Working in Groups:

1) Take the time to get to know people in your group, even if that makes you nervous or you just plain don't want to. It will make you life much easier.

2) Get used to working in groups and get good at it; you will work in groups often in college because colleges are pressured by businesses, corporations, govts, etc to give students more group experience. You will spend much of your life working in and with groups.

3) The sum can be less than the parts. A group full of slackers is a slacker group. One slacker can screw up a hard working group's project, if the hard working members let him or her. Working in groups is difficult and time consuming, and it makes some work harder. Such is life.

4) The sum should be more than the parts. If individual members do not exchange, benefit from and use each other's ideas and skills, groups are a waste of time. Make use of each other's ideas and skills.

          a) Be honest about your skills and shortcomings.

b) Develop a group list of who is good at what: editing, taking notes, taking charge when everyone else is afraid to, using technology and computer skills etc.

c) You are supposed to use other people's ideas; it doesn't matter who thought of it.

5) Use technology.

a) Exchange (and update) both email addresses and phone numbers. (try to do so electronically)

b) Use email to forward and attach files to each other to avoid unnecessary meetings.

6) Set up a common time when everyone can meet. Commit to not filling that time with something else later.

7) Develop a strategy for dealing with slackers and maintaining harmony.

a) Decide from the beginning how the group as a whole will cope when someone fails to perform.

b) Get group projects into everyone's hands so everyone can improve the grade.

Finally,

a) If YOU are the person who wants a good grade on a group project, take control, expect to work hardest, and make sure you are the last person to work on it.

b) If someone in your group is making the group's life Hell and nothing seems to solve the problem, make his or her life Hell. If that doesn't work, see me and I'll make his or her life Hell for you.