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WVU Study Groups FAQ

What are WVU Study Groups?

WVU Study Groups offer additional support to the classes that members are enrolled in, allowing them to work more closely together, become friends, and offer each other ongoing support beyond the classes, seminars and workshops. While a class discussion board ends with the last lesson and the posting and feedback of the last assignment, a WVU study group continues beyond that. A WVU study group is a support group nurtured over months as its members get to know one another using message boards, where members can rejoice with each other when someone has sold a story, or have shoulders to cry on if the writing is not going well.

Each study group also has its own message board for members to post WVU class assignments, non-WVU writing projects, feedback, comments, questions, and encouragement to each other when it's difficult to write.

Do I have to join a WVU Study Group?

No, but we do encourage you to join one. Besides having an additional board to post your assignments for feedback, you will meet more writers in a study group, perhaps people you have worked with in previous classes. Since WVU Study Groups are long-term nurturing groups, you will get to know one another's writing after a while and not have to start from scratch as you do with each new class to introduce yourself or explain your projects, story ideas, characters, etc.

Will I be assigned to a study group?

You can choose which group to join. Go to WVU Study Groups which has a list of current groups and a color key explaining the status of each group, i.e., which groups are looking for more members and which groups are full, no longer open to new members.

How do I go about joining a WVU Study Group?

Members in groups that have vacancies for new members will sometimes invite classmates to join their group. If you have been invited to join a group, wait until they have posted a welcome to you, and then post your own introduction message about yourself, your writing projects, etc.

If you have not been invited to join a group, don't worry! Check out which group you would like to join, and if there are vacancies, go ahead and post a request to join them. Even if a group is full but you really, really want to join them, go ahead and make a request. You'd have nothing to lose by trying.

If you are interested in more than one group, then post a request to join at each board. However, once you decide which group to join and have been accepted, please post messages in the other groups to let them know that you've chosen another study group.

As a member of a WVU study group, you are encouraged to provide support in the form of regular constructive feedback to other members of your group.

Can I join more than one study group?

Due to time limitations, and in order to give your best to your study group, we encourage you to settle with just one group. However, we do have members who have joined at least two groups - one a regular group providing general support and feedback, and the other a genre group geared towards a specific genre, i.e., romance writing. It is up to each member, depending on the time they can commit to their study groups, but we would say at least one group but no more than two.

Can I start my own WVU Study Group?

To start a new study group, we ask that you have a minimum of five interested members. All five need to have participated in an active, established WVU study group for at least four months. Send the new group members' names, email addresses and the names of the other groups in which they participated to the Study Group Coordinator. All new study groups will fall into one of the following categories -- Fiction, Non-fiction, Literature or Poetry. Although we will not be creating any genre-specific groups, the group can focus on any genre it wishes. 

How can I recruit members for our WVU Study Group?

Announce vacancies by posting a message in Assembly Hall.

How can we change the name of our group?

Send a message to the Study Group Coordinator with your chosen group name and your WVU Study Group Representative's name and email address.

Why do we need a WVU Study Group Representative?

Each group should have one or two representatives to communicate with the WVU team about the group's concerns and needs. Occasionally, the need may arise for meetings with group representatives about changes, new programs, site improvements, contests, etc. Group representatives are encouraged to attend such meetings on their group's behalf, and report back to their group any decisions made at the meetings.

What if no one else in my group is taking a class when I am?

It is not necessary for all members of a study group to take the same classes at the same time. Some members may not wish to take a course at a certain time but will continue to participate in the group discussions. Study group discussion need not be confined to WVU classes, but can focus on its members' writing projects, plus other writing-related topics. However, in some cases, when a particular repeating class is not offered at any time in the near future but members of a study group are interested in taking it, they can go ahead and take the class together, taking the lessons from that class page and posting assignments on their own study board.

Once I join a WVU Study Group, must I stay there?

Members are encouraged to visit other groups often. The purpose of groups is not to form cliques or elitist groups. If you find you are uncomfortable with a group, or if you would simply like to meet new people, you may join another group if they have an opening. However, please remember that you need to participate in your group by posting feedback and not just your own assignments for feedback. If you do change groups, be sure to let the members of your original group know.

How many are in each WVU Study Group?

Each group determines its own size. Ten to fifteen is a good number for a group. If groups get too large, some members may have difficulty keeping up with feedback and general discussion.

Will an instructor see questions or comments posted on the Study Group boards?

Questions and comments posted on study group boards are meant for discussion among members. Questions and comments related to a particular class are to be posted on the respective classroom message board and will be answered by your classmates or a course facilitator. However, should a question or comment require feedback from the Education Coordinator, it should be posted at one of the Course Help Desk Boards, designed specifically for course-related questions.