How do I deal with frustrating group members for projects?
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Original post by fluous
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Hi @fluous,
I'm sorry to here that you are having a bad experience with group work. If you are worried about your mark decreasing I am sure you can speak to the module co-ordinator. Normally group projects have sanctions put in place for those who do not put any work in. Alternatively you could try and ask to move groups?
Best of luck,
Eloise - Lancaster University Student Ambassador
Original post by fluous
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Hi @fluous!
My name is Rohnak, and I am a Third Year animation student at Escape Studios. My course involves a lot of group work, so I am familiar with some of the challenges that come with the territory. If you are working, and it's visible to your tutor or assessor that you have been working, you will receive a grade which reflects that. At Escape Studios, our group project mark receives a modifier that reflects our personal contribution. I think it would be worth asking if you have a similar system?
Rohnak
Escape Studios Student Rep
Hi!
Like the other reps have suggested, I would recommend you go and speak to your tutor about the situation so they are aware. Your tutor may be able to move you to another group who you may be more aligned with.
Unfortunately this can be quite a common on theme throughout group work and it can be extremely frustrating, but it is great to gain real world experience because when you get a graduate job (or any role to be honest!) as you will be working on projects with people you may not 100% align with.
A positive to take out the situation is that if you ever get the opportunity to pick your group, you know exactly who not to pick.
I had a module and it was literally just me doing the work (similar to yourself) and as awful and frustrating as it was, I did not want to let my other group mates ruin my grade because they didn't want to turn up. Use yourself as motivation and know what you deserve, put your all in even if they aren't!
Good luck!
T
Like the other reps have suggested, I would recommend you go and speak to your tutor about the situation so they are aware. Your tutor may be able to move you to another group who you may be more aligned with.
Unfortunately this can be quite a common on theme throughout group work and it can be extremely frustrating, but it is great to gain real world experience because when you get a graduate job (or any role to be honest!) as you will be working on projects with people you may not 100% align with.
A positive to take out the situation is that if you ever get the opportunity to pick your group, you know exactly who not to pick.
I had a module and it was literally just me doing the work (similar to yourself) and as awful and frustrating as it was, I did not want to let my other group mates ruin my grade because they didn't want to turn up. Use yourself as motivation and know what you deserve, put your all in even if they aren't!
Good luck!
T
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by fluous
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Fairly surprised at the number of reps who've suggested you speak to the ML about moving groups. I know in our place we never allow this in all but the most exceptional cases - otherwise, practically everyone would be asking to move groups to be with their friends or people who are top of the cohort etc. If groups are not self-selected, then the whole point of them is that they are fixed.
No-one likes group work. Literally no-one. Part of the point of them is to replicate what happens in the workplace, where you often end up working on projects with people you wouldn't necessarily choose to work with, and the work is often unevenly distributed, with credit for it being unfairly apportioned. C'est la vie!
My advice: just get on with it, even if these means doing a disproportionate amount of the work yourself if you're determined to get a good mark for it. Report the lack of work from other group members to your module leader (there is probably a procedure for dealing with this, because it's so common) and move on from it.
Original post by fluous
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Hi @fluous
It sucks that you're having to deal with uneven group work distribution, it's sadly a very common experience that most people can empathise with. However, because it is so common (and because your module is so reliant on groupwork) it is likely that your module leaders have protocols in place for the exact situation like you are describing.
I would suggest getting in touch with your module leader - possibly CC'ing your tutor in the email too - and letting them know about the situation, how the work was originally distributed and how much work you have ended up doing due to the lack of cooperation. Hopefully, your grade will be unaffected by the uneven workload.
Good luck!
Estelle
Second Year Psychology Student
University of Huddersfield
Original post by fluous
For my fieldwork module this term, and our grade is nearly 60% based on group coursework grades. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going well, and we would go to our fieldwork location and finish work on time.
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
However, as the term has gone on, I keep having to remind my group of the work we need to do, and one occasion, I was the only one to go to a meetup that we decided, and completed a whole task alone for a seminar. It's such a great module (honestly has my favourite and most engaging content this term) but only if you have the right people to work with and I don't want my grade to come down because of my group members ghosting me and putting minimal effort. Advice?
Hi,
It's good that you are enjoying the module. Considering it's a group work which carries more than half of the mark, endeavor to keep completing task to earn your marks. You can approach your group members and inquire why they've been neglecting doing the work or coming for meetings, you can share tasks and see if it would encourage them to do something, if they seem to ignore you- you can tell your module leader to maybe change groups or caution them. Most importantly, do not let them affect your performance and also know that they might have some personal issues causing them to slack in school so try to be considerate when confronting them. Hope this helps and good luck in your fieldwork!
Benedicta,
University of Sunderland Student Ambassador.
Beat them to death
I don’t know how it works in your place, but where I’m from running to a tutor is just about the worst thing you could do! The point of group work is to learn how to function as a member of a team with all the inherent problems that this implies. Part of the grade is even attributed to the way the group functioned. So by telling tales you are not only sh***ing on your fellow team mates from a great height, you’re actually shooting your self in the foot as well.
Just accept that in life there will always be people that are more proactive, conscientious, and responsible than others, and there will always be free riders. Long term the latter kind tend to get their comeuppance at some stage….. but not always. Sometimes it gets a positive badge and called delegating skills. Either way, you’re going to have to deal with it within the group rather than running to a tutor to call foul play.
Just accept that in life there will always be people that are more proactive, conscientious, and responsible than others, and there will always be free riders. Long term the latter kind tend to get their comeuppance at some stage….. but not always. Sometimes it gets a positive badge and called delegating skills. Either way, you’re going to have to deal with it within the group rather than running to a tutor to call foul play.
Original post by Reality Check
Fairly surprised at the number of reps who've suggested you speak to the ML about moving groups. I know in our place we never allow this in all but the most exceptional cases - otherwise, practically everyone would be asking to move groups to be with their friends or people who are top of the cohort etc. If groups are not self-selected, then the whole point of them is that they are fixed.
No-one likes group work. Literally no-one. Part of the point of them is to replicate what happens in the workplace, where you often end up working on projects with people you wouldn't necessarily choose to work with, and the work is often unevenly distributed, with credit for it being unfairly apportioned. C'est la vie!
My advice: just get on with it, even if these means doing a disproportionate amount of the work yourself if you're determined to get a good mark for it. Report the lack of work from other group members to your module leader (there is probably a procedure for dealing with this, because it's so common) and move on from it.
No-one likes group work. Literally no-one. Part of the point of them is to replicate what happens in the workplace, where you often end up working on projects with people you wouldn't necessarily choose to work with, and the work is often unevenly distributed, with credit for it being unfairly apportioned. C'est la vie!
My advice: just get on with it, even if these means doing a disproportionate amount of the work yourself if you're determined to get a good mark for it. Report the lack of work from other group members to your module leader (there is probably a procedure for dealing with this, because it's so common) and move on from it.
All of this.
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