The main drawback of a group project is obvious, said Joe Hanel, an instructor in the School of Journalism and Communication. Two or three people do all the work, and one or two are slackers. I tried to get around that in my class by making half the project a group project, and half individual, Hanel said. That way, I'll be able to tell who really knows the material, and I'll grade accordingly. Another drawback of group projects is finding a time for all members to meet.
Many students have responsibilities outside of school, such as work, clubs or athletics.
These commitments can take precedence over a group project, making it difficult to accommodate everyone s schedule. It s such a pain trying to find a time when everyone can meet, especially when you have five or six people in your group, said Erin Gerkin, a senior marketing major. More people brings more opinions, but there s never enough time in the day for everyone to meet it s ridiculous. Although many students do not like group projects, others welcome them. The projects give students the opportunity to work with others and can be an alternative to the standard final exam.