Legacy Portal: Create and Manage Graders and Grading Assignments

 

Procedures

• Create Grader Accounts
• Assign Graders to a Question Bank Assessment
• Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment
• Swap Graders after Grading Process

 

Create Grader Accounts

For graders other than peer graders and self-graders, you'll need to create grader accounts. A grader account is a special user account that has access only to assessment grading. This user has no access to any other area of the portal other than the grading and can only grade the assessments that have been assigned to them.

There are two methods that you can use to create grader accounts:

• Create Graders from Account Preferences
• Create Graders in User Management (available only if you are an admin)

 

Create Graders from Account Preferences 

1. Hover over your name (in the top right corner of the screen) and then select Manage Graders. 

   

2. Select theCreate Graderbutton.

   

3. In the Create Grader Account pop-up window, enter the name and email address of the grader.
4. (Optional) If you always want the exam-takers' names to be hidden from this grader (anonymous grading), select the checkbox to Hide Exam-Taker information.

   Note: The above setting will apply to all exams that this grader is assigned to. Alternatively, you also can set up anonymous grading for a particular exam.

5. Select Create.

   

   Notes:

   • If the email matches another user account within the ExamSoft portal, you will receive a pop-up notification alerting you and allowing you to add this existing account to your list of graders.
   • Once the account has been created, the grader will receive a notification email, including instructions for accessing the portal and a temporary password that must be changed when logging in for the first time.
6. (Optional) In the list of graders under Manage Graders, you can take additional actions in the Actions column:
   • Edit: Select the pencil icon to access the edit function. 

     Note: This option will appear only if you have admin rights. If you are not an admin and you need to make a change, contact your administrators for assistance.

   • Mail: Select the envelope icon to email the grader.
   • Reset Password: Select the key icon to reset the password for the grader. Select Yes in the pop-up window to generate an email prompting the grader to reset their password.
   • Delete: Select the X button icon to remove the grader from your grader list.

 

Create Graders from User Management 

Note: You must have admin rights to access User Management.

1. Select the Admin menu (at the top of the screen), and then select Users. 

   

2. Verify that Include Grader-Only Accounts is checked at the top of the list. This will allow you to see the grader accounts within the list of users.

   

3. Select Add New User.
4. Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address.
5. Within the Main Access Rights section, select Restricted for the grader rights.

   Note: This will remove access to all other rights and set this account as Grader-only.

 

Assign Graders to a Question Bank Assessment

Use this procedure if you've created a question bank assessment and you want to assign graders to grade the essay questions. (Also see the Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment section of this article.)

Go through this full procedure for each essay question.

1. Navigate to the question bank assessment.
2. Select the Grade Essays tab.
3. Select Manage Settings/Grade for the first question in the list. (You'll repeat this entire procedure for each question that needs to have grader assignments.)

   

4. Select the Advanced Grading Assignments sub-tab.

   

5. Select  the Add Grader Assignment(s) button, and continue to the next step. (Ignore the notes for this step.)

   Note: If your portal includes rubrics-based grading, there are additional buttons on this page.

   • If rubrics were already assigned for this question: Each rubric is listed with its own Add Grader Assignment(s) button. You can use that button to add grader assignments for each rubric separately. If you want to assign the same grader(s) to multiple rubrics, select the Add Grader Assignment (All Rubrics) button. In the Multiple Rubrics Grader Assignment pop-up window, select the rubric(s), and then select the Add Grader Assignment(s)button.  
   • If you want to use rubrics but none are listed: Select the Add Grader Assignment(All Rubrics)button. In the Multiple Rubrics Grader Assignment pop-up window, select one or more rubrics, and then select the Add Grader Assignment(s)button.  
6. When the Add Grader Assignment(s) pop-up window appears, read the on-screen descriptions, and then select an option: Quick Single Grader Setup or Select Grader(s).

   
   
   Note: Anonymous grading is not available with Quick Single Grader Setup. If you want to set up anonymous grading (hiding the exam-takers' names from the graders), use the Select Grader(s) option instead.

