Gradescope Bubble Sheets have replaced the Proprietary Scantron Test Scoring Service.
Gradescope Bubble Sheets offer significant user experience advantages:
- Instructors do not have to change their exams to use them with Gradescope Bubble Sheets. Only the answer sheet changes from the Scantron sheet.
- Instructors do not have to walk to the Haley Center to score the bubble sheets.
- There is no need to re-scan all the answer sheets if the answer key changes. Gradescope allows modifying answers and re-scoring.
- No need to manually enter grades into Canvas. Gradescope is fully integrated with Canvas allowing grades to be posted to Canvas directly after scanning in Gradescope.
- Gradescope provides instructors with analytics on each question item, allowing faculty to determine if their exam questions are effective.
- Gradescope also has additional AI features to grade paper-based exams such as math problems.
- Students can use a pencil or pen to fill out bubble sheets.
- Students no longer have to purchase Scantrons. Students can print bubble sheets from a freely available PDF file.
Getting Started with Gradescope Bubble Sheets:
Enabling & Configuring Gradescope in Canvas
- Enable Gradescope in your Canvas course under Navigation in your course settings. (Make sure to save your changes before you leave the screen!)
- Once Gradescope is enabled, click Gradescope in the Canvas course menu to launch Gradescope. You will be prompted to log in if you aren’t already logged in. Then, you will see the Link to Canvas Course dialog box.
You can choose to create a new Gradescope course or link to an existing Gradescope course.
- Click the Link Course button to finish.
Sync Gradescope with your Canvas roster:
- In your Gradescope course, click Roster in the left-hand navigation.
- In the footer or the middle of your page, click Sync Canvas Roster.
- In the confirmation pop-up uncheck 'Let new users know that they were added to the course', then click Sync Roster.
Please Note: Gradescope will send a Welcome email asking your to set a password for your Gradescope account to your Auburn Account after logging in through Canvas the first time. You do not have to set a password or create a separate account on Gradescope to use Gradescope Bubble Sheets as long as you always sign into Gradescope through your Canvas account. Example of email is below.
Creating Assignments in Canvas
- Create an assignment in Canvas in the module or assignment group where you will assign your Gradescope Bubble Sheet Assignment.
Note that Gradescope works with Assignments and not Quizzes in Canvas, create your exams or quizzes under Assignments.
- Under Submission Type select No Submission.
- Click Save on your Canvas assignment.
Creating Bubble Sheet Exams in Gradescope
After you create your assignment in Gradescope you will link both assignments in Gradescope.
- Click on Gradescope in your Canvas course's left navigation menu to create a Gradescope assignment.
Gradescope will automatically launch, if this does not occur, we recommend you make sure your browser is updated, and you are using Chrome or Firefox, not Safari.
- If you have not previously created an assignment in this course using Gradescope on the landing page, click Create an Assignment.
- If you have created an assignment in Gradescope, Gradescope launches, displaying active assignments. You must click on the hamburger menu to expand the options.
- The Gradescope menu expands. Select Assignments.
- Select Bubble sheet, then select Next.
- Name your assignment, select Instructor will upload for submissions, then select Create Assignment.
We suggest naming your assignment in Gradescope the same as in Canvas. This will help you keep track of each assignment once submissions are uploaded, and when the assignment is linked between Gradescope and Canvas.
You will be brought to the answer key page when you create your Bubble Sheet assignment.
Creating the Bubble Sheet Answer Key in Gradescope
You can create up to five answer keys and fill out each at this step. If you use multiple answer keys, have students make a note on their Bubble Sheet. Gradescope will sort these automatically for you. You do not need to presort tests based on answer keys.
- Select the “200 question” template to download a copy of the answer sheet template.
200-Question Bubble Sheet (right-click and “Save As” to downloads) If students print their bubble sheets, we recommend including this file in the assignment.
Bubble Sheets allow for up to 200 questions. However, if you have 100 or fewer questions, students only need to use the first sheet. Both sheets do not need to be used if there are fewer than 101 questions on the exam. Templates can be printed double-sided.
Student Answer Sheet Template:
Select the question grading defaults for “Points” and “Scoring”
- Exact scoring awards full credit for the exact correct answer.
- Partial scoring awards partial credit for marking each correct letter. If any other letter is marked, the total score becomes 0.
- Either/Or scoring award full credit for marking any correct letters. If any other letter is marked, the total score becomes 0.
