Instructors can create assignments in the Course Home, BYU Grades, or Syllabus sections.
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Create a Basic Assignment
1. Click Assignments under the Course Home navigation menu.
2. Click +New assignment. The New Assignment dialog window appears. There are several tabs found in this dialog window:
General: All required assignment information is found on the General tab.
Type: Ensure that Assignment is selected.
Title: Enter an Assignment Title.
Description: Enter a description that students will see. Instructors have options to insert text, image(s), video, audio, or file(s) in the description.
Category: All assignments must be located in a category. Select a previously created category that is listed in the drop down menu or select New Category to create a new one.
Due Date: Select a due date and time for the assignment. All times are Mountain Daylight/Standard time, regardless of the user's location.
Points Possible: Enter the total points possible for the assignment.
Submit Online: Check the box next to Submit Online for students to submit the assignment online via Learning Suite. The option to Allow late submissions appears if Submit Online is checked. Additionally, Turnitin can be used if this option is checked.
Notes:
It is recommended to have students upload their files in pdf format as is it most compatible with the document converter used to upload files for viewing in the Grader.
Turnitin is not automatically enabled if Submit Online is checked. Go to the Turnitin tab to select Turnitin features.
Scoring: relates to the way the assignment is graded.
Points Possible: Enter the total points possible for the assignment.
Score Entry: Select the desired score entry method. This is how students' grades are entered into the gradebook.
Extra Credit: Check the Extra Credit box if the assignment is extra credit. The assignment will appear in BYU Grades and will only improve students' grades. Students will not be penalized for not completing the assignment.
Exclude: Check the Exclude box if this assignment will not count towards students' final grades. The assignment is scored but is not included in final grade calculation. It appears in the Assignments and BYU Grades tabs.
Passing Score Required: Check the Passing Score Required box to set a minimum score that students must earn on the assignment to receive course credit.
Minimum Score: Check the Minimum Score box to set a minimum score that students will earn on the assignment as long as they submit the assignment.
Do Not Drop: Check the Do Not Drop box if you do not want this assignment to be eligible to be dropped. Only use this option if the assignment is in a category that is set to drop scores.
Scheduling: relates to the due date and when the assignment is viewable to students.
Due Date: Select the due date and time for the assignment.
(optional) Hide Assignment Until: To hide assignments from students until a certain date, select the desired date and time that the assignment can be viewable by students.
(optional) Hide Score Until: To hide assignment scores from students until a certain date, select the desired date and time that the assignment scores can be viewable by students.
(optional) Repeat: To set up repeating assignments, select the desired frequency from the Repeat drop down menu.
Turnitin: relates to Turnitin options.
Under the General tab, check Submit through BYU Learning Suite to enable online submissions.
Notes:
Turnitin can only be used if Submit Online is enabled.
Do not check Allow multiple file uploads
Click the Turnitin tab.
Originality Check:
Check the Use Turnitin box to enable Turnitin.
Allow students to see originality report: This option allows students to view their originality report score as well as view any problem areas in their submission through Turnitin.
Instructors can curve scores through an assignment option called Adjust Points Possible. If an assignment is created to have 100 total points possible but the adjusted points possible is set to 90, then all scores are graded against 90 points. This means if a student scored 90 out of 100 total points possible, a 90 out of 90 or 100% would be recorded in the gradebook. Any student who scores higher than 90 points will receive greater than 100% for an assignment.
The Adjust Points Possible feature is retroactive, meaning an instructor can edit the adjusted points possible for an assignment even after scores have been entered in the gradebook. The assignment will be rescored accordingly. Please note that BYU Grades does not display the total points possible or adjusted points possible automatically. There will be no indication of adjusted possible points unless you select Points Possible as a display option.
1. In the Assignment Editor, navigate to the Scoring tab.
2. Check the box next to Adjusted Points Possible. Enter the desired points scores the assignment will be graded against. Click Save.
Notes:
If the adjusted points possible are included during assignment creation, then scores recorded in the gradebook will be graded against the adjust points possible as scores are recorded.
If an existing assignment and scores have already been recorded, then the gradebook will update accordingly when assignment changes are saved.
3. Navigate to the Assignments page. Assignments with adjusted points possible are indicated with an asterisk in the Points Possible column.
Pass/fail assignments
Note: To make the entire course pass/fail, it must be set as such in AIM. Contact your department secretary to complete this process.
1. In the Assignment editor, navigate to the Scoring tab. Change the Scoring Method to Letter Grade. Click Add new.
2. A dialog window appears. Enter a Title. Choose the Scale of the assignment. Delete all rows except two by clicking the Delete (trash can) icon next to the rows. Learning Suite by default provides the bottom score and this will serve as your fail line.
