Accessing Course Evaluations

CCS uses the Watermark Course Evaluation & Surveys tool within the Canvas LMS (Learning Management System) to distribute end-of-semester course evaluations to students. Instructors can follow the below steps to access course evaluations directly within Canvas.

In Canvas, click on the Account icon in the far left-hand global navigation menu.

In the slide-out menu that appears, select one of the following: Notifications, Profile, Settings, or Shared Content.

After a few seconds, the Course Evaluations link will appear on the left side of your screen. Click on this link to access the Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys interface.

  • A number may appear directly to the right of the Course Evaluation link indicating the number of current evaluations to be viewed.
A screenshot of the Canvas learning management system interface, showing the global navigation menu on the left with the "Account" icon selected. This action has opened a pop-out menu containing a list of links including Profile, Files, and Settings. A prominent purple arrow points directly to the "Course Evaluations" link within this list, indicating its location for instructors.

Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys Dashboard

Your Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys dashboard will look similar to the below screenshot.

  1. Ensure that Instructor is listed from the drop-down list.
    • If Student/Respondent or CES Administrator is shown, select Instructor from the drop-down list.
  2. Select a project name from beneath the Project Results heading. The course Code, Title, and Unique Id for each of your courses within a given project will display.
  3. To locate additional past survey project results, click on the Results drop-down list, and select Project Results.
A screenshot of the Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys dashboard with three yellow lettered labels highlighting specific interface elements. Label A points to the user role dropdown menu in the top right corner, which is currently set to "Instructor." Label B identifies the project headers within the main "Project Results" table, separating the list into "Fall 2025 Course Evaluations" and "Winter 2025 Course Evaluations." Label C marks the "Results" tab in the top purple navigation bar. The dashboard also features a table with blurred course data under columns for Code, Title, and Unique Id, as well as a "My Surveys" button and a Response Rate Tracker widget in the right sidebar.

Project Results

If you select Results >> Project Results, a screen similar to the below screenshot will display. Click on the name of a project, or click on the 🔍 magnifying glass icon under the VIEW column to view courses within that semester project.

A screenshot of the "Project Results" interface within Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys showing a search and list view of evaluation projects. The top section, labeled "Search Projects," provides input fields for "Name" and "Where," along with "Between" and "And" date pickers to filter results, followed by a purple "Search" button. Below this, a table titled "Project Results" lists five course evaluation periods: Fall 2025, Winter 2025, Fall 2024, Winter 2024, and Fall 2023. The table displays columns for "Project End Date," "Results Start," "Results End" (all marked as "Open"), and a "View" column with magnifying glass icons for accessing details of each specific evaluation period.

After clicking on a survey project name, a screen similar to the below screenshot will display showing the Course Code, course Title, and Unique ID. Beneath the Report column, click on the Download Report for [course name] icon. The available reports are:

  • Detailed Report: A quantitative report without write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Detailed Report + Comments: A quantitative report including write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Short Report: A condensed, quantitative report without write-in questions in PDF format.
  • Short Report + Comments: A condensed, quantitative report including write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Raw Data: Provides detailed evaluation data in a spreadsheet format.
  • Feedback: If you use the Results Feedback feature, you can run this report to review any system dialogue between instructors and administrators about course evaluation results.
A screenshot of the "Project Results" detail page for "Fall 2025 Course Evaluations" in the Watermark interface. The main section displays a table labeled "Project Results" listing three courses, with columns for "Course Code," "Title," and "Unique ID" containing blurred data. Each course row ends with a download icon in the "Report" column. A dropdown menu is open for the second course's download icon, listing report options: "Detailed Report," "Detailed Report + Comments," "Short Report," "Short Report + Comments," "Raw Data," and "Feedback." A "Batch Report" button is visible above the table.

Batch Report

If you would like to download reports as a batch, place a ✅ checkmark next to each course name that you’d like to include in the batch, and then click the Batch Report link. The Batch Report pop-up window will display. Give your batch report a Report Name. From the Report Type drop-down list, select one of the available options:

  • Detailed Report: A quantitative report without write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Detailed Report + Comments: A quantitative report including write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Short Report: A condensed, quantitative report without write-in questions in PDF format.
  • Short Report + Comments: A condensed, quantitative report including write-in comments in PDF format.
  • Raw Data: Provides detailed evaluation data in a spreadsheet format.

Select one of the three radio button options:

  • Download Multiple Reports as ZIP File for Selected Courses: Course section reports will be downloaded as individual PDF files into a single ZIP file. Data is not aggregated.
  • Merge Multiple Detailed Reports into one PDF for Selected Courses: Individual course section reports will be compiled into a single PDF report. Data is not aggregated.
  • Aggregate Data for Selected Items into One Report: Results for all selected course sections will be aggregated into one single PDF report.

Click GO to create the report.

A screenshot of the "Batch Report" pop-up window within the Watermark "Project Results" interface. Purple arrows indicate the "Batch Report" link, which has triggered the pop-up, and the checkboxes next to two course rows in the background table, showing they have been selected for this action. The "Batch Report" window itself contains a "Report Name" field with blurred text and a "Report Type" dropdown menu currently set to "Detailed Report." Below the dropdown are three radio button options: "Download Multiple Reports as ZIP File for Selected Courses" (which is currently selected), "Merge Multiple Reports into one PDF for Selected Courses," and "Aggregate Data for Selected Items into One Report." The window also includes "Cancel" and purple "GO" buttons at the bottom right.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter a Sign-In screen when trying to access your course evaluation surveys, try clearing your browser history/cache. You may need to fully close your browser and re-login to Canvas after completing either option.

  • Option 1: Follow the steps outlined in How do I clear my browser cache and cookies?.
  • Option 2: Perform a hard cache reset in your web browser using the keyboard combination Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac).
A screenshot of the sign-in screen for the Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys interface, as presented within the Canvas LMS. The form is titled "Sign-In" and features two input fields: one labeled "Username" with a user icon, and another labeled "Password" with a lock icon. A large, prominent yellow "Login" button is centered below the fields, followed by a purple "Forgot your password?" link.

Additional Resources

Course Evaluations

Instructor: Project Results – Course Sections