# Grading ## expand\_more ## Gradebook The Gradebook acts as a centralized location for managing and assigning grades and feedback to students throughout the entirety of the course. While using the Gradebook in Canvas is not mandatory, if you are using assignments, graded discussions, or quizzes in Canvas it may simplify your workflow as the grades are directly linked and transparent. In addition, upon the discretion of the instructor, the Gradebook can be made accessible or hidden from students. Students may find it helpful to view the gradebook to allow them to track their progress at their convenience. The Gradebook can be accessed via the course navigation side bar under the title of "Grades". It provides a useful overview of student grades, the status of previous and upcoming assignments, and provides instructors with the ability to quickly enter in grades for multiple students. All graded activities are included -- for example, graded discussions and quizzes -- but ungraded assignments do not show in this view. Canvas's guide to the Gradebook provides an excellent overview of how to use the Gradebook effectively: - [How do I use the Gradebook? - Canvas Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-use-the-Gradebook/ta-p/701) You may also want to check out these two more specific guides: - [How do I view assignments or students individually... - Canvas Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-view-assignments-or-students-individually-in-the/ta-p/1247) - [How do I enter and edit grades in the Gradebook? - Canvas Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-enter-and-edit-grades-in-the-Gradebook/ta-p/724) We also have a FAQ on [moderated grading](/faq/how-do-i-do-moderated-grading "How do I do moderated grading?"). ### Gradebook Features at a Glance #### Comments & Notes The ability to leave individual notes within the Gradebook that are private and only available to faculty and TFs. Comments can also be made offering additional insight for a student's submission. #### Message Students The option to message students directly in Canvas depending on their submission or grading status allows for quick and easy messages to be sent out. #### Muting and Unmuting Assignments If you are grading an assignment and would like to prevent grades from being released to students as you grade the submissions, and instead would prefer to release grades once all submissions have been graded; mute and unmute your assignments. #### External / Offline Submission Grading Instead of grading and annotating students' submissions within Canvas using SpeedGrader (more on this in the next page), submissions can be downloaded and re-uploaded in bulk all within the Gradebook! #### Import & Export Grades (Excel) In addition to grading submissions externally from Canvas, grades for every student and assignment can be exported out via a CSV file. The CSV file can be edited and then re-uploaded later into the Gradebook which will automatically reflect the changes made from the file. #### View Grading History If there are multiple TFs or instructors assigning and managing grades for a course, this may be a useful feature to revert any changes made in error. ## SpeedGrader Aside from grading directly within the Gradebook, grading can also be accomplished using SpeedGrader. SpeedGrader offers a centralized space for grading student submissions, along with some useful features such as: - sorting the student list for more flexible grading - anonymous grading - grading using rubrics for more complex grading - submission annotation - feedback commenting - mute / unmute assignments - and more.. [Accessing SpeedGrader - Canvas Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2927) can be done from: - Gradebook - Assignments (if online submission is enabled) - Quizzes - Graded Discussions See the Canvas guide, [How to use SpeedGrader - Canvas Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2928) for a comprehensive guide. ### DocViewer and Annotating Submissions Canvas DocViewer is a tool that allows annotations on online assignment submissions in Canvas. See this comprehensive guide: - [How do I add annotated comments in student submissions - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-add-annotated-comments-in-student-submissions-using/ta-p/694) - Only certain file types can be viewed and annotated: - [What types of files can be previewed in Canvas? - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/What-types-of-files-can-be-previewed-in-Canvas/ta-p/607) If you prefer to grade/annotate externally from Canvas, the option to download all submissions is also available. After downloading submissions and grading them, you will be able to re-upload the submissions back into Canvas to distribute the recently graded/annotated versions. However, *you must be careful to not change the filenames of the files, if you wish to bulk upload the submissions after annotating*. See the guides here: - [How do I download all student submissions in bulk - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-download-all-student-submissions-for-an-assignment/ta-p/760) - [How do I upload all student submissions in bulk - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-upload-all-student-submissions-for-an-assignment/ta-p/945) ### Notes: - Students are able to view and download the annotated version of their submission if it is available: - [How do I view annotation feedback comments as a student - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-view-annotation-feedback-comments-from-my-instructor/ta-p/523) - [How do I use DocViewer in Canvas assignments as a student - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-use-DocViewer-in-Canvas-assignments-as-a-student/ta-p/525) - TFs and Faculty are able to view and download both the original and annotated version of students' submissions.