Overview
Beginning Summer 2025, UTSA will transition from ParScore to Gradescope for bubble sheet scanning and grading. Gradescope offers advanced automation, item analysis, and a Canvas integration that streamlines your multiple-choice assessments. You can visit the Testing Services website to view the original announcement sent to ParScore users.
Key Features of Gradescope Bubble Sheets
- Auto-Grading: Scan, upload, and let Gradescope automatically grade submissions based on the answer key.
- Flexible Scoring Rules: Adjust scoring to add partial credit, multiple answer keys, or change points for specific questions.
- Detailed Analytics: Gain insights into question-level and overall exam performance, which helps identify common misconceptions.
Workflow Overview
Here’s a high-level look at the bubble sheet workflow. This visual outlines what the overall process looks like for a typical in-person exam using Gradescope.
1. Create Assignment in Gradescope
When getting started with Gradescope, you will first need to complete the following steps:
- Enable Gradescope in your course navigation (one-time only)
- Link your Canvas course to Gradescope (one-time only)
- Sync your Canvas roster to Gradescope (We recommend doing this several times at the start of the semester to ensure adds and drops get synced).
- Create your bubble sheet exam in Gradescope. (To be completed for each exam.)
- Link your Gradescope assignment in Canvas. (To be completed for each exam.)
TIP: If you're teaching multiple sections of the same course, you can duplicate an assignment to another section or duplicate the entire course after the entire course has been built.
2. Administer Exam in Class
Rather than purchasing a Scantron form, students will need to print a Gradescope bubble sheet form and bring it to class.
3. Scan Completed Answer Sheets
Once your exam is completed, you will need to scan your answer sheets to PDF using any standard scanner. For tips, please visit Gradescope Scanning Tips. If you don't have access to a scanner, one is available in the Faculty Center (JPL 4.04.12B).
4. Upload to Gradescope
After your answer sheets have been scanned, you're now ready to upload them to Gradescope.
5. Review Submissions
Now that your submissions have been processed, you can review the grades, view statistics, and view the item analysis report.
6. Publish Grades to Canvas
Finally, when you're ready, you can post the grades to Canvas.
TIP: If you want to post your grades to Canvas without sharing the submitted bubble sheets, you'll want to select the option to "Post All Grades to Canvas." Do NOT click "Publish All Grades" as this will release the bubble sheet and rubric (answers) to students.
Resources
For more information, please review these additional resources:
Support
- Vendor Support: Please email [email protected].
- UTSA Support: Please email [email protected], call 210-458-4520, or book a consultation with our TLDT experts.