While it is generally accepted that people working in groups can accomplish more than people working individually, it is equally accepted that parasites will attempt to feed on the other group members. Group work has been called by several names--group learning, cooperative learning, collaborative learning--all of which carry slightly different implications: collaborative learning, for instance, suggests a more rigorous process of confrontation and resolution of differences. All, however, require considerable preparation on the part of the instructor if they are to be successful. K. McKenney and M. Graham-Buxton suggest that instructors allow students to choose their own groups and decide on their own leader. Janet Mancini Billson lists eight criteria of successful groups, which emphasize clear purposes, effective communication, shared leadership, and respect for minority views. In a small group situation, dealing with the do-nothing, parasite group member is an inevitable problem. One tactic is to require that students bring written work to class as a kind of ticket in to the group; unannounced in-class written assignments can also be effective. Despite the problem of the parasite, most experts are emphatic about assigning one grade to the whole group, although some suggest that individual grades can be assigned too. Grading on a curve is discouraged because it induces excessive competition for the few "As." A detailed example of how a project for an interpersonal communication class might be organized illustrates these organizing principles. (Contains 34 references and evaluation materials.) (TB)