Steps adapted from BookRags’ article How to Form a Study Group in College, http://www.bookrags.com/articles/38.html, Accessed October 22, 2008.
No matter what class you are in, a study group is an effective way for you to strategize with other students about how to pass your class with flying colors! Study groups promote discussion and debate about topics presented in lecture, helping students to achieve maximum retention of the materials by actually using them outside of a classroom environment.
At GUTS, we operate under the guiding principle of students helping students. That's why we have students volunteer to tutor courses they have already taken. A study group can operate under a similar guiding value—students learn the most when they support each other through a difficult class.
By following these simple steps, a study group can be yours and make your life a little bit easier throughout the semester when studying for your exams!
Find someone you would like to work with. Even if you don’t know anybody in the class, use the class e-mail list to send out a broad call to everyone in the lecture to form a study group. Discussion class-lists can also be useful.
Don’t hesitate to ask your professor for permission to pass around a sign-up list to form a study group before class starts. Use the GUTS Study Group Contact Sheet to help you form your study group. It is a simple way to get names and contact information from someone in a no-pressure situation. Keep on
Try to join a study group that has already started. Look for a study group to join that has already gotten started. This helps to limit the time needed to organize a new group.
When in a study group, come prepared! Come prepared to talk, to participate, to help your study partners, to ask questions, etc. Having a goal in your study sessions ensures maximum productivity. Assigning tasks for ahead of time for who has what responsibility in the study group can ensure maximum utility. Use the GUTS Study Group Responsibilities Chart to your advantage!
Do form groups with people you respect and admire. These people are likely to keep you focused on the task at hand.
Keep your study groups small. Even if you have a great turn-out in the number of people who join your study group, meet at the same time, but divide the group in half. Come together in the end if you have any difficulty understanding a concept or agreeing on a coherent answer.