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Group work: Home

Group work is an integral part of your studies. Working on a group project will improve your skills in: 

  • leadership 
  • teamwork
  • negotiating
  • motivating others

Developing these skills will increase your employability.

Top tips

  • Before you start, check your assignment guidelines to find out if there is one mark for the project as a whole or marks for individual aspects. Make sure you know what forms of collaborative working are allowed for each group assignment. If in doubt, contact your tutor. 
  • Set ground rules around meeting schedules, tasks and timescales.  
  • Define roles and responsibilities, and ensure that every member of the group has a chance to contribute.
  • Record individual contributions to the group's project work so that ideas and effort can be correctly attributed and taken into account when grades are awarded.
  • Conflicts may arise during group work. These can often be resolved through discussion and by showing respect for each other. For more ideas look at this Skills for Study module on group work and presentations (also available in the related resources section).
  • Make sure you cite and reference all of the sources you used. 

You will find more detailed guides on group work in the resources listed on this page.

Group image by Max Griboedov/Shutterstock (image ID:401859706). Image edited by Southampton University Library.

Related resources:

How to Deal With Difficult Group Project Members - by Beedie School of Business

Working in Groups - by UBC Learn

5 Tips for Dealing with Lazy Group Project Members - by College Info Geek