Home / Canvas guides / Assess and quiz
Canvas guide · Assess and quiz
Discussions and rubrics
Set up discussions for real interaction and rubrics to grade fairly and fast.
A discussion works best when you set it up with a specific prompt and a clear expectation for engagement, for example one original post and two substantive replies by set dates. Build that structure in now, while you are designing the course.
For anything graded, build a Rubric: a small grid of criteria and performance levels. Attach it to the assignment or discussion so students see the target up front and grading later goes faster and more consistently. A good rubric also writes much of your feedback for you.
How to do this in Canvas
Official step-by-step instructions. Each opens in a new tab so you don’t lose your place in the course.
Accessibility checkpoint
A rubric gives every student the same explicit target, which supports fairness and removes guesswork about how work will be judged.