Assessing student group work : is there a right way to do it?

Many law courses include at least some elements of group work within compulsory or optional modules. The benefits of group work include at least four of the seven "Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education".1 In addition, employers consistently ask for good team-working skills, evidence of which is often provided by reference to group projects at university. Previous research by the authors2 confirms other reports in the literature that many students find group work difficult, and particularly resent other students "freeloading" from their work.3 They also experience frustration at non-participation by other students and not being able to choose their team mates. This resentment can be exacerbated if all students receive the same mark for the finished project regardless of input. In this article, the authors reflect upon our experiences of setting and grading group work in our own courses and institutions. We will consider different assessment approaches, including peer assessment,4 lecturer assessment, student participation" enhancing student understanding of assessment criteria,5 a mixture of peer and lecturer assessment, assessment of group work as part of a portfolio,6 and non-assessed group work feeding into individual assessments.