7. Continue to the appropriate procedure: Quick Single Grader Setup or Select Grader(s).

Assign Graders to a Performance-Based Assessment 

Use this procedure if you've created a performance assessment with rubrics and want to assign graders, peer graders, or self-graders to evaluate the work. (Also see the Assign Graders to a Question Bank Assessment section of this article.)

1. Navigate to the assessment.
2. Select the Grade tab.
3. Select the Advanced Grading Assignments sub-tab.

   

4. Select the Add Grader Assignment(s) button for a rubric, or select the Add Grader Assignment (All Rubrics) button to assign the same graders to multiple rubrics (if available). 

   
   Note: If you select the All Rubrics option, use the Multiple Rubrics Grader Assignment pop-up window to select the rubric(s), and then select the Add Grader Assignment(s)button.

5. When the Add Grader Assignment(s) pop-up window appears, read the on-screen descriptions, and then select one of these methods: Quick Single Grader Setup, Select Grader(s), Peer Grading, or Self Grading.

   

   Note: Anonymous grading is not available with Quick Grader Setup. If you want to set up anonymous grading (hiding the exam-takers' names from the graders), select one of the other options instead.

6. Continue to the appropriate procedure: Quick Single Grader Setup, Set Up Select Grader(s), Set Up Peer Grading, or Set Up Self Grading.

 

Quick Single Grader Setup Method

After you select the Quick Single Grader Setup method in the the procedure to Assign Graders to a Question Bank Assessment or Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment, then the Quick Grader Setup pop-up window appears.

1. Select a grader from the drop-down list.

   Note: By default, the list includes only your grader accounts that you created. If you want to see a list of all users in your portal, also select the ExamSoft Users checkbox (at the top of the pop-up window).

2. Select Save.

Select Grader(s) Method

After you select the Select Grader(s) method in the the procedure to Assign Graders to a Question Bank Assessment or Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment, then the Manage Graders pop-up window appears.

1. On the left side of the pop-up window, enter these settings:
   • Grading Start/End: Enter the dates and times to create the timeframe in which the grading will take place.
   • Grader(s) per exam taker: Specify whether each exam-taker will be graded by one person or by multiple people.
   • If you select Multiple graders per exam taker, also enter:
     • The number of Graders per Exam Taker. 
     • The Scoring Options(at the bottom left corner of the pop-up window): In the Use list, select the method to determine an exam-taker's final score. Select Avg Score to use the average of all graders' scores. Select High Score to use the highest score submitted by the graders. Select Low Score to use the lowest score submitted by the graders.

       Note: If you select Avg Score as the scoring option, you can opt to throw out the High Score or the Low Score before the average is calculated.

   • Select the method to assign exam-takers to graders: Randomly Selected or Select Individual ETs. For the Select Individual ETs option, you'll select them in the Exam Takers Assigned column in the main area of the screen (as explained later in this procedure).
   • Hide ET Info from all Graders: Select this option if you want anonymous grading. The exam-takers' identities will not be shown on the graders' screens.

     Note: Alternatively, you can apply this setting separately for each grader by using the Hide ET Info checkboxes in the main area of the screen.

   • Reminder: Select this option if you want to send a reminder to the graders, and also enter the date and time.
   • Show Score (%) to Graders: Select this option if you want the graders' screens to show the exam-takers' scores.
2. In the main area of the screen, select the checkbox for each person that you want to grade this item.

   Notes:

   • By default, the screen displays only your grader accounts that you created. If you want to see a list of all users in your portal, also select the ExamSoft Users checkbox (at the top of the pop-up window).
   • If there is a large number of records, you can navigate from page to page by using the buttons above the table. To show more graders or users per page, you can adjust the number in the Show area above the table.
3. Exam Takers Assigned: If you opted to Select Individual ETs (on the left side of the screen),plus buttons appear in this area, as shown below. You must assign an exam-taker to this grader by selecting the plus button.

   

   Note: After you select the plus button, use the pop-up window to assign one or more exam-takers to the selected grader. Then select Save to close the pop-up window. The number of assignees appears, and a progress bar indicates the percentage of assignments that you've completed so far.

