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Table 3 Summary of the emerging main themes and subthemes

From: Scripting as a pedagogical method to guide collaborative writing: university students’ reflections

Main themes

Subthemes

Data examples

1. Script-based writing approach

1.1 Script as advisable and straightforward working method

Respecting the system [= rotation] is thus advisable’.

1.2 Script guides and organises

It [= script] created structure and clarity what every group member had to do at each moment’.

1.3 Script ensures equal involvement

Because of this [= script], the contribution and responsibility of each member came forward’.

1.4 Script supports editing, commenting and completing others’ texts

From the second step, we gave comments and edited one another for expanding our ideas and perspectives in terms of the topic’.

1.5 Script supports conjoining divergent writing styles

The rotation system was a huge plus for the essay. The different writing styles are matching and the text reads as a whole’.

1.6 Additional agreements support script-based writing

We soon discovered we would be more successful if we checked other’s work often’.

2. Collective writing approach

2.1 Free-flowing writing

I think the whole process was more free-flowing rather than consciously structured’.

2.2 Group (e.g. group dynamics) as a resource for joint writing

I think we were also lucky to get this kind of group’.

2.3 Individual interests as resources for writing

This resulted in dividing the work according to our own interests’.

2.4 Skill-based individual responsibilities

We divided the tasks again. We took into account the talents of each member’.

2.5 Script as meaningless/aimless writing method and difficult to follow

‘....we discovered that it was more convenient to not follow the rotation system anymore’.

2.6 Writing and revising whole document together online/face-to-face

We came together to discuss about the given feedback and adjust our text’.

3. Separate writing approach

3.1 Script as inconsistent writing method

‘...all of us were fairly inactive with this paper, as we did not know how to continue writing the paper’.

3.2 Inadequate planning and poor organisation

Hereabout we did not make good agreements and this resulted in chaos’.

3.3 Different group sizes in relation to four-phase script

First, we worked to our steps, but after one member left us and we more focused to part which we started with’.

3.4 Difficulties in producing text together

Editing a single text all together was not a good idea’.

3.5 Difficulties in grouping

But it was a challenge because our group did not really bond, and we never got that close-knit feeling of belonging to the same group’.

3.6 Script did not provide guidance for working collaboratively in technology-enhanced environment

I think it was hard to work on Google Drive because I never really knew what I was expected to do’.