Writing Tasks Suited to Group Work
Fact and Fiction: Common Fears about Group Work
My individual ideas will be lost...
I could write it better myself...
My grade will depend on what others do...
Group work will take more time than if I did it myself...
My group members aren't as smart as I am...
I don't have time to meet out of class...
Idea-Generating and Research Tasks
Divide the Writing Tasks
When you divide the writing tasks, each member does research and writes a portion of the document. The group then reconvenes to suggest revisions, smooth over transitions, and even edit style inconsistencies. This model is the most efficient and quickest for most groups that have not worked together in the past. Consider the following:
- This only works if you spend a lot of time discussing organization before writing; otherwise, sections tend to digress and/or repeat each others.
- Plan to write the introduction, conclusion, and transitions between sections together to help the text "flow."
- Edit/revise the draft for coherence; is it obvious how each section supports/leads to your main point? Skipping this stage could lead to an incomprehensible paper. People's ideas about the main point, no matter how much discussion, aren't always going to be the same.