It can be helpful to formalise group norms and expectations through a collaboration agreement from the very beginning of your group work. The agreement should contain the overall goals of the group work, as well as define the group in terms of academic, process and social norms.
Download a template for a collaboration agreement in WORD or PDF
TYPES OF GROUPS AND THEIR PURPOSE
There are different types of groups. Some groups work with a larger project, while other groups meet just to discuss theory and texts. The purpose of the group work depends largely on the type of group you are working in. Four types of groups (click for full-size image):
