Pros and cons of study groups

(abridged from Axelrod's Ace Your Midterms and Finals)

Pros:

Many people come to an understanding of a subject through dialog and question/answer.

Studying in groups makes it possible to drill and quiz one another.

In a group, a complex subject can be broken up and divided among members of a group. Each one becomes a 'specialist' on some aspect of the subject, then shares his/her knowledge with the others.

Cons:

Greatest pitfall: All too often, study groups become social gatherings, full of distraction rather than study.

All members of the group must be highly motivated to study. Otherwise, distractions will prevail. Also, friction will develop among the members, some of whom will feel burdened by freeloaders.

The group may promote excellence, or it may agree on mediocrity. If the latter occurs, the group will become destructive.

In summary, study groups tend to bring out the members' best as well as worst study habits. It takes individual and collective discipline to remain focused on the task at hand, to remain committed and helpful to one another, to insist that everyone shoulder his/her fair share, and to insist on excellence of achievement as the only acceptable standard for continuing the study group.

From Ace Your Midterms & Finals: Introduction to Biology, by Alan Axelrod. 1999. ISBN#0070070091