How to host an effective study group session?

Tomorrow I’m having a group study session with a few classmates for our Chem Test Wednesday. My problem is that I want my study group session to be effective as possible, but I’m not sure what we’re exactly supposed to be doing. Like do we just tutor each other on specific subjects? Should we all do practice problems together and then help each other when we’re confused? Honestly what are we supposed to do?

The last study group session I went to was for Calc and it didn’t really help at all. We did help each other every now and then with homework but that’s it. It was more like we just studied next to each other rather than studying together. I don’t want the same thing to happen this time. What do you guys do to have a successful study group?

This seems to work for me. But if you work with others, better to agree on how you guys are studying first.

Leave the smart phones out in the car.

The first thing about study group sessions is to know your goal. After which, all of the group members should be focused that goal and achieving it. @JustOneDad is right leaving out smartphones should be helpful.

why not assign each other a topic so that everyone has a chance to master at least one topic, and let that person do the lecturing for that topic. close the WiFi, I believe you don’t need internet that much in chemistry? If you are planning to make a timeline for the group session, estimate time wisely.

Have all the group members agree that going off topic is risking expulsion.

UPDATE: The study group session went better than expected. Our professor posted a practice exam with the answers so we just worked from that. We helped each other with our weaknesses and it was nice to teach the material to someone else. I felt pretty prepared for the exam.

That’s great then, now you know how you’ll handle your next study session