Group Work Etiquette in College?

brownug
Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:39:32 +0000

This might be a question applicable to a lot of you guys.

I’m at a relatively good school (with presumably students who did very well in high school and also should be expected to be responsible “adults”) and have some group work for a course I’m enrolled in right now. It’s been baffling to me why my group members have been so unresponsive and even quite slack (for our school’s standards and reputation) about getting together and chipping in for group work.

The work is a relatively big chunk of our grade and the groups were semi-randomly chosen. After the choosing of groups, it’s been one challenge after another to get my group members to do their parts.

They don’t respond to emails (either at all or not in a timely fashion), they don’t come prepared with anything, and the general attitude is that they don’t seem to care too much and are putting off all work until right before it’s due.

I’ve tried being flexible and encouraging and also have tried to “lead” the group as the organized one. But it’s still feels like no one is taking any initiative to do their parts. I’ve been doing roughly 70% of all the work, so it feels like a bit unfair and frustrating. I’m not willing to let our grade sink and will probably end up doing more work even if they don’t do it just to make sure we get a good grade. That’s just my personality. I want to do the best that I can on something.

My questions are:

i.) What is the general etiquette you guys find for working in groups? (I realize this is a broad question, but it’s purposely meant to be that way to solicit general advice.)

ii.) What things have you find helpful in galvanizing your group to perform better? Conversely, what strategies have you found unsuccessful?

iii.) What level of underperformance would you say merits a talk with the professor? I was a bit worried (and also wanting to be patient and give my group members time and opportunity to step up) about bringing up my concern to the professor to have my group find out that I had essentially told on them behind their backs. But it would seem logical and fair that I have some recourse too if the situation gets too out of hand and I end up doing almost all the work, while my group does little to nothing.

Would appreciate some feedback from you folks with experience and solid wisdom on the matter! TVM you guys!! :)