Creating an assignment

Portions of this documentation are also accessible via a Quickstart How-To Video:

 https://youtu.be/E34M5lSBTOY (Links to an external site)

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What are Assignments?

Assignments include quizzes, graded discussions, and online submissions (i.e. files, images, text, URLs, etc.).

Assignments can be used to:

  • Assess how well students understand the material
  • Set up online submissions that can be quickly graded
  • Manage your grades online as well as student work submitted in person
  • Create multiple due dates for sections
  • Set up peer review
  • Grade discussions, either by the whole class or student groups
  • Open quizzes for a limited amount of time

The Assignments page will show your students all of the Assignments that will be expected of them and how many points each is worth.

Any assignment you create in the ssignments page will automatically show up in the grades, calendar, and syllabus features.

How do I view Assignments?

1. Click on the Assignments link from the Course Navigation sidebar on the left.

2. If you are using weights for your assignments they will be categorized into Assignment Groups [1]. Using Assignment Groups allows you to organize the assignments in your course and to weight the final grade based on groups. For more information on setting weighting please see: Setting up assignments for grading


Clicking on an assignment name [2] will give you more details about the assignment.

How do I add an assignment?

On the Assignments page, click on the Add icon in an assignment group header to add an assignment to an existing group. 

Set the Assignment type by selecting the type drop-down menu [1], enter the Assignment title in the Name field [2], click the Calendar icon to select a due date [3] or manually enter a due date, and enter the number of points for the assignment in the points field [4]. Click the Save button [5]. Note: If you want to edit the assignment details now, click the More Options button [6].

Alternatively you can click on the Add Assignment button and specify the group later. This will enter you straight into the assignment details.

How do I edit an assignment?

1. On the Assignments page, click on the assignment name.

2. Click on the edit button.

3. Edit assignment details.

[1]. Type the assignment title in the text field.

[2]. Use the Rich Content Editor to add images, text, links, equations, or insert media.

[3]. Type the point value in the Points field.

[4]. Select the Assignment Group for the assignment.

[5]. Enter the points for your assignment in the Points field.

[6] Excludes an assignment from the final grade.

[7]. In the Submission Type drop-down menu, select the type of submission you want to accept for the assignment. By default, the submission type will be set to Online.

[8]. If you want students to work together on the assignment as a group, check the This is a Group Assignment.

[9]. If you want to require students review each other's work, check the Require Peer Reviews checkbox.

[10]. Set or change which section of the course the assignment is for, the due date for your assignment and the available from and until dates.

[11]. Click the Notify users that this content has changed checkbox to notify users about assignment changes.

Adding Assignment Groups

On the Assignments page, click on Add Group button.

Type the Assignment Group title in the Group Name field [1]. If you want to weight the final grade for students using assignment groups, the percentage will appear in % of total grade field [2].

Editing an Assignment Group

On the Assignments page, click on the settings icon in the assignment group header and click Edit.

Setting up a Rubric

1. Create the assignment

2. Click the assignment

3. Click + Rubric

4. Change the title

5. Click the pencil to edit the criterion

6. Enter the description

7. Enter the long description

8. Click Update Criterion

8. Click + Criterion if you want to add another criterion

9. Choose whether you want to write free form comments when grading students.

10. If you want to use the rubric grade for the assignment automatically, you must check off "Use this rubric for assignment grading"

11. Click Create Rubric when you are finished with the rubric.