Instructor-Assigned and Student-Selected Groups: A View from Inside

This paper addresses an issue that most accounting instructors face when assigning group work: does the method of forming groups affect the group experience and, if so, how? Our study provides a student characterization of group formation effects, by examining student experiences as expressed in their own words in written journals. This view from inside the groups reveals subtle group formation effects not apparent in prior studies, and enriches findings derived from quantitative questionnaire responses. The findings from this study are used to create guidance for researchers, instructors, and students.