Group Projects Without the Group Stress

When you think of CMU Libraries, you probably think of it as a place to get individual work done. This likely has to do with our individual study rooms and one-on-one research consultations with librarians and Writing Center appointments. However, the CMU Libraries can also help significantly with group work. 

One group project which undergraduate students are likely to encounter is group website construction as a means of documenting learning. The many collaborative spaces in the Park Library, such as the 3 East, Copeland Suite, and reservable group study rooms, are great for this. Located on the second and third floors of the library, whiteboards, projectors, television screens that connect to laptops, and group study tables located within these cubicle-shaped spaces offer an excellent opportunity to map out a project with a team of classmates. The Adobe Lounge also offers other group study spaces, as well as a sound recording booth where students can record group projects such as interviews.

Additionally, our subject/liaison librarians can also assist with group research projects.  For courses that require students to collaboratively research a topic and then present their research, scheduling a consultation via the “Make an Appointment – CMU Libraries” page with the subject/liaison librarian who can walk you through the research process is highly recommended. While only one student can register for a research appointment, there is nothing preventing a group of students from coming to the appointment alongside the student who made the appointment. Many librarians also offer virtual research consultations, an option that can likewise work well for groups of students. 

If your group project also requires a presentation, CMU Libraries has an office known as the Presentation Skills Center, which is here to help. The Presentation Skills Center is located on the 3rd floor of the Park Library. While consultations are generally one-on-one, the Presentation Skills Center does give the option for students to record group presentations and send that group presentation along for analysis. This can serve as an excellent opportunity to get expert feedback on your presentation from students specifically trained in these sorts of best practices. 

We hope this variety of resources will help alleviate some of the stress that comes with group projects. We hope to see you around the library using these resources soon!