Task Design and Interaction in Collaborative Writing: The Students’ Story

Stephen Bremner City University of Hong Kong ; Anne Peirson-Smith City University of Hong Kong ; Rodney Jones ; Vijay Bhatia

Abstract

This article investigates student behaviour on collaborative assignments, looking at the relationship between task type and interaction, and considers the implications for task design. Students reported on interactions in a year-long workplace-focussed group communication project, comparing these with interactions on other academy-based group assignments. Differences were seen in the amount of brainstorming, the criteria for dividing up work, the intensity of editing, and how conflict was managed. Contributing factors to these differences included the presence or absence of a creative element, the instrumental nature of the task, and the need for a collective approach inherent in the task design.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2014-06-01
DOI
10.1177/2329490613514598
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (5)

  1. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
  3. Written Communication
  4. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  5. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly

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