Center for Student Success

Why Not Form a Study Group? It's Easy!

General Guidelines

Group should be from 2 to 6 students with 4 being most effective

Participants should all be in the same section of the same course

All members should be active participants in discussions

Be aware of UMSL policies regarding academic honesty

Also be aware of any policies the instructor may have about group work

Beware of studying with students who are mainly social friends - you may too easily distract each other

How to Conduct a Study Group

Set an agenda for each meeting

Rotate leadership with each member taking a turn

Determine how often your group will meet

Each group member must be prepared for group each week by having read all assigned material

It is recommended that you cover what has happened in your course over the last week rather than cover what will happen in the next week

Ground Rules for a Study Group

Be prompt for each session

Come to the study group prepared to work

Develop an agenda with the goals of each

Stay on task - don’t allow movie reviews, cell phone calls, video games

Set a time and keep track of the time - 60 to 90 minutes work best

Meeting place should be free from distractions

Schedule the next session before the current study group session ends

Effective Communication is Key:

Learn each others names, even nicknames

Only ONE person should speak at a time

Be active listeners — an active listener listens to the entire comment and then asks for clarification if necessary

Everyone should add something to the discussion — be it an answer, a question, an example, a connection to a familiar concept

Criticism should be constructive — even joking insults is unacceptable

Maintain a positive attitude — “We can figure this out together”

Develop a roster of the names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses of all group members