Marking submissions on-screen saves on printing and facilitates the return of marked scripts to the students.
The methods available for on-screen marking depend on the format of the files submitted. The majority of assignment files consist of a text-based document (such as a Word file).
It is important to ensure that marked scripts can be opened by the student once they have been returned. For this reason it is sensible, where possible, to use the same program for marking the script that the student used for generating it. Where a different program, or version of a program, has to be used, ensure that the marked file is saved in a format compatible with the submitted file.
Here are a few recommendations to facilitate the process:
- Encourage students to present their work ready for on-screen marking by including overviews, contents lists, an index; or by splitting essays into shorter sections. You can also specify your preferred format.
- Make a copy of the submitted file and work on the copy rather than the original; you can then always go back to the original and make another copy to mark if you make mistakes during the marking process. As you mark-up the document, save it regularly.
Marking Word (and similar type) documents
Although the following is based on the features found in Microsoft Word, most standard word-processing programs have similar functions.
Throughout the marking process, it would be helpful to be on the Review tab.
The mark-up tools available in Word are Track Changes and Comments. For both these features, the options for how the mark-up appears in the document can be selected from the Review tab.
Using Track Changes
To toggle the ‘Track Changes’ tool on and off, click Track Changes in the Review tab. If there is a border around the tool’s icon, the tool is enabled. This tool is useful for marking small errors in spelling and punctuation. Any editing is marked in a different colour, with deletions and other clarifications indicated in the right-hand margin, or inline within the text.
From the drop-down menu on this toolbar, select to show either ‘Final Markup‘, ‘Simple Markup’ or ‘Original Markup‘. Experiment to find your personal preference.
Using Comments
The ‘Comments’ tool is useful for making notes on the actual content of the document. Highlight the section the comment applies to (this can be from a single letter to whole paragraphs or pages) and click New Comment in the Review tab. A balloon appears in the right-hand margin with the cursor ready placed for your comment. If you want to delete any comment, right click and select Delete Comment.
Marking PDF documents
Your ability to edit or comment on a pdf depends on the pdf reader you are using. We recommend the free Foxit Reader but other software have similar tools.
Open the pdf document you want to comment on. Along the top menu there is a Comments option which gives access to all sorts of tools, although the most useful one is probably the Note tool, which puts a note that looks like a post-it note on the document.
If you need more in-depth help you can download the latest user documentation. This is a long document so you may want to search for the term “Comments” to get to the information you need.
Other file formats
So long as you can manage to view each type of file submitted then, even if there are no mark-up features available to you within that program, it is always possible to create a separate Word document in which you can record your feedback.
What to do if you need help
If you need further help marking an assignment please contact your course administrator. If you experience technical problems using the online assignment system, please contact TallITHelp@conted.ox.ac.uk.