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. Follow these instructions to enable anonymous grading on a given assignment.
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.
Sort Assignments by Submission Time
If you are interested in mixing up the order you review assignments to mitigate potential bias due to fatigue, but you do not want to anonymize student submissions, you can sort the assignment by submission time in SpeedGrader.
If, in the context of your course, you notice trends wherein the students who are stronger in the course typically submit earlier, this might exacerbate bias because you are more likely to be grading students who are struggling at the end of the grading period, when fatigue might contribute to less charitable responses to student work. However, if submission time and student performance do not tend to be linked in your courses, this allows you to mix up the grading order without anonymizing student work.
Follow these instructions to sort by submission time in SpeedGrader.
Change the order you use in SpeedGrader
It is also possible to reduce the likelihood of bias due to grading order without changing any settings within Canvas. To do so, routinely change the order you use when navigating SpeedGrader. If you grade students alphabetically for the first assignment, you can grade in reverse alphabetical order for your second assignment, and start in the middle of the alphabet for your third assignment, etc..
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