Respond early when group contributions become uneven

Compare the work with the agreement

Look at the task allocation, internal dates and expected outputs. Identify what is incomplete, unclear or unusable. Distinguish a missed commitment from a task that was never defined properly. If the group agreed only 'do research', the first problem may be the lack of a shared understanding of what research should produce.

Record the impact on dependent tasks. For example, a missing evidence table may prevent analysis from starting. Keep the record factual and limited to project activity. Do not collect private information or speculate about why a member has been unavailable.

Raise the issue directly and respectfully

Contact the member through the agreed group channel or an appropriate private conversation. State the missing output and ask whether they can still complete it or need the plan adjusted. Give a clear response date that reflects the project timetable. Avoid public shaming or an escalating stream of messages.

Listen for practical obstacles such as unclear instructions, access problems or a mismatch between the task and available skills. You do not need personal details to agree a workable next step. If the student needs university support, let them choose how to approach that service rather than making decisions about their situation.

Agree a visible recovery plan

Break the remaining task into smaller outputs if that helps progress become visible. Reallocate work only with a clear agreement about who does what and how the change affects others. Keep the revised plan in the shared record. A private rescue by one member can conceal the problem until the workload becomes unmanageable.

Set a review point early enough to act if the revised plan does not work. Pair members for a difficult step where appropriate, but do not quietly take over all of another person's assessed contribution. Follow the module's collaboration rules and ask the tutor where the boundary is unclear.

Use the course process before the deadline

If the problem persists or the group cannot agree, contact the designated tutor with the task plan, relevant dates, attempted resolution and specific effect on the work. Ask what the group should do next under the assessment rules. Do not wait until submission to report a problem that has been developing for weeks.

Keep the account balanced and allow the tutor to handle contribution judgments. Follow any instructions about individual statements or peer assessment accurately. Avoid inventing a penalty, excluding a member from submission or changing group membership without the course team's direction.

Protect the project and the record

Continue with the agreed plan while the tutor considers the issue, unless instructed otherwise. Keep shared files accessible to the appropriate group members and preserve the work already contributed. Record significant changes to responsibilities so the final account reflects what actually happened.

After submission, complete any required contribution report honestly and distinguish your own work from shared work. Review which early decisions could have reduced the difficulty, such as clearer outputs or earlier check-ins. The lesson should improve the next group's working process without turning a difficult assessment into a permanent judgment about a fellow student.

Your next steps

• Describe missing outputs and their effect on the project.
• Ask about practical obstacles without assuming motives.
• Record a revised plan and review point.
• Use the tutor's contribution process while time remains.

Keep planning

• Divide a group project into work that fits together
• Keep one shared draft for a group assignment
• Make group meetings produce decisions and next actions
• Rehearse the handovers in a group presentation