Writing groups

No matter what type of text you are working on, if it is a term paper or a master- or PhD thesis, feedback from others is valuable. The feedback can make you more aware of how your text communicates with the reader. Starting a writing group with other writers can be an immense help throughout the writing process.

A writing group is a group of people who read and give feedback on each other’s text over a period of time. The number of participants should be between three and five, to assure that the feedback given is varied, and that enough people are able to show up at meetings.

Getting feedback throughout the process can contribute to a better development of the text’s potential. The feedback can give the writer insight into strengths and weaknesses in the text that they cannot see themself, since we often read our own texts from an insider’s perspective and apply our own intentions to the text. Feedback from others can make us more conscious writers.

The benefits of writing groups

The benefits of a writing group are that you get

• Feedback from people who are not grading the text, and therefore is more neutral
• Feedback from people who are not grading the text, and therefore is more neutral
• Inspiration from reading other people’s texts
• Deadlines throughout the writing process
• Valuable learning on how to give and receive feedback

Requirements for success

For a writing group to succeed it is important that all the participants

• Write and send out drafts continuously
• Keep the deadlines
• Keep to the writing group’s scheduled and show up on time
• Block out enough time for the feedback meeting
• Prepare for the meetings by reading the others’ texts

This endures that all the participants will be able to both give and receive feedback on their text.

Remember to follow the feedback rules to get as much value as possible out of the writing group.

Sources

Dysthe, O. & Hertzberg, F. (2014). Skriveopplæring med vekt på prosess og produkt. I Kverndokken, K. (red.) 101 skrivegrep (s. 13–35). Fagbokforlaget.

Dysthe, O., Hertzberg, F. og Hoel, T. L. (2010). Skrive for å lære: Skriving i høyere utdanning. Abstrakt.

Kjeldsen, J. E.(2006). Tilbakemelding på tekst. I Dysthe, O. og Samara, A. (red). Forskningsveiledning på master- og doktorgradsnivå (s. 162–182). Abstrakt.

Kontakt

• Har du spørsmål om oppgaveskriving? - Kontakt NTNU Universitetsbiblioteket
• Har du endringsforslag til siden? - Kontakt Marit Brodshaug​​​​​​​

Innholdet er utarbeidet av

Senter for faglig kommunikasjon (SEKOM) og NTNU Universitetsbiblioteket

​​​​​​​