4. (Optional) If you want to hide the exam-takers' names from a grader (anonymous grading), select the Hide ET Info checkbox for that grader.

   Note: Alternatively, you can hide this information from all graders. See Additional Options on the left side of the screen.

5. When you finish entering the settings, scroll down and select the Save button.

 

Set Up Peer Grading

After you select the Peer Grading method in the procedure to Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment, then the Manage Peer Graders pop-up window appears.

1. On the left side of the pop-up window, enter these settings:
   • Grading Start/End: Enter the dates and times to create the timeframe in which the grading will take place.
   • Number of Peer Grader(s) per exam taker: Enter the number of people to grade each exam-taker's work.
   • Select the method to assign exam-takers to graders: Randomly Selected or Select Individual ETs. For the Select Individual ETs option, you'll select them in the Exam Takers Assigned column in the main area of the screen (as explained later in this procedure).
   • Hide ET Info from all Graders: Select this option if you want anonymous grading. The exam-takers' identities will not be shown on the peer graders' screens.

     Note: Alternatively, you can apply this setting separately for each peer grader by using the Hide ET Info checkboxes in the main area of the screen.

   • Reminder: Select this option if you want to send a reminder to the peer graders, and also enter the date and time.
2. In the main area of the screen, select the checkbox for each person that you want to grade this item.

   Note: If there is a large number of peer graders, you can navigate from page to page by using the buttons above the table. To show more peer graders per page, you can adjust the number in the Show area above the table.

3. Exam Takers Assigned: If you opted to Select Individual ETs (on the left side of the screen),plus buttons appear in this area, as shown below. You must assign an exam-taker to this grader by selecting the plus button.

   

   Note: After you select the plus button, use the pop-up window to assign one or more exam-takers to the selected peer grader. Then select Save to close the pop-up window. The number of assignees appears, and a progress bar indicates the percentage of assignments that you've completed so far.

4. (Optional) If you want to hide the exam-takers' names from a grader (anonymous grading), select the Hide ET Info checkbox for that grader.

   Note: Alternatively, you can hide this information from all graders. See Additional Options on the left side of the screen.

5. When you finish entering the settings, scroll down and select the Save button.

 

Set Up Self Grading

Use the Self-Grading feature to assign exam-takers to grade themselves on a particular rubric within a performance assessment. After creating your self-grading assignments, the exam-takers will be able to log into the ExamSoft portal and grade the assignment by using the rubric.

After you select the Self Grading method in the procedure to Assign Graders to a Performance Assessment, then the Manage Self Grading pop-up window appears.

1. Enter these settings:
   • Grading Start/End: Enter the dates and times to create the timeframe in which the grading will take place.
   • Show Score (%) to Graders: Select this option if you want the score to be shown on the screen during grading.
   • Reminder: Select this option if you want to send a reminder about the self-grading deadline, and also enter the date and time.
2. Select Save.

Swap Graders After Grading Begins

You can use this feature to swap one grader for another after the grading process has begun. This new grader cannot be already assigned as a grader for this assignment, and this process can be repeated as many times as necessary.

1. Navigate to the assessment.
2. Select the Grade or Grade Essays tab (the tab name depends on the type of assessment).
3. Select the Advanced Grader Assignments tab.
4. In the list of grader assignments, find the grader that you want to swap for someone else, and select the pencil icon.
5. Within the Manage Graders window, select clear the checkbox for the selected grader, and then select the new grader to assign.

   Note: At the top of the pop-up window, you can opt to show MyGraders, ExamSoft Users, or both.

6. Select Save.

   Notes:

   • This feature is not available for Peer Grading or Self Grading assignments.
   • When swapping graders, the new grader will be sent the assignment via email. 
   • If grading has already begun, all comments and grades completed by the former grader will be retained; however, they will appear under the new grader's name.

 

 

Next Steps

If you assigned multiple graders, you can compare their scoring by using the Grader Distribution Comparison Report. See: Legacy Portal: View the Grader Distribution Comparison Report