On the one hand, a group needs to avoid doing too little. Groups sometimes fail because they wish to avoid becoming overly structured-they often meet with no clear agenda and no prior preparation. When this occurs, meetings may become nothing more than gripe sessions for the perpetually-enrolled. On the other hand, writing group members must beware of the temptation to allow the group, with its activities and deadlines, to take on a life of its own and detract from actually working on the dissertation. To prevent this from happening, the student should view each meeting as a target date for writing and as an opportunity to get feedback from group members.
Students are free to take the initiative in forming groups on their own.
Or, you may first want seek help or advice from students who have been involved in a writing group such as myself. As a graduate peer advisor again for the 1996-97 academic year, I will be glad to assist students interested in forming dissertation writing groups. The fellowship includes travel costs and a modest stipend to cover living expenses and, where appropriate, educational expenses in the host country for roughly one academic year. The Fulbright Fellowship Program is a highly prestigious and very competitive award, world-renowned as an exemplary program which funds only the finest scholars from around the world. Created in 1946, and named for the late Senator J. William Fulbright, the program is dedicated to the promotion of world peace and international cooperation and understanding.