Have you ever joined a study group for a class only to have it turn in to a waste of time? Here are some tips to make a study group more effective than the social hour, people stop showing up, so-and-so doesn't follow through free-for-all that so many unsuccessful study groups melt down into.
Have a regular time to meet and a usual length of time to meet. This will give the study group meetings a more formal feel and make it easier for everyone to fit it into their schedules. Limiting the length of time may also assist with keeping things on track during the meeting.
Meet in a library or other quiet setting. Libraries will often have meeting rooms that can be reserved for group work. If you cannot obtain one, find a remote area of the library where the group's discussions are unlikely to disturb anyone. Having a study group at someone's home or at a coffee shop or restaurant will give too much of an informal feel and might lead to a loss of focus.
Keep it small (no more than 6 members). The larger a study group is, the more likely it is to break down due to no shows, social distractions, or members not doing their part. Smaller groups are more likely to feel responsible to one other and self-regulate their behavior.
Limit distractions. Start with checking that everyone's cell phone is off. Computers should be off as well, with the possible exception of one member whose job is to look up answers to disputed questions online if they can't be found otherwise.
Conduct it like a meeting. This may sound rigid, but study groups are organized in order to accomplish work. Having a structure where people take turns in raising questions or presenting material will smooth the process. Have an agenda or goal for each meeting and be sure to agree upon a new agenda at the end of each meeting.
Bring questions to be answered to each meeting. Each member should review all of the materials to be covered at the next meeting and bring specific questions to be answered. Whether they are questions over material the individual found difficult to understand or questions the individual thinks the instructor might ask on the next test, they can be good focus points to keep the group on task.
Share responsibility for material. If your group has four members and there are four chapters on an upcoming test, it might be beneficial to assign primary responsibility for presenting each chapter to each group member. Teaching information to others is a great way to solidify what you've learning.
Have a timer to limit off-topic discussion to 30 seconds. Someone should be responsible for timing and stopping off-topic discussions to help keep the group focused. It might be a good idea for the job of timer to rotate among group members. There also should be an agreed-upon limit of how many off-topic discussions can take place within a meeting period.
Eliminate dead-weight members promptly. We have all been in group work situations where one or more people slack off while the others work frantically to fill the gaps. Don't let this happen in your study group. Those who do not show up or fail to contribute their share to the group should be asked to leave the group as soon as possible. It might be desirable to discuss at the first group meeting what the criteria will be for asking a member to leave.
