Canvas Grading Tips

Assignments = Gradebook Columns.

You add columns to the gradebook by adding assignments. The assignment can be as simple as just a name, a due date and point score or it can include instructions, open and close dates and submission can be Online, on paper or no-submission. See how in this video.

All assignments must eventually have a grade.

Students who are missing an assignment should have a 0 until their late work is graded. Use the “Set Default Grade” option on the grade book columns after you have graded an assignment to set Un-submitted grades to 0. See how in this document.

All required assignments must specify total points possible.

In assignment settings, you must set a point total in order for Canvas to accurately determine the total points possible for the course and, therefore, calculate an accurate total percentage. Carefully check your total scores column to make sure grades are what you think they should be. See how in this video, Specify Total Points

Weighted grade calculations are managed in Assignments.

Create assignment groups with grading rules to drop lowest or highest scores. Check the “Weight the final score” box to set up weighting by assignment groups. See how in this document.

For letter grades, set up a grading scheme.

If you want to enter your grades as a letter grade or Pass Fail - Go to Settings > Course Details Tab. Click Edit Course Details and check “Enable Course Grading Scheme” followed by “Set Course Grading Scheme.” See this document.

Mute Assignment while grading.

By default, students can see all grades and feedback on an assignment. If you want to prevent students from viewing the grade and feedback on an assignment, mute the assignment while grading. See this document.

Common mistakes when setting up assignments and grading

• Failing to change an assignment type from the default “No Submission” format Results in students not being able to submit their assignments online.
• Failing to specify a total points possible when setting up a required assignment. Results in assignment functioning as extra credit
• Failing to assign students who have not turned in an assignment a zero once the assignment due date has passed. Results in students seeing a better grade than they are actually receiving
• Putting assignments that don’t belong into an assignment group with a grading rule Results in the grading rule dropping assignments that should not be dropped
• Putting an assignment rule on an assignment group containing assignments having different numbers of points possible Results in assignments already worth less than the others being dropped
• When using weighting for extra credit, putting more than one extra credit assignment in an extra credit assignment group Results in students receiving more extra credit than they deserve or believing they are receiving a worse grade for turning in extra credit before grades are finalized
• Failing to download the gradebook as CSV file and compare scores/grades with those shown to students in the gradebook May result in uncaught discrepancies