culturally relevant, and/or arts-based methods. Examples include storytelling, art installations, community events, public arts, infographics, books, videos, or other formats for lay audiences.
Please note that JPRM does not publish traditional research reports. Authors can briefly discuss the context of the work and the outcomes or findings, but the emphasis should be on the dissemination process and the collaborative methods used. Put differently, we seek manuscripts that show and tell about the process used to decide with study partners, co-researchers, and the community how to share the work, as well as descriptions or examples of any materials produced for layperson and community use. We hope to showcase your dissemination as creatively as possible and welcome video, audio, photos, web links, and other multimedia to be published alongside your peer-reviewed article.
We anticipate our special issue to be published in April 2026. We are currently accepting letters of intent (LOI) through July 15, 2025, to Special Issue Editors: Dr. Ann M. Brearley (brea0022@umn.edu), Dr. J. Robin Moon (robin.moon@sph.cuny.edu) and Dr. Drissa M. Toure (dtoure@umn.edu). Authors will be notified of the status of their LOI submission by August 15, 2025.
**LOIs should be one single-spaced page and include the following:
- A proposed manuscript title
- Authors and affiliations
- A brief description of the manuscript, including a description of the dissemination and/or the process used to plan the dissemination with stakeholders. Please include a short description of the context including community partners and the participatory research sector (e.g., healthcare, hospitality, housing, early childcare, technology, education, etc.)
- A category of manuscript (more information on the About page of the JPRM website)
Full-length articles (up to 8,000 words)
Brief reports (up to 2,500 words)
Tutorials (e.g., step-by-by visual or video guides)
Please reach out to discuss more creative formats.
LOIs that fit the scope and aims of JPRM and the present special issue will be invited to submit a full manuscript by November 15, 2025, for peer review. Invited authors will be asked to peer-review one paper for this issue. Authors whose LOIs are not selected for the special issue are still welcome to submit through JPRM’s regular review process.
To submit an LOI or if you have questions about the LOI process, please contact the Special Issue Editors mentioned above.
If you have general questions about JPRM, please contact Sara Neyer, Managing Editor, at neyersa@mail.uc.edu.