When a group has done a project or other task together, and the task will be graded, one option is to give all group members the same grade. Reasons for this grading option include:

1. In many life situations, group members sink or swim together. For instance, in a start-up business, if the start-up fails, everyone may lose their investment of money and time. More optimistically, if the business succeeds, everyone stands to gain, even those who contributed less to the company’s success. Families are often in a similar situation, in which one family member’s success can help all members, but one member’s failure can damage everyone’s prospects.
2. The same grade for all uses rewards and celebrations to encourage students to care about the learning of their groupmates. Johnson et al. (2013) labelled this feeling “celebration/reward positive interdependence.”
3. Same grade for all also encourages groups to pay attention to their process and make their groups are as efficient and as engaging as possible. Johnson and Johnson (2003) maintained that when students become familiar with how to do groups, they come to believe that same grade for all is the fairest way to assess groups. For example, if for whatever reason, one member of the group is not contributing their fair share, their partners need to use their social skills to support and motivate that person.
4. The same-grade-for-all option simplifies grading, because teachers do not need to engage in the very difficult task of figuring out each member’s contribution to the group effort.