Grade Faster by Grouping Similar Answers in Gradescope

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting |

Gradescope's "Group Similar Answers" feature allows instructors to batch grade student responses to short-answer and free-response questions by grouping similar answers together. This feature is especially helpful for large classes, enabling you to grade multiple submissions efficiently by applying rubric items to entire groups of similar responses at once. In this guide, you will learn how to use the "Group Similar Answers" feature to streamline your grading workflow.

Prerequisites

  • Access to Gradescope as an instructor or teaching assistant with grading permissions.
  • An assignment with short-answer or free-response questions.
  • A predefined grading rubric for the assignment (rubrics should be set up before grading).

Step-by-Step Instructions

To batch grade similar answers using Gradescope, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Assignment:

    • Log in to your Gradescope account.
    • Select the course containing the assignment you wish to grade.
    • Choose the specific assignment to open its dashboard.

  2. Enter the Grading Interface:

    • On the assignment dashboard, select Grade Submissions.

  3. Enable Grouping for Similar Answers:

    • If the assignment includes short-answer or free-response questions, you'll see an option labeled Group Similar Answers at the top of the grading interface.
    • Select Group Similar Answers to allow Gradescope to analyze and categorize student responses based on their similarities.

  4. Review the Grouped Responses:

    • After Gradescope has grouped the answers, it will display them for review.
    • Examine the groupings to ensure accuracy. If necessary, you can manually adjust groupings by dragging individual responses in or out of specific groups.

  5. Apply Rubric Items:

    • For each group of similar answers, select the relevant rubric items you created earlier.
    • Once applied, Gradescope will assign the selected rubric items and points to all submissions within that group.

  6. Fine-Tune Individual Grades:

    • If needed, after batch grading, you can still adjust grades for individual submissions within a group by reviewing them one by one and making manual changes to their scores or rubric items.

  7. Repeat for Other Questions:

    • Continue this process for any remaining short-answer or free-response questions in the assignment.

By following these steps, you can speed up the grading process by efficiently applying rubric items to multiple similar answers. This reduces repetitive grading tasks and helps maintain consistency across the class.

Troubleshooting

  • If the grouping is not accurate, try manually reviewing and adjusting the groupings to ensure proper categorization.
  • Ensure your grading rubric is detailed enough to handle various answer variations that may appear within grouped answers.
  • If some answers don't group well, they may require individual review and grading.
     

Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to the Technology & Learning Program. 

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