Group Member Expectations

Group Member Expectations

All group members are expected to make significant contributions to the group effort. Each member should provide substantive input into the analysis and should do a reasonable share of the work. Some students like to start their assignments early while others tend to defer work as late as possible. Since getting started early is the better way to work, students who normally procrastinate have the responsibility to switch their behaviour to accommodate the early starters, not the other way around. No-one has the right to hold up team-mates who want to start early. Moreover, deferring work can be extra risky in team situations. It is hard enough to schedule meetings that everyone can attend; it becomes all the harder if you restrict yourselves to only the last few days.

Each group member should come to each meeting prepared. For example, prior to the group’s first analysis meeting, each member should have read the background material, identified the issues, and developed some thoughts on how the group should address those issues. During the meeting, each member should share his/her thoughts with the group, and also work with other people’s ideas to help refine them. At the end of each meeting, ensure that each person is clear on what they need to do before the next meeting. You can apportion the work based on each group-member’s strengths and schedules, but you should expect everybody to do at least some of the writing (if you are doing a written report).

Every group-member is responsible for the whole product. Consequently, everyone should be given the opportunity to review the entire product and everyone has a responsibility to seek to improve it wherever possible. If your product is a written document, everyone should participate in the editing. You can have a lead editor, but everyone should participate in the editing process. Editing other people’s work helps you to develop your own writing skills. In some cases, group members...