Abstract
Small group discussion is the tool teams use to collaborate intellectually and to coordinate activities in the pursuit of a common goal. Discussion procedures alter natural discussion by providing rules or guidelines for conversation to allow a team to exploit collective abilities while minimizing unproductive communicative behavior. Some procedures are better than others for particular types of tasks and situations and the choice of a discussion procedure can make a difference in team effectiveness. The purpose of this project is to provide a concise reference to help team members select an appropriate procedure to accomplish a specific purpose. Using research findings from the communication discipline, the handbook provides insight on why some procedures are better than others for certain situations and tasks by pointing to the ways communicative behavior is shaped by the discussion procedure. It will then provide directions for using such procedures.