Grading Assignments in Blackboard

This page explains how to open Assignments in order to grade them and how to handle multiple attempts and late assignment submissions. In Blackboard, Assignments refers to documents or files submitted using the Assignment tool. These can be papers, reports, essays, presentations, Kaltura videos, and so on. If you already know how to find the grading screen and want to learn about the tools available when grading Assignments, visit the Blackboard Annotate page.

Open an Assignment for Grading

You can begin grading Assignments using the Needs Grading link, an Assignments smart view, or the Full Grade Center. Learn how to access the grading area from each of these entry points.

Grade from Needs Grading

Assignment submissions appear in the needs grading filter after a student has uploaded an attempt. You can easily provide feedback and score an attempt submitted by a student.

Grade from Full Grade Center or Assignments smart view

In these views, you'll see the Needs Grading icon in a cell.

1. To begin grading a single student, click on the cell action link
2. Then choose Attempt

Assignments that are In Progress

Assignments appear "In Progress" when the link has been opened, even though the student hasn't submitted the work. You can generally ignore the In Progress icon for assignments in the grade center as it does not indicate that a submission is imminent.

How to Grade Assignments in Blackboard

Blackboard not only collects student work through the Assignment tool, but it keeps student work organized and secure. When you collect student work through Blackboard, you can also grade inside of Blackboard.

• You do not need to download anything
• Student work is connected to their accounts. There is no need for students to put their names on their papers or to include their names in the filename.
• Blackboard allows you to grade, comment and annotate on the student's work (for most documents), and include formative feedback.

Features on Grade Assignment Page

On the right side of the grading screen, you can assign a score, grade using a rubric (if you attached a rubric to the assignment), and include formative feedback.

Inline Grading with Annotate

When students submit documents in certain formats, a preview of the document will load on the grading screen. A toolbar for annotating the paper will appear at the top of the document. This is the Blackboard Annotate toolbar. Learn more about the grading tool used for commenting directly on student Assignments, Blackboard Annotate.

Special Grading Situations with Assignments

Multiple Attempts

Allowing multiple assignment attempts is good for both students and instructors. If students accidentally upload the wrong file or document, they can simply submit another. This frees them from having to write the instructor to clear the attempt or worse, email the assignment as an attachment outside of Blackboard. Follow these steps when you encounter multiple assignment attempts in the grade center:

1. Select the cell action link
2. Choose View Grade Details

3. Determine which attempt is correct
4. Ignore other attempts

5. Grade and provide feedback for the attempt.

Late Attempts

If late attempts occur after a cell has been zeroed out, the zero must be reverted before grading the attempt Follow these steps when you need to revert a manually entered grade:

1. Select the zeroed cell action link
2. Choose View grade center details

3. Confirm override message
4. Select Revert

5. Optional: View Grade History for the student.
6. Grade Student Attempt

More Help

Visit Blackboard's Grade Assignments topics for instructors for more information.