The Group Project Deadline
Four students - Ayesha, Biplob, Chitra, and Dalim - must submit a group report worth 20% of their grade in five days. Ayesha has done 40% of the work but has a family emergency and can contribute only one more day. Biplob is capable but has missed two meetings and has not submitted his section. Chitra is reliable but slow, needing three days for her part. Dalim has strong writing skills but is unfamiliar with the topic and needs two days of reading first. The group cannot meet in person; coordination is by messaging. The deadline is fixed and extensions are not permitted.
1. Propose a work plan that assigns tasks to fit the five-day deadline, showing the timing.
Read the worked answer
Day 1: Ayesha uses her one available day to hand over and document her 40% and brief Dalim on the topic. Biplob must confirm his section immediately; if he does not deliver by end of Day 1, the group reassigns it. Chitra starts her part on Day 1, finishing by Day 3. Dalim reads on Days 1–2, then drafts and integrates on Days 3–4. Day 4: Chitra and Dalim combine sections and check consistency. Day 5: final proofread and submission, with Ayesha reviewing briefly by message if possible. This sequencing uses Ayesha's single day for handover, overlaps Chitra's slow work with Dalim's reading, and builds in a buffer on Day 5 for corrections.
2. Biplob has not delivered. What should the group do, and what principle governs this decision?
Read the worked answer
The group should set a clear, short deadline (end of Day 1) and state the consequence: if his section is missing, it will be reassigned to Dalim or Chitra and Biplob's contribution recorded as minimal. The governing principle is that the group's collective grade depends on reliable delivery, so accountability must be explicit and enforced, not assumed. Waiting passively risks the deadline. Reassignment should be documented so that any grading of individual contribution reflects reality. The group should also avoid a punitive tone - the aim is to protect the shared outcome, not to shame a member - while being firm that silence cannot be treated as compliance.
3. Dalim worries he will be blamed for weak content since he joined late. How should responsibilities be recorded?
Read the worked answer
The group should keep a simple shared log: who wrote which section, on what date, and who reviewed it. Dalim's late start is a fact, but the log shows his actual contribution - reading, drafting, and integrating - so blame is based on evidence, not assumption. Ayesha's handover notes should be dated to show what she provided. If the instructor allows, a short contribution statement signed by all members clarifies roles. This protects Dalim and also protects the group: it demonstrates organised collaboration, which may itself earn credit. The principle is that transparency about roles converts a potential dispute into a verifiable record, and fairness requires judging people on documented contribution rather than on when they joined.