How do I set up a paper-based assignment for remote assessment?

Gradescope lets you collect paper-based assignments remotely. This can be helpful when handwriting or drawing are important aspects of your assessments, or when you want to administer your existing paper-based exam remotely.

Setup Assignment

To set this up in Gradescope, you’d start by creating a new assignment. Select the “Exam/Quiz” or “Homework / Problem Set” assignment type. Then select “Student” for the option “Who Will Upload Submissions”.

Note that both the “Exam / Quiz” or “Homework / Problem Set” assignment types can be set up to be student uploaded.

Other assignment options like the Assignment Name, Template PDF (a blank version of your test, or instructions such as a list of assigned homework problems), Assignment Dates, can be configured here. For more details you can read about them here.

Submission Type

One setting that is particularly helpful for remote assessment is the Submission Type. This lets you configure what format you expect students to submit their work.

  • If you can distribute paper copies or your students have printers, you can use a template-based assignment. For this, you’ll select a fixed-length submission type.
  • If your students can’t print, you can allow them to upload freeform work on blank paper directly to Gradescope and simply designate where they responded to each question. This submission type is variable-length.

In other words, for fixed-length assignments students write their answers in dedicated answer areas, whereas variable-length assignments are open-ended and there is no specific location where students write their answers.

If you expect students will upload a mix of fixed length submissions and variable length submissions, select the submission type that represents the majority of expected submissions.

Regardless of the submission type you select, submitting as a student is easy. Share our short video overview or the PDF Guide to get your students started.

More Options

For more information on creating, editing, or deleting assignments check out our guide here.

If you’d like students to complete and submit assessments within the Gradescope interface (and upload files and images as needed) you can learn more about Online Assignments here.

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