# Group work: Getting started

**Source**: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/university-essentials/group-work/starting/
**Parent**: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/university-essentials/group-work/

Getting off to a strong start is one of the keys to successful group work. This page will guide you through the initial stages of group assignments.

Here’s a guide to help you through the initial stages:

## The first steps

### Initial meeting goals

Introduce yourselves to each other. Discuss your strengths and hopes for the group.

### Brainstorm the task

Share your understanding of the assessment goal. Aim to reach a consensus on the requirements.

## Planning and organisation

### Develop an agenda

List topics, actions required, responsible members, and deadlines.

### Define research tasks

Decide on tasks and allocate them among members.

### Create a timeline

Set deadlines for specific tasks.

## Communication and meetings

### Decide on communication tools

- Options include Google Docs, a wiki, email, instant messaging, etc.
- Exchange contact details.

### Schedule meetings

- Arrange dates, times, and locations that suit everyone.
- Record the meeting details.

## Establish a group charter

**Agree on** principles and expectations for group behaviour.\

## Assign roles

Groups usually have a number of set roles to help them fuction well and it is best to assign these roles at your first team meeting. They include:

### Group leader

Responsibilities include:

- facilitating (not dominating) discussion in the group
- keeping discussion at meetings on track and to the point
- making a final decision when group cannot resolve issues
- calling on the support of a lecturer or tutor to mediate unresolved conflict
- ensuring that meetings follow the agenda
- assuring that notes from meetings are sent to group members
- maintaining an overview of group processes.

### Note-taker

Responsibilities include:

- taking notes of items discussed at meetings, actions decided on, and people responsible for those actions
- writing out the group's understanding of the assignment task
- making a list of the allocation of tasks and the due date
- keeping a list of contact details of group members
- distributing these notes via agreed communication channels
- sending out the agenda before meetings.

### Reflector

Responsibilities include:

- identifying and raising issues that are affecting the group
- acknowledging areas of conflict in the group
- maintaining an overview of the groups' progress
- speaking up about possible problems regarding projected time lines.

### Information gatherer

Usually, this will be done by more than one person, and it can even be done by each person in the group. It involves:

- looking at the assignment instructions to decide what information is needed (see  [Understanding your assignment](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/assessments/getting-started-with-assignments/understanding-your-assignment/))
- creating a search strategy and identifying relevant databases to search (see [Choosing valid sources)](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/assessments/getting-started-with-assignments/choose-valid-sources/)
- using reading strategies to find relevant information (see [Reading skills).](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/university-essentials/study-essentials/reading-skills/)

### Editor/proofreader

This role can be done by one or more people. It involves:

- checking the completed assignment or sections of the assignment for spelling and grammatical errors
- looking for inconsistences in format and layout
- identifying areas that could be expressed or explained more clearly
- making sure that all of the criteria from the assignment instructions have been met.

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## Keywords

- [Assessment](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/keyword/assessment/)
- [Group work](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/keyword/group-work/)

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