Back to Soc. 1201Doing Group Work
“Group work will be a major part of your grade in this class.” For some students, this statement may cause uneasiness. What if my group doesn’t work together well? What if my standards are higher than everyone else’s? What if we have a disagreement? What if some of the group members don’t do their share of the work? What if I have to miss class? Will this have a detrimental effect on my grade? For other students, group work may be seen as an opportunity to get others to do one’s work, to skip class or arrive late, or to get “easy points.” These are common reactions to group work. But some simple procedures and policies can help prevent many problems associated with groups and make the experience more productive. In this class, the following policies will apply to the group projects:
1. Attendance: Group members are expected to attend class and participate in all group sessions. Attendance will be taken early in the class period on group days. Students who arrive late or leave early must request permission of the instructor that day in order to have their participation counted. (Permission is not automatic; I’ll expect you to have a good reason and not make a habit of arriving late or leaving early).
2. Absence policy: Because group work cannot be made up, it is essential to attend as many sessions as possible. If illness, family emergency, or other circumstances cause you to miss a project, you can do extra credit to make up the points. But remember - a maximum of 30 points (two projects’s worth) can be earned through extra credit. Beyond that, you cannot replace missed points. In addition, if you owe the group any work (in the form of advance preparation or outside information collection), you must make sure you get the work to the group before the project is done in class. If your group cannot complete a project because you did not get them the information, your extra credit assignment will not be accepted.
3. Participation and quality of work: The group experience is as good as the effort put forth by group members. If you don’t do your best and contribute enthusiastically, other members will not be motivated to do so either. Since that may not be a sufficient incentive, at the end of the semester, each group member will evaluate the others’ participation and quality of work. This evaluation will become part of your grade in the class. (You can view a peer evaluation form on the class web page).
4. Interpersonal problems: Occasionally all groups experience problems with disagreement or unreliable members. When disagreements arise, you are encouraged to try to resolve them through compromise or negotiation. If you can resolve differences without outside intervention, you will ultimately end up as a stronger group. But if you need help, by all means ask! I will sit in with your group during each session and you will have the opportunity to talk about your concerns. If a group member is not attending or participating regularly, the group should first contact them to find out if there is a good reason. Give them a chance to explain. Remember to exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses early in the term!