Reply #2: I've heard the theory that "you have to work in groups in the real world"

[skygazer]

Well, when I'm getting paid to do a job, I know the people I'm working with have an incentive to get it done - they need the damn job. And if they don't pull their weight, I have some options. I don't have many options here.

I have one instructor who very sensibly assigns a group project in which we all cooperate on the research and share our results but we turn in individual papers. That way, we benefit from each others work but have control over our own. I like that a lot better.