Use a Rubric for Assignment Grading

When you attach a rubric to an assignment in your course, it is important to ensure that the Use this rubric for assignment grading option is selected. By checking this option, you will be able to use the rubric in the Canvas SpeedGrader to grade student submissions. By default, this option is not selected when adding an existing rubric to an assignment, so it is important to ensure this option is selected for graded assignments.

Add a New Rubric to a Canvas Assignment

If you are adding a new rubric in your course to a Canvas assignment:

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
  2. Click on the name of your assignment where you want to attach a rubric.
  3. Rather than clicking on the ✏️ Edit button to edit the assignment details, click on the ➕ Rubric button. A new, blank rubric will appear.
  1. Build out your rubric to add Ratings and additional rubric rows (via the ➕ Criterion link).
  2. At the bottom of the rubric, select the option Use this rubric for assignment grading.
    • The additional checkbox for Hide score total for assessment results (not shown here) will disappear when you select Use this rubric for assignment grading.
  1. Click the Create Rubric button.

Add an Existing Rubric to a Canvas Assignment

If you are adding an existing rubric in your course to a Canvas assignment:

  1. In Course Navigation, click the Rubrics link.
  2. Verify that your rubric is displayed on the screen.
  3. In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
  4. Click on the name of your assignment where you want to attach a rubric.
  5. Rather than clicking on the ✏️ Edit button to edit the assignment details, click on the ➕ Rubric button. A new, blank rubric will appear.
  1. Click the 🔍 Find a Rubric link at the top right-hand corner of the rubric interface. The Find Existing Rubric window appears on the screen.
  2. In the left-most column, select your course name. (Example: Chris’ Sandbox)
  3. In the middle column, select the name of your rubric you wish to attach to the assignment. Once you select the name, the rubric will display in the right-most column. (Example: Learning Outcome Rubric)
  4. In the right-most column, you can attach the rubric in two ways:
    • Click on the name of the rubric at the top of the screen.
    • Click the Use This Rubric button at the bottom of the screen. (Note: You may need to use the scroll bars to see this button.)

Your rubric will display below your assignment details…replacing the new rubric that you saw in Step #5.

It is now time to ensure the rubric will be used for assignment grading.

  1. Click on the ✏️ pencil (Edit Rubric) icon.
    • If you get a prompt that you cannot edit the rubric, click the OK button.
  2. At the bottom of the rubric, select the option Use this rubric for assignment grading.
    • The additional checkbox for Hide score total for assessment results (not shown here) will disappear when you select Use this rubric for assignment grading.
  3. Click the Update Rubric button.

You may get an additional message alert on your screen.

  • Example: You had initially set your assignment to 30 points. However, the rubric you are attaching to the assignment has a total of 100 points.
  1. Click the Change button to update your assignment to be the same number of points as your rubric total.

Additional Resources