4. Rename the rows P for passing and F for failing. Enter the desired score required to qualify for passing. Click Save.
Create a Recurring Assignment
An instructor can create an assignment that repeats. For example, if the instructor wishes to have a daily quiz, they can set up a recurring assignment.
1. When creating or editing an assignment, navigate to the Scheduling tab. Select the desired option from the Repeat dropdown menu.
Daily: Select if the assignment will repeat everyday (including weekends) or just weekdays. Then select the date the assignment will no longer repeat from the until calendar.
Weekly: Select how frequently the assignment will repeat (every week, every 2 weeks, etc.). Then click on the days of the week the assignment will repeat. Select the date the assignment will no longer repeat from the until calendar.
Monthly: The first option allows the instructor to select the specific date number of the month and frequency of the assignment. The second option allows the instructor to select the day of the week in the month the assignment will repeat. Select the date the assignment will no longer repeat from the until calendar.
Teaching Days: This option will create the assignment on every teaching day. For example, if the class is taught on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, an assignment will be created for each of these days. The first option allows the instructor to select the date range of when the assignment will repeat. The second option allows the instructor to select the specific teaching days.
Note: Because assignments cannot have the same name, the recurring assignments are automatically numbered once they are created. The number appears at the end of the assignment name. For example, if the instructor creates a recurring assignment named, "Daily Quiz," the created assignments will be named Daily Quiz 1, Daily Quiz 2, Daily Quiz 3, etc. See the example below.
Step 1. The recurring assignment is titled, "Daily Quiz."
Step 2. The daily quiz will repeat on every weekday from 5/18/2022 to 6/9/2022.
Step 3. After clicking Save, the assignments are automatically numbered 1-17.
Create Ungraded Assignments
There are two different options available for creating ungraded assignments:
Do not include score in the final grade
In the Scoring tab, check the Do not include in final grade box. To hide the assignment from the scores page, check the Hide this assignment from the scores page option. Click Save.
The new assignment will appear in the assignment tab under the selected category. The % of Total column will be blank. This means that even though the assignment appears here (as well as in BYU Grades) the assignment is worth 0% of students’ final grade. Essentially, the assignment is ungraded.
Create an assignment category that is ungraded
Complete the normal required tasks for creating an assignment. Open the Category drop down menu and click New category. Enter a Category title. Select the Ungraded radio button. Click Save.
This will direct the user to the New Assignment dialog window. In the Scoring tab under the Exclude option, Learning Suite notes that the assignment is in an ungraded category.
Click Save. The new assignment will appear in the assignment tab under the created category. It can be edited or deleted at anytime by clicking the appropriate icon located to the right of the assignment title.
(Optional): The assignment can be moved from an ungraded category to a graded category at anytime but the option Do not include in final grade will need to be unchecked for it to count towards students’ final grade.
Note: If a graded exam or graded assignment is moved into an ungraded category it will no longer appear in BYU Grades.
Extra credit assignments
Under the Scoring tab in the assignment options dialog box, check the Extra Credit box and click Save.
Once marked as extra credit, this assignment cannot negatively impact students’ grades. If points are awarded, however, it may influence them positively.
On the Assignments page, graded assignments have the percent of the final grade listed to the right of the assignment title. Extra credit assignments are not included as a percent of the final grade, but will have a “+” next to the percentage. This signals that the percentage listed is in relation to the total grade with extra credit. Additionally, in the green total points box at the bottom right of the page, you can view the total points possible for students with and without extra credit assignments.
Create an assignment specific grade scale
Instructors can create grade scales, different from the overall course grade scale, that can apply to one or more assignments.
1. In the Assignment editor, click the Scoring tab located at the top of the window. Click the Score Entry drop down menu and select Letter Grade.
2. An additional selection menu appears. AIM Final Grade Rule is the default selection. Click View, located to the right of the selection menu, to view the grade scale specifications.
3. A grade scale dialog window appears. None of the windows can be edited because it is the AIM Final Grade Rule. Click Cancel when finished. Select Add new to create a customized grade scale and not use the AIM Final Grade Rule.
4. A grade scale dialog window appears. Enter a Title and select the Scale from the drop down menu (points or percent) for this grade scale. The window adjusts accordingly.
5. Create the grade scale according to preferences. Click the plus icon if additional entries are needed. Click Save.
6. The newly created grade scale will appear in the selection menu. This grade scale will be saved and can be used for future assignments. Click Save.
The assignment is created and appears on the Assignment page. The assignment will be scored according to the grade scale that was created.
Allow late assignments
If this feature is used, it is recommended that instructors include a very clear explanation of the penalties for late submissions in the syllabus for students who do not require an exception.
1. When creating a new assignment dialog window appears, check the Submit through BYU Learning Suite box. Check the Allow late submissions box that appears. Click Save.
Note: This setting can be changed after an assignment is created by selecting the assignment title or Edit in the Assignments tab.
