Steps to Create an Assignment
Best Practices for Assignments
Take advantage of the Rich Text Editor, Due/Available dates, and various submission types to create assignments that are intelligible, accessible, and minimize follow-up questions. Some ways include:
- Provide clear instructions for your students by linking files or materials they need to submit the assignment.
- Support accessibility for all students by using Heading/Paragraph styling.
- Use the "Assign to" section to provide extensions and staggered due dates.
Create a New Assignment
STEP 1: Click on the Assignment link on the left navigation menu.
STEP 2: Click on the +Assignment button on the right side of the page.
STEP 3: Enter an Assignment Title.
Giving Instructions
Once you have named the assignment, enter the directions in the Rich Content Editor. This Canvas guide Links to an external site. provides an overview of the RCE and its features.
Select Options
Use the many options to customize your assignment, prioritizing:
- Points
- Submission Type
- Due date
Option |
Action |
|---|---|
| Points | Type the amount of points the assignment is worth. |
| Assignment Group | Place the assignment within an assignment group. These categories can be used for visual organization in your course or to manage weighted grade categories. |
| Display Grade As | Select from the dropdown. Commonly used selections include Points, Percentages, Complete/Incomplete, and Not Graded. If desired, check the box below this field to have this assignment not count towards the final grade. |
| Submission Type | Select from one of the four options in the dropdown. Use "No Submission" for participation or other assignments where the students will not submit any materials. Use "External Tool" to connect to Panopto, Perusall, or Google assignments. For "Online" submissions, select what kinds of media or files can be submitted. |
| Submission Attempts | Limit the number of times a student can upload a submission to the assignment. Generally speaking for assignments, leave this setting at "Unlimited." |
| Plagiarism Review | Select Turnitin from the dropdown menu to see the customizable settings. Learn more about Turnitin later in this training course. |
| Group Assignment | Checking this box will allow you to make this a group assignment. Choose whether one grade will be automatically assigned to all the group members or if you'd like to assign grades and feedback to each student individually. Learn more about Groups later in this training course. |
| Peer Reviews | Checking this box will allow you to assign Peer Reviews. Manually assign students for reviews or allow Canvas to automatically assign them. This article provides additional advice on using Peer Reviews at Northwestern. |
| Moderated Grading | Checking this box will allow a lead instructor to manage the activities of other graders and select the grader that determines the final grade. |
| Anonymous Grading | Checking this box hides student names from graders. |
| Anonymous Instructor Annotations | Checking this box will anonymize all annotations made by instructors in the DocViewer. |
Manage Assignees and Due Dates
By default, assignments are assigned to all students. To provide different due dates for individual students or sections:
Add Assignees
- Click the +Add button in the Assign to section.
Select Due Date
- Use the calendar icon for date selection. Canvas defaults to 11:59 p.m. but can be customized.
- Tip: Only use one assignment with multiple due dates instead of creating separate assignments for each due date.
Important: Due dates automatically sync to the Calendar, Syllabus page, and student notifications. Late submissions will be marked in the Gradebook.
Due Date
Understanding Date Fields
- Due Date: Deadline for submitting the assignment.
- Available From: Date when the assignment becomes viewable.
- Available Until: Last date students can submit the assignment.
Do I need all three?
No, most assignments only need a due date. Use other fields if the assignment requires restricted access.
Save & Publish
After setting up your assignment, choose to Save or Save & Publish:
- Save: Keep the assignment in draft mode if you’re still editing.
- Publish: Make the assignment visible to students when ready.
Go to your prep site and create an assignment. Create an assignment with the following parameters:
Assignment Name: Unit 1 Paper
Instructions: Write two paragraphs about the impact of the stock market crash of 1929. You must cite two sources and use the MLA style guide. You will be graded on grammar and punctuation.
Points: 20
Submission: Online
Due Date: January 31, 2021