Introduction
Canvas allows you to organize assignments, discussions, and quizzes into assignment groups. You can use assignment groups in your course to:
- Organize assignments by categories (e.g., week, topic, or assignment type). Organize your assignments into groups that align with how your assignments are listed in the Grading Criteria section of your Course Syllabus.
- Assign grade weights to assignment groups so that Canvas calculates students' grades accurately if you've listed percentages rather than points for assignments in the Grading Criteria section of your Course Syllabus. Again, your assignment groups' weights should align with the Grading Criteria section of your Course Syllabus.
- Create grade rules for assignment groups for special situations, such as dropping the lowest score for a recurring assignment, like a weekly quiz.
By default, every Canvas course has an assignment group named "Assignments." You can keep this assignment group as-is or change its title. You can also add more assignment groups if you'll need them.
Create an Assignment Group
- From the Assignments area in your Canvas course, click +Group at the top-right side of the page.
- Type a name for your assignment group in the Group Name field.
- If you have turned on weighted grading, add the assignment group's percentage of the total course grade.
- Click Save. Your new assignment group is now added to the Assignments page.
Watch the Video Tutorial
In this video, you will learn how to create Assignment Groups in your Canvas course. To view subtitles for this video, click CC on the video player.
Align Assignment Groups with Course Syllabus
Because the names and settings that you create for your assignment groups carry over to the gradebook in the Grades area of your course, it's essential that your assignment groups and settings like weights and rules for dropping scores align with the grading criteria in your Course Syllabus.
Use your Course Syllabus as a guide when organizing your assignments into assignment groups and providing weighted grades.
| Assignment Type | Weight |
|---|---|
| Discussions | 15% |
| Case Studies | 35% |
| Final Exam | 50% |
| TOTAL | 100% |
Assignment Groups Created Based on Grading Criteria Above
- Discussions group with 15% weight
- Case Studies group with 35% weight
- Final Exam group with 50% weight
Each assignment group correlates with the syllabus criteria mentioned above.
Please note that if you are using points only for grading, you do not need to create weighted groups. However, you still have the option of grouping assignments.
Additional Canvas Resources
For additional instructions on how to create assignment groups or add rules to assignment groups, you can explore Canvas's resources.