A comparison of the digital assessment types available for off-campus digital open book exams
Off-campus digital open book exams scheduled with the Exams Office can choose between four different digital assessment types. Each of these assessment types is detailed below and includes links to relevant resources, exam features and other technical considerations to help determine which assessment type is most suitable for your exam situation.
For details of the off-campus digital open book exams option visit the exams site.
Use this table to compare different aspects of the four standard online exam types/tools. For more detail on each tool, view the pages linked above.
| LMS Quiz (timer or no timer) off-campus digital open book exam | LMS Assignment off-campus digital open book exam | Cadmus off-campus digital open book exam | Gradescope off-campus digital open book exam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build | ||||
| LMS tool | Yes – standard LMS tool | Yes – standard LMS tool | External LTI tool – assignment created in LMS and set-up in tool | External LTI tool – assignment created in LMS and set-up in tool |
| Platform/submission type | A mix of question types including multiple choice, short answer, file upload and essay | Submissions are made via document upload or text entry | Submissions are made by text entry directly into the Cadmus interface | Upload of hand–written responses in PDF format, as well as options for multiple choice and short answer questions completed in the Gradescope interface |
| Accepted file types for submission | Any – for file upload question type only | Any – can limit types | None – answers submitted directly into Cadmus interface | PDF submitted via Gradescope interface |
| Question Banks for Quiz Questions | Yes | NA | NA | No |
| Turnitin Similarity Checking | Yes – Using the Quiz to Turnitin Tool | Yes | Yes | No |
| Time limit |
Optional - included as part of exam creation but can be removed. It is recommended that LMS Quizzes (no timer) is used for exams with a file upload component* | No | Optional - enable in Cadmus settings (recommended) | Optional - enable in Gradescope settings |
| Student submission | ||||
| Countdown to end of exam for students |
Timer - Yes No timer - No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Auto–submit |
Timer - at end of Time Limit or Until date No timer - at the Until date | No | Yes – when timer used, student is prompted to submit or have their submission marked as late | Yes – for timed Online Assignments |
| Student locked from submitting | When Time Limit/Until date reached | When Until due date reached | When Until date or Cadmus Final Due date reached | When Until date or Gradescope Late Due date reached |
| Student works autosaved | Yes – as students complete each question |
No – in text entry submissions – saved on submission In file upload – needs to be saved in application | Yes – every 3–5 seconds |
Yes – for the Online Assignment assessment type. No – for file upload assignments. |
| Students get extra 30 minutes buffer to submit |
Timer - No No timer - Yes It is recommended that no timer is used and that students get a 30 minute buffer if the file upload question type is used* | Yes – submission is marked late | Yes – submission is marked late |
Yes – submission is marked late. No – when there is a timer |
| Students get email confirmation of | No – on screen confirmation only | No – on screen confirmation only | Yes | Yes |
| Marking | ||||
| Grading platform | SpeedGrader | SpeedGrader | Turnitin – Feedback Studio or SpeedGrader | Gradescope |
| Automatic marking | Yes – for some question types | NA | NA | Yes – for some question types |
| Marking by rubric | Yes – SpeedGrader rubrics | Yes – SpeedGrader rubrics |
Yes – Turnitin Feedback Studio rubrics Yes –SpeedGrader rubrics | Yes – Gradescope dynamic rubric can be created and updated during marking |
| LMS sections available | Yes | Yes |
No - in Feedback Studio Yes - in SpeedGrader | No - Feature exists but does not work as expected |
| LMS groups available | Yes | Yes |
No - in Feedback Studio Yes - in SpeedGrader | No |
| Option to mark by section | Yes | Yes |
No - in Feedback Studio Yes - in SpeedGrader | No - Feature exists but does not work as expected |
| Option to mark by group | Yes | Yes |
Yes – in Cadmus, if you make your own groups Yes – in Speedgrader | No – does not sync with LMS groups |
| Submissions can be downloaded | Yes – as Excel spreadsheet with all submissions | Yes | Yes - as a PDF |
Yes – for uploaded files only File upload option available in Exam/Quiz and Homework/Problem activity types |
| Alternative exam arrangements (AEAs) present in assignment as part of assignment creation | Yes | Yes | No – AEAs need to be created manually | No – AEAs need to be created manually |
Tips
- Ensure your paper has gone through the Board of Examiners checklist and your local review processes.
- Share student exams support with students.
- Do not copy forward exams, recreate them to ensure links and images are not broken.
- Prior to the exam, provide a practice exam opportunity for students.
- LMS Classic Quiz: Check that the images are stored in files and published in the subjects with alt text.
- Show all quiz questions together to save time and prevent data loss for students with poor internet.
- LMS Classic Quiz: if using question banks from previous delivery ensure they are copied to the new version of the subject.
- Do not adjust any AEA settings.
- Gradescope and Cadmus: ensure release and due dates match what is in the LMS shell, and AEAs are set up.
- Ensure your exam is added to your LMS exam shell by the Monday prior to the week of your exam.
This page was last updated on 11 Oct 2023.
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