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Group work etiquette
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Group work etiquette

Most degrees these days encompass at least some element of group work; this form of learning allows a team to share a hefty workload whilst developing communication and interpersonal team work skills.

Whilst the concept of dividing one assessment between two, three or four people may initially seem appealing, sometimes group work can go a bit pear-shaped and end with disagreements and lacklustre grades.

So how to avoid all the drama and get the marks you deserve as a team?

It’s fairly easy if you employ this simple group work etiquette:

Do your work! Don’t be the guy that always has an excuse, just get it done.

Animation: Man pointing his finger. Text: Let me hit you with some knowledge

Establish your goals as a team before you all start the project – are you aiming for a HD? Or do you just want to cruise through the assessment with a pass. If everyone has the same goals (*hint* aim for the HD) then keeping each other motivated will be easy.

Animation: Kids doing complex handshake

Don’t whinge and moan – you’re all in it together, be positive and make it fun as a team!

Animation: Two men shaking their heads. Text: That's not how we do things here

Don’t rock up to team meetings late – nobody wants to hang around the library unnecessarily because you got sucked into watching another episode of Geordie Shore.

Animation: Man waving. Text: Thanks but no thanks. See ya!
If you need to do a presentation, don’t be the guy that claims to not need to rehearse and then doesn’t know anything he/she has to say thereby making the team whole look bad. There’s a reason they say ‘practice makes perfect’!
 Animation: woman shaking her fist. Text: Nerdrage!

At the end of the day, even if everything does go pear-shaped, you can almost certainly be forgiven as long you do your work, and do it well! So I suggest you get started…

Animation: Two ice hockey players bumping chests

Happy harmonious group-assessmenting guys! 

Got any more teamwork advice? Feel free to share, it could be for the greater good…

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