Carrying out class assignments as part of a group has some of the same challenges of learning to live with roommates. When working in groups, here are some tips to consider:

• Make sure that all members of the group know exactly what part of the whole group's work they are responsible for.
• Make sure that all members complete their part of the work on time.
• Don't leave anyone out of group meetings or communications. A group that gets along well is the best assurance that each member will do his or her best work. This is especially important if the instructor grades the group as a whole.
• Communicating by email is an efficient way of keeping all group members informed about each other’s progress.
• If the course has a home page, you may be able to coordinate your group's work by posting what you have done for the other group members to review.

Using the course home page or email can also facilitate peer review. In this type of assignment, your instructor will ask you to comment on another student's written work while it is in progress. If you are asked to do a peer review, be constructive in your comments. That is the kind of help you will want from the person who peer reviews your work.