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Good collaboration 

Build a good working relationship in the group by aligning expectations  

Group work is an essential or even compulsory part of the structure of many degree programmes. So it is crucial that group members are able to work well together, for example when writing assignments or giving joint presentations. And it is worthwhile spending time and effort to make your collaboration work, or to get back on track if it has gone wrong.  

Your study group is where you can find help to solve academic problems or discuss any questions and doubts. It is an academic community and a social community, and it is important to agree on your expectations regarding collaboration internally in the group. This will help you learn about what the other members expect of you, and what you can expect of them.  

    

Agreements on collaboration  

It can be helpful to make group agreements when setting up an academic collaboration in a group or during the process if you experience problems along the way. Group agreements serve to ensure that all members of the group agree on what is expected of the group work from the time the agreement is made. Do not cling to the past, but think about how you want to collaborate in the future. If you like, your discussion can result in a written document or a group contract.  

Roles in groups

You can take on different roles in group work. Some are talkative and outgoing, while others are quieter and more contemplative. Perhaps some are creative, while others are better at structuring or gathering academic knowledge. Some naturally take on a managerial role, while others take on a secretarial role. It is therefore important that you are aware of your own role in the group and the role of others, and that everyone thrives in their role. Your diversity is a strength, and all roles are important for the group collaboration.  

Setting up group work

If you are a new study group, it’s a good idea to have a meeting to talk about your mutual expectations for the group. Use the list below to talk about what you expect of each other, and how your collaboration is to progress. You may want to write down what you agree on. You will then have a group agreement that you can later revisit as needed.  

Inspiration for mutual alignment of expectations

1. Expectations

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What are your individual expectations – for yourselves and for the group? It may be a good idea to write them down individually before talking about them in the group. Ask yourselves:  

  • What do you want to use a study group for?  
  • What role do you prefer to have in the group?  
  • When does the collaboration work well?  
  • How should your meetings/work be facilitated? Should you use an agenda, for example?  

You should also allow time to talk about your level of ambition, work pace and degree of thoroughness. For instance, is it OK sometimes to lower your level of ambition?  

2. Clear framework

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How does the group view members not preparing for or taking part in group work, or their failure to stick to agreements? 

3. Frequency of meetings

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How often will you meet? If possible, find one or more regular weekdays, and plan ahead instead of planning as you go along. Agree on the venue for your meetings: Will you meet at the university, at the library, at home or online? 

4. Logbook

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Do you need minutes of your meetings? Writing a short summary each time you have a meeting will help you remember what you have agreed, and absent group members can be updated. The logbook can be kept in an online document, which everyone in the group can access and edit, and you can take turns to be responsible for the logbook. 

5. Evaluation

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How does the collaboration actually work? Reflecting on your collaboration regularly makes it is easier to prevent things from going awry. For example, consider: Are you satisfied with the collaboration and each other’s efforts? Are you getting everything done? What works really well? What could perhaps be improved? 

   

You can also download the five points for setting up group work, and take them to a group meeting. 

Deal with conflicts

Not all conflicts can be avoided, but most of them can be resolved. Even if you had no alignment of expectations when you started your collaboration, it is never too late to talk about your future expectations based on the lessons learned from your group work so far.   

   

Focus on your academic collaboration  

Think of your group work as an academic collaboration and think of your fellow group members as colleagues in a workplace. Like in a workplace, it makes good sense to invest energy in getting a study group back on track if conflicts arise. If some aspects your collaboration are not working, meet up and try to resolve the problem together. Below are some suggestions on how you can deal with conflicts with outset in your academic collaboration.  

Inspiration for conflict management

1. Group agreement

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If you have previously drawn up a group agreement, start by revisiting the agreement together. Do you need to change or update any parts the agreement? Are you keeping to the agreements you made at the start? If you have not drawn up a group agreement before, it may be a good idea to do so now as a guide for your future collaboration. 

2. The conflict

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Consider whether your conflict stems from an academic issue or a personal issue. Remember that it is okay to disagree academically, and the group work should be based on professional collaboration.

3. Round table discussion

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Give each member time to speak without being interrupted, so that everyone can express what they feel is not working, what they would like to change, and what they think works well. 

4. Evaluation

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Do you remember to evaluate the group’s work on an ongoing basis? Are you making sure everyone’s views are heard? Does anyone feel they are doing more work than others? 

5. Help

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If you are unable to resolve your problems internally in the group, it may be a good idea to get help. For example, one of your teachers, your student counsellor or the Student Counselling Service. Remember that your teachers have a responsibility and an academic interest in making sure that your group work runs smoothly.

You can also download the five points for managing group conflicts, and take them to a group meeting. 


See also

Digital group tools

There are a number of free digital services that your group can benefit from. Below is a selection of services: 

  • With Dropbox, you can share documents, articles and empirical data. 
  • Word Online is particularly suitable for writing and editing in the same document. 
  • Use Evernote as a join workspace to generate ideas, collaborate and share links. 
  • Create a joint to-do list using Microsoft To Do.  
  • Doodle can be used to plan when you can meet in the future. 
  • Create a private group or thread on Facebook and post latest updates, links, and comments.