Tips for Grading Group Work

Kathleen McKinney, Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Sociology
Illinois State University

1. Spend a lot of time explaining, both verbally and in writing, why you are doing group work, what are the academic (and other) goals and objectives of the group work, and why it is important for the students. Acknowledge and discuss with students some of the problems with group work.
2. Use the "ticket in." Require students to work individually outside of class on the group assignment (e.g., complete a worksheet, write and/or answer discussion questions) and to bring their individual work to class. This serves as their "ticket in" to the group work. Students without their ticket are not allowed to participate in group work that day.
3. Assign (or have students select) group roles for each student (e.g., convener, scribe, presenter…). Rotate these roles periodically. This helps keep all students active in the group and encourages them to develop different skills.
4. Both verbally and in writing specify and discuss the grading criteria you will use based on your objectives. Consider letting students have some input into these criteria before they are finalized. Student control increases the sense of ownership and responsibility the students will have for the group activities.
5. Require a brief, written division of labor report from each group (how often did they meet, who was present, who did what parts of the group project or assignment). This reminds the students who is and isn’t doing their share and gives you information to use when grading.
6. Consider the use of peer input into the students’ grades (e.g., 20 percent of the grade is determined by peer ratings). Students can rate other group members on specific or global items. Students can rate other groups on presentations.
7. Consider basing each student’s group grade on a combination of the group grade and an assessment of their individual work or effort (you can use the division of labor report, peer ratings, and "tickets in" to determine the individual grade portion).
8. Consider IF you want to grade the group work; it may make sense to be ungraded group work.