1. Brainstorm:
1. Brainstorm:
Make a map or list of ideas. All group members should contribute with the goal of generating as much initial material as possible. No suggestions should be dismissed at this point. All ideas should be equally valued, even if they may not seem possible or relevant. Be sure to discuss the goal of the paper. What does the prompt ask? What approaches could be used to address the prompt?
Make a map or list of ideas. All group members should contribute with the goal of generating as much initial material as possible. No suggestions should be dismissed at this point. All ideas should be equally valued, even if they may not seem possible or relevant. Be sure to discuss the goal of the paper. What does the prompt ask? What approaches could be used to address the prompt?
2. Outline:
2. Outline:
Organize the ideas in a structured outline that could be used as a framework for the paper. Arrange the ideas in a way that addresses the prompt and the goal of the paper.
Organize the ideas in a structured outline that could be used as a framework for the paper. Arrange the ideas in a way that addresses the prompt and the goal of the paper.
3. Research:
3. Research:
Conduct any necessary research on the topic. For this step, dividing the work among group members would be beneficial.
Conduct any necessary research on the topic. For this step, dividing the work among group members would be beneficial.
4. Discuss:
4. Discuss:
Meet to exchange research findings with group members, and brainstorm about how to integrate the research into the essay. What research will go in which sections? Does any information change the essay’s main point? Should the essay structure be altered to accommodate research findings? The goal is to establish a concrete and specific plan for the essay.
Meet to exchange research findings with group members, and brainstorm about how to integrate the research into the essay. What research will go in which sections? Does any information change the essay’s main point? Should the essay structure be altered to accommodate research findings? The goal is to establish a concrete and specific plan for the essay.
5. Write:
5. Write:
Write the essay. GoogleDocs and Wikis are online tools that enable multiple users to edit a document online, which may be useful if members cannot meet in person to write the draft. If the essay is very long, members may be designated to initially draft a certain section. However, all members are equally responsible for the paper as a whole, not just the section that they initially wrote.
Write the essay. GoogleDocs and Wikis are online tools that enable multiple users to edit a document online, which may be useful if members cannot meet in person to write the draft. If the essay is very long, members may be designated to initially draft a certain section. However, all members are equally responsible for the paper as a whole, not just the section that they initially wrote.
6. Read:
6. Read:
Each member should read the entire draft, from start to finish. Does it sound the way the group intended in the initial plan? Are there rough transitions? Sections that require more sources? Sharp contrasts in tone?
Each member should read the entire draft, from start to finish. Does it sound the way the group intended in the initial plan? Are there rough transitions? Sections that require more sources? Sharp contrasts in tone?
7. Revise:
7. Revise:
Meet again (preferably in person or via conference call) to discuss any aspects of the paper that stood out after reading. Reconcile differences in style, voice, and tone to make the paper fluid and cohesive. If ideas clash, talk out the pros and cons of each approach until the group reaches an agreement. The reading and revising steps should be repeated until all group members are satisfied with the paper
Meet again (preferably in person or via conference call) to discuss any aspects of the paper that stood out after reading. Reconcile differences in style, voice, and tone to make the paper fluid and cohesive. If ideas clash, talk out the pros and cons of each approach until the group reaches an agreement. The reading and revising steps should be repeated until all group members are satisfied with the paper
Common Frustrations:
Common Frustrations:
An imbalance of power within the group is the most common source of frustration among collaborative writers. This inequality can take many forms, the most frequent of which are outlined below.
An imbalance of power within the group is the most common source of frustration among collaborative writers. This inequality can take many forms, the most frequent of which are outlined below.
FREE RIDERS – Group members who do not contribute constructively to the group. Generally, there are two types of free riders.
FREE RIDERS – Group members who do not contribute constructively to the group. Generally, there are two types of free riders.
- Apathetic Free Riders do not contribute because they are not interested in the topic or goals of the paper.
- Self-Inhibiting Free Riders do not participate because they do not view themselves as knowledgeable enough about the topic of the paper (or about writing itself) to have the authority to contribute. Their lack of confidence in their ideas hinders interaction with group members.
General Strategies:
General Strategies:
- Group members can address the issue of an apathetic free rider if the professor has a group assessment exercise built into the assignment sequence. Such exercises will enable group members to inform the professor about the apathetic free rider in their group.
- Group members can also address an apathetic free rider without involving the professor by staging an intervention in which they inform the free rider that such non-productive behavior is not appreciated in the group.
- Suggestive questioning can create an open space into which the self-inhabited free rider can voice his or her ideas. Encourage the quiet member by showing that you value his or her contributions.
- Discuss a controversial statement or question and suggest as many alternate perspectives as possible, even if they are absurd. This creates a non-judgmental environment in which to propose ideas, and it makes members feel more comfortable participating in discussion. As a follow-up activity, each student should pick a group member’s response to the controversial statement and validate it to themselves or a partner, either verbally or in written form.
SELF-ASSERTIVE – Members who appoint themselves as group leaders and assume full responsibility for the paper: often assigning tasks to all other group members and insisting on their own ideas for the group as a whole, leaving the other members in frustrated silence.
SELF-ASSERTIVE – Members who appoint themselves as group leaders and assume full responsibility for the paper: often assigning tasks to all other group members and insisting on their own ideas for the group as a whole, leaving the other members in frustrated silence.
General Strategies:
General Strategies:
- Model thoughtful listening and successful collaboration in order to illustrate that self-assertion is unnecessary.
- Practice collaborative writing in a completely hypothetical, risk-free context by doing an activity that consists purely of discussion and writing. Invent a prompt and discuss how the group would structure a body paragraph for this imaginary assignment.
- Encourage discussion and collaboration throughout the writing process, even if the self-asserter insists on assigning individual piecemeal tasks. MAY 2016 i-History Project