Collaborative writing is very commonly used in all kinds of environments in which writing is present. In order to produce a substantial piece of writing, one can argue that collaborative writing is necessary. A study conducted at Purdue University conducted a study on the features of collaborative writing and reflected their work in the article “What Experienced Collaborators Say About Collaborative Writing” (Allen et al., 1987). One of the key factors noted in the study was the use of group revision. Similar to peer editing, several of the groups interviewed wrote independently while every group revised together. This is a technique that is very familiar to me. I have found that in many of my college classes I have taken, I wrote independently, but revised collaboratively. Revision can occur independently from a second source, but the collaboration after the revision is incredibly important. When revisions are made or advice is given, it can sometimes lead to confusion. Misunderstanding can occur, resulting in a lack of improvement. It is crucial to receive feedback in order to produce the highest quality writing, and that feedback must be understood.
The study’s evaluation on different groups’ experiences with collaborative writing exhibited the positive outcomes of joint work and how they may outweigh the negative consequences. There is no doubt that working in a group takes more time, energy and effort than working alone. However, if the overall quality of the writing is greater than that of what is produced individually, then the benefits may be worth the drawbacks. I believe that this is something that must be taken into consideration. I feel as though collaboration should be implemented more frequently into curriculum in order for individuals to learn how to effectively collaborate. While there are instances where working independently may be the most effective, the benefits of working collaboratively are too great to ignore.
There are situations in which collaboration is necessary, but it must be done effectively in order to be successful. Techniques and skills needed for proper collaboration must be learned and individuals must adapt to these skills to best perfect their writing.
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