The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

Establishing Groundrules
The online dialogue is governed by the usual dialogue groundrules. Those who sign up
receive an e-mail response informing them of the groundrules and indicating that by answering,
participants agree to abide by them, and commit themselves to expending the time and energy
necessary to conduct a successful dialogue for the specified period of time. The online facilitator
assumes responsibility for enforcing conformity with the ground rules, reminding people of them
as needed.
Recruiting and Inviting Participants
1. Determining Group Size
Group size can vary greatly in online dialogues, but in this case smaller is better. The
Network's two dialogues averaged six participants. Interestingly, in post-dialogue evaluations
some participants suggested even smaller dialogues. Participant size is decided by the organizer,
but the number needs to be large enough to provide crucial momentum, yet small enough to be
manageable.
2. Recruiting and Advertising
An on-line dialogue opportunity can be advertised through a number of sources,
including personal networks, organizations with whom you are in contact, churches and temples,
listserves, newsletters and web pages. The goal is to not only obtain the numbers needed but,
just as important, to find a balanced group of participants, i.e., roughly equal numbers of
participants that identify as pro-life and pro-choice. To achieve this balance you have to recruit
in ways and places that will draw both types of participants.
3. Pre-Screening and Setting the Stage
People who sign up for the dialogue receive an e-mail response. Appendix 6.1 is this
initial email message to participants.
Prospective participants are informed of the nature of common ground dialogue, the
groundrules, the expectations of participants, and technical aspects of online dialogue.
Acceptance of the groundrules provides a large measure of the self- screening in this process, so