While still in the Bubble Sheet Answer Key Window, create the 'Bubble Sheet Answer Key.'
- Select the correct answer(s) to each exam/quiz question on the online answer key. When you are satisfied with your answer key, click Save Answer Key.
Students will take exams just as they did with Scantron. They should bring a printed Bubble Sheet Template and a pencil if the instructor is not providing the printed template.
Note that Bubble Sheets templates cannot be customized to include question content. You will still need to give students the questions for their multiple-choice assignment outside of Gradescope.
Linking Gradescope and Canvas Assignments
- Click into your Gradescope Assignment. On the left-hand navigation menu in Gradescope, select Settings and launch the Edit Assignment screen.
- On the Edit Assignment screen under Canvas Assignment, click Link.
- Select your assignment from the drop-down menu and click Link Assignment.
- You should see that your assignments have now been linked. Click save before exiting the screen!
Alternatively, you can link your assignments while creating your bubble sheet answer key.
Scanning Bubble Sheet Submissions
Scanning:
Distributed ITs (DITs) will assist with a centralized location for scans to be uploaded; our recommendation is whatever works best for each department. Below are useful tips and settings to make scanning submissions go smoothly.
Scanner Settings:
Use these scanner settings for quick, high-quality results
- Color/Gray: 150dpi, B&W: 300dpi
- No page autorotation (you can rotate pages in Gradescope if needed)
- No blank page removal (you can remove blank pages in Gradescope if needed)
- Double-sided scan
Tips for Scanning:
- Know how many physical pages you will be scanning before starting to ensure all pages (student’s tests) get scanned.
- If you use both Bubble Sheets in the template, cut off the stapled corners ( If cut corners could jam the scanner, scan the papers upside down, and use Gradescope to rotate them once uploaded. Don’t forget to re-staple Bubble Sheets if needed after scanning.
- Automatically forward scans to a centralized location (DITs help with this).
- Scan multiple exams in one batch. Gradescope will be able to split pages into individual student submissions.
- Color code or number your exam batches. This is helpful to keep the course, and course sections separate.
Uploading Bubble Sheet Submissions to Gradescope
Follow the steps outlined below to learn how to upload the scanned Gradescope PDF to the Canvas Gradescope assignment.
- Open your Canvas course, select Assignments in Course Navigation, then select the Bubble Sheet Exam link.
- The Managed Scans window will open, and select PDF files to upload. The Files will form a list.
- Gradescope automatically splits the PDF file into submissions by student. If this does not happen, you can see the details, delete, rotate, split, and manually order submissions.
When you are satisfied with submissions, select Create Submissions.
- Gradescope then attempts to match each submission to a student in your roster. If this does not automatically happen, you can manually match any remaining student submissions.
Grading and Statistics in Gradescope
Gradescope will automatically begin processing and grading submissions as soon as they have been uploaded. This may take a few minutes, depending on the number of submissions.
If some answers are not graded, you will be able to review those and manually grade those questions. If this occurs, it is likely because of how the bubble sheet was filled out, and Gradescope's AI was not confident enough to mark the proper answer.
If your assignment has multiple versions, you can view the results of all submissions or view them by version.
- Once you have reviewed your grades, you can “Post Grades to Canvas” and/or “Download Grades” into CSV form. Those options will be in the footer, or the middle of the bottom of the page.
Publishing Grades will publish grades in Gradescope, not in Canvas. This why we recommend Linking your Canvas course to Gradescope, linking the assignment and syncing your roster
- In the left-hand menu in Gradescope, you can see statistics and analysis on each exam.
Add Gradescope Bubble Sheet information to your Syllabus
Let students know they will be responsible for printing and bringing Bubble Sheets to exams. In the past, students were responsible for purchasing and bringing blank Scantrons to exams. Students can print Bubble Sheets from their smartphones or computers using the Ricoh Printer Stations throughout campus.
Sample Syllabus Language: This class will not use proprietary Scantron answer sheets. All exams will be administered in class and use Gradescope Bubble Sheets. Students will record their answers on self-provided Bubble Sheet pages. Make sure to print the bubble sheet on an 8.5” x 11” white paper before class. You can use aub.ie/bubblesheets to download Gradescope Bubble sheets; we recommend using just page one.
Gradescope Bubble Sheet video
Aubie Bubble Sheet link