Effective Group Work TipsHow to succeed at putting together that puzzle!

At some point of your degree you will be faced with a

group work assignment.

Working as a group to put that puzzle together can make

it a more enjoyable time.

We have some tips on how to succeed at putting together that puzzle!

At the beginning of your group work…

1. Get to know your team

» Find out your strength and weaknesses and find a way to let them shine!

» When you first meet do a little icebreaker game to break the tension.

2. Contacts » Get all your group member’s details:

- Phone Numbers - Email Addresses - Skype Addresses

3. Establish goals » In your first meeting share and discuss your understanding of the course aims and scope of the project.

» It is important that everyone agrees on the project quality and final product.

4. Time Management

» Develop a timeline that everyone agrees on, which includes your assessment deadlines, meeting times, holiday dates, etc. This way you can be super prepared when your assignments are due!

5. Delegate tasks and distribute work evenly

» Balance the work load evenly, clearly defining individual duties and established deadlines.

Throughout your group work…

8. Regular Meetings » Having regular meetings to touch base and keep the assignment on track will lead to a successful result.

Tip: If you can’t meet in person trying Skyping or Face-Timing the other group members, this allows everyone to be present - virtually or realistically - at the meeting.

6. Communication » Regular communication helps everyone stay connected and understand where the assignment is up to.

Tip: When it comes to proof-reading get everyone to proof the assignment and track the changes in a Word Document this way you can see the progress of the assignment and understand each change made.

7. Environment » Instead of just meeting in a spare classroom or at the library, get off-campus and meet at your local coffee shop (and enjoy a refreshing beverage too) or your local park (have a picnic while you’re at it too!)

9. Snacks... » Snacks help get the creative juices flowing and keep you on task. You can even go a step further and theme the study snacks (All things red or Italian food)!

10. Colour it up! » Bring coloured post-it notes, or markers to make planning that little more colourful and exciting.

11. Face-to-face discussion

» If there are any disputes in your group, pull the conflicting team member aside or meet with them separately.

Tip: If someone isn’t contibuting to the assignment ,talk to them about how they can get more involved.

At the end of your group work…

13. Communicate » Work together on the project and have an open line of communication so you all know how its going.

12. Check your referencing

» Make sure someone in the group checks the referencing and bibliography layout. You don’t want to lose marks for something as simple as referencing incorrectly.

Tip: Visit the USQ library webpage for ‘How to Reference?’ www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing

14. Submit assignments on time

» Make sure you actually submit your assignments on time. Set an alarm on your phone just in case you forget!

15. Celebrate » Congratulations you did it! High fives (mental and realistic) all around, have lunch or coffee together, start a flash mob and do a victory dance.

Share your best group work tips with us!

usq.edu.au

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