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Resolve problems: Working in groups can be difficult, as interpersonal issues canarise. For example, some of your team members may have been accustomed toworking in a competitive rather than a cooperative learning environment. On theother hand, some team members may not contribute. In such a case, you shouldtry to find out why he/she is not being productive. Some people are very shy andneed positive encouragement. They may be stuck and require some help anddirection. Students may find certain tasks very challenging, so identify each other'sstrengths and utilise them in the group.What if a member dominates during group/assignment discussion? If someone talkstoo much, suggest setting time limits in order to give each member a chance tospeak. If a member of the group is dominating, you can politely point out that time islimited and refer to the ground rules.Work together: One of the most difficult tasks in a group assignment is creating flow.Allocate someone to the role of putting the document together and allow them scopeto edit. Don't forget to leave time for formatting, proofreading, preparing tables ofcontent and bibliographies and submitting the assignment. To be fair to the personundertaking the task, allow at least three days for this.Just as with any team you will work with, some will function really well with apparentease and some will not. Establish guidelines or routines clearly, be friendly,contribute regularly and inject some personality. You might just find that theexperience of working in a group is one of the most valuable ways of preparing foryour future career.Make a contribution: Try to communicate with group members actively; takeresponsibility for the parts assigned to you, and ask help from fellow students ifsomething is beyond your capacity.(2) Individual Assignments and Related SkillsThere are various types of individual assignments. While some individualassignments are short-term (e.g., weekly-based, daily-based or even workshop/labsession-based), the majority of individual assignments are long-term ones. Theymay span a few weeks, half a semester or even the whole semester. This sectionfocuses on the latter case of individual assignments.Understand the taskThe first thing after you have received assignment document is to read it thoroughlyand make sure you understand every sentence of the assignment description. If youdon’t understand any part of it or have doubts about any part, seek a clearexplanation from your tutor/ lecturer.Start doing the assignment earlyNever start your assignment too late, especially when multiple assignments fromdifferent units/subjects are due on the same day (or during the same week). Try tocomplete a draft version of the assignment long before the due date, and leave it(i.e., a “cooling down” period) for a few days before you revise it again. The morerevised versions you have, the better-quality assignment you are likely to produce(thus the higher the mark you may achieve).Extension to an assignmentTell you lecturer or tutor as early as possible (before the due date/time) if you haverealised that you are unable to hand in your assignment in time. If you meet theassignment extension condition, e.g., health issues, you should apply for anextension of the assignment to avoid losing marks.145