Students can submit the assignment from its creation until the end of the semester since Allow late submissions is enabled. This is why it is important to make the late submission policy clear to students in the syllabus.
Late submissions are flagged in BYU Grades, allowing instructors to make the distinction between students who should and should not be penalized for submitting late assignments. On the Scores page, a red clock icon shows next to the late submission.
Allow Multiple File Uploads
When students are submitting assignments online through Learning Suite, multiple files may need to be uploaded for a single assignment. Allowing students to upload multiple files is a feature that must be enabled for each assignment.
Note: After students upload files for an assignment, the files can be viewed in the Grader.
1. When creating a new assignment or editing an existing assignment, click the General tab.
2. Click Submit through BYU Learning Suite. Then check Allow multiple file uploads. Click Save.
Students will see a green Submit button next to assignments that are submitted online. Students can upload a variety of files types including Microsoft Word documents, PDFs, video files, and pictures.
Restore Deleted Assignments
It is possible to restore any assignments or exams that were deleted in BYU Learning Suite. Restoring an assignment or exam also restores any online submissions or scores that were associated with it as well. To do this, contact the OIT Service Desk (801.422.4000, it@byu.edu).
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Allow Learning Suite Submission vs Manual Graded Assignment (in-class)
Online Submission
Students and professors can submit and view assignments directly from Learning Suite, which eliminates the need for assignments to be physically handed in during class. To enable students to turn in their assignments through Learning Suite, the instructor must enable online submissions.
1. Online submissions can be enabled through creating a new assignment or editing an existing one. To create a new assignment, click +New assignment. To edit an existing assignment, click Edit next to the assignment.
2. The assignment dialog window will appear. Check the box next to Submit through BYU Learning Suite. (Optional) The Allow late submissions checkbox will appear. Check this box to allow late submissions. Click Save.
Students will see a green Submit button next to assignments that are submitted online. Students can upload a variety of file types including Microsoft Word documents, PDFs, video files, and pictures.
3. Submissions will be viewable in the Learning Suite Grader. Click here for more information about viewing and scoring assignments in the Grader.
Manually Graded Assignments (in-class)
If an instructor is wanting their students to turn in an assignment in class, create an assignment in Learning Suite and do not enable online submissions.
When the students submit their assignments, the instructor will then go into Learning Suite and manually enter grades for each student. Click here for more information on manually entering scores.
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Batch Edit Functions
Multiple assignments can be edited at the same time, with several options available for editing the assignments.
1. Select which assignments you want to batch edit by checking the boxes next to their title. Assignments from any category can be edited together. Click the Edit button on any item selected. The dark blue pencils indicates batch editing is enabled.
2. Different features are available in batch editing:
The table at the top of the dialog window: This area displays all the changes made in the batch edit process. Values that are different than the original setting are highlighted with blue text. These changed values can be reverted back to the original setting by clicking the “Undo” arrow next to the value. The “Redo” option is likewise available.
Category: to move the assignments to a different category. The new category must already exist in order for the assignments to be placed into it.
Points Possible: change the points possible.
Submit Online: change whether assignments can be submitted through Learning Suite.
Open Date: change the open dates and times for the assignments in the batch edit. Note: This option only affects exams. Assignments do not have open dates and times, and thus n/a will be displayed in the changes made box if this option is edited for assignments.
Due Date/Due Time: change the due dates and times for the assignments in the batch edit.
Hide Until: change the dates and times students can see the assignments in the batch edit.
Hide Score Until: to change the dates and times that students can view their scores on the assignments in the batch edit.
Reporting Rules: This Reporting Rules portion only appears when editing exams. This is to edit exam reporting rules such as what students can see immediately after taking the exam or what students can see after a selected date. Note: When editing Open Date, Due Date/Due Time, Hide Until, Hide Score Until, there are two options when editing the dates:
date - date allows the instructor to select a specific date from a calendar.
relative due date - relative due date adjusts the date backwards or forwards a selected number of instructional days, regular days, or weeks from the original date of the assignment.
When finished editing the assignments, click Preview Batch Edits.
3. Edits to the assignments will display in the next window. The changed items can be further adjusted in this window. The Back to Batch Editing button directs to the previous window, where items can be adjusted as well. When finished, click FinalizeChanges.
4. A final dialog window will ask for confirmation of the changes. Click Confirm Changes. The changes will be saved on the Assignments page.
Note: When saved, there is no “Undo” option for batch edited assignments.
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Copy Assignments
Instructors can easily copy an assignment within the same course and semester.
1. Under Assignments, click the copy icon located to the far right of the assignment title.
2. The Copy Assignment dialog appears. Change the assignment title. The assignment will not save until the title has been changed because two assignments cannot have the same title.
3. Make additional changes to the assignment as needed. Click Save. The copied assignment appears on the Assignments page.
To copy an assignment between semesters, click here and view Copy Course Information.
