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Canvas

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  • Canvas
    • Access Canvas
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  • Get Started In Canvas
    • Basic Computer Specifications for Canvas
    • Canvas-Supported Browsers
    • Customize User Display Settings
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    • Options To Organize Content
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      • Remove announcements when copying a Canvas site
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  • Assignments and Grades
    • Get Started With Assignments
    • Get Started with Quizzes
      • Building a Quiz and Grading a Quiz
      • Quiz Options for Managing Accommodations & Supporting Academic Integrity
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      • Create a Google Assignment
        • Get Started with the Google Originality Checker
        • Compare Google Grader and Canvas SpeedGrader
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      • Grading New Quizzes
    • Get Started with Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor
      • Enabling LockDown Browser
      • Enabling Respondus Monitor
      • Student Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor Guide 
    • Get Started with the Gradebook
      • Posting Grades and Feedback
      • Student-Facing Grade Notifications
      • Troubleshooting in the Canvas Gradebook
    • Take Attendance In Canvas
    • Student View Of Grades
    • Get Started with SpeedGrader
      • Addressing Bias in SpeedGrader
    • Grading Schemes
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    • Canvas Discussions
      • Discussions: Navigating the Interface
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  • People and Groups
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  • Model Canvas Courses
  • Canvas Guide for Students
    • Changing Your Display Name and Setting Pronouns
    • Syllabus Search Student Guide
    • Using the Immersive Reader
    • Google Assignments Student Guide

Addressing Bias in SpeedGrader

Updated on July 22, 2024

A recent analysis by Wang, Pei, and Li (2023) showed that the automatic alphabetization of assignments by last name in Canvas SpeedGrader resulted in a sequential bias against students whose surnames came later in the alphabet. They found that assignments graded later in the sequence received lower grades and more negative comments than those graded earlier.

While grading sequence is not the only way that bias can influence grading (Malouff and Thorsteinsson 2016), it is one faculty have some options for addressing. This resource outlines a few options faculty can take to reduce bias in their grading generally and highlights specific tactics that are available when grading in SpeedGrader.

General Grading Practices to Reduce Bias 

Before reviewing options to reduce bias in Canvas, there are a number of practices that can generally reduce bias in grading, including:

  • Establishing clear criteria for assessing students’ work (e.g. rubrics, checklists, etc.) and otherwise designing  transparent assignments 
  • Taking breaks while grading to avoid fatigue and checking for consistency at the end by reviewing grades and feedback across batches 
  • Grading by question instead of by submission (i.e. grade all students’ responses to question two before moving on to question three), to improve consistency across grading  (see instructions for grading by question in New Quizzes and grading by question in Classic Quizzes)

Options to Reduce Bias in Canvas

Grade Anonymously 

Canvas allows users to grade assignments anonymously, which can reduce the likelihood of bias based on race, gender, prior performance, etc.. Of course, anonymous grading might not be an option for those who consider student progress over time in their grading or who teach small classes, where students’ individual projects are known to the faculty member. 

If you choose to enable anonymous grading, students’ names are removed from the SpeedGrader interface, and the paper order is randomized. Submissions will appear in the same order when viewing the same assignment; for each new assignment, however, the paper order is reshuffled. Once grades for the assignment are posted, the anonymity is removed. 

If you want to grade students anonymously in Canvas, you will have to direct students to not include their name on any documents they submit. 

To grade anonymously in Canvas, Create or Edit  your Assignment, Graded Discussion or Quiz. 

  1. In the settings, scroll down to the “Anonymous Grading” option and select the checkbox [1] before selecting “Save” at the end of the menu [2]. You can enable or disable anonymous grading at any time by following these steps. 
  2. Once you have selected Anonymous Grading, graders will not be able to see any names in the SpeedGrader interface

Anonymous Grading is not “Hide Student Names” 

Inside SpeedGrader, the “Options” menu includes the choice to “Hide Student Names.” While this setting does remove students’ names from the SpeedGrader interface, it does not randomize the view order. Because of that, anonymous grading is more robust for reducing bias than hiding student names.

Randomize Students

If anonymizing student work will be ineffectual for any reason, you can still randomize the order in which student submissions appear, instead of consistently  grading submissions by alphabetical order by last name, the default in Canvas. 

  1. Open SpeedGrader for the relevant assignment and select the settings icon [1] and “Options” from the drop down menu [2].
  2.  Select the “Sort student list” drop-down menu to click on the option to “randomize students”. 
  3. Click “Save Settings” to approve the change. 

If you have additional questions about reducing bias in your grading or otherwise retool your grading practices, CTE staff would be happy to consult with you. Schedule a consultation by emailing centerforteaching@bc.edu.

Works Cited 

Malouff, J. M., & Thorsteinsson, E. B. (2016). Bias in grading: A meta-analysis of experimental research findings. Australian Journal of Education, 60(3), 245-256. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944116664618

Wang, Zhihan (Helen) and Pei, Jiaxin and Li, Jun, 30 Million Canvas Grading Records Reveal Widespread Sequential Bias and System-Induced Surname Initial Disparity (October 16, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4603146

Tags:biasCanvasgrading
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