Writing@CSU

Writing Guides

Working in Groups

Introduction

Why Work in Groups?

Writing Tasks Suited to Group Work

Fact and Fiction: Common Fears about Group Work

What to Expect in Group Work

Choosing Group Members

Guidelines for Group Work

Initial Decision-Making

Idea-Generating and Research Tasks

Writing the Paper Together

Using Group Time Profitably

Dealing With Problems in a Group

Addtional Resources


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Authors & Contributors

 

Agree on Penalties for Missing Meetings or Deadline

Back Back to Clarify your Expectations Early
Although it would be great if this weren't true, the reality is some people are going to miss meetings and deadlines; some might even try to get others to do their work by not completing tasks. Groups need to be prepared for these contingencies by constructing rules and their consequences that can be applied later if individuals "drop the ball." For example,
  • If someone misses a meeting, or doesn't do a certain task, he/she has to type the final paper, buy pizza for the next meeting, etc.
  • If more than one meeting is missed or a member consistently fails to do what she/he is supposed to, the group can decide not to include that name on the project. (Check this one with your instructor)
  • In the same scenario, the group can decide to write a written evaluation of the member's work and pass it in to the instructor with the paper.

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