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How to assess anonymously in Canvas

KTH recommends anonymous assessment when possible and appropriate, in order to give students an equivalent and legally secure assessment. In Canvas, there are three simple methods for assessing assignments, quizzes or imported written exams anonymously. This page explains how to set up anonymous assessment, how to carry out the assessment and how to de-anonymise assignments.

When and why you should use anonymous assessment

​You can read more about why anonymous assessment is useful, when it is suitable and what difficulties can arise on the pages about Anonymous assessment .
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There are three methods for carrying out anonymous assessment, the first two relate to assignments and quizzes that the students themselves submit in Canvas. The third method relates to anonymous written exams that have been imported into Canvas for assessment using KTH Import Exams.

Method 1: Hide student names only in SpeedGrader

If you want to grade anonymously, you can hide the students' names in SpeedGrader. This will only affect SpeedGrader, you can still go to "Grades" to see submission status and grades. This is also a personal setting, the names will only be hidden for you.

Before starting the assessment, do the following:

  1. In SpeedGrader, press “Settings”, the gear-shaped button in the top menu.
  2. Select "Options".
  3. Check the box for "Hide student names in the SpeedGrader".

The students will now be placed in a random order where the first student in the list is called "Student 1", the second "Student 2" and so on. However, the student's ID in the address field will be the same as before the names were hidden, so this option is not completely anonymous.

Plagiarism review

If an assignment is to be checked for plagiarism using Ouriginal, you as a teacher must select "Anonymous plagiarism check" in the settings before the students submit. It is not possible to change this after the students have submitted (because the texts have already been sent for analysis). If this is not set before then, the students' email address will appear in the report.

Read more about Using Ouriginal in Canvas .

Method 2: Fully anonymous assessment

Canvas has the function "anonymous grading" which affects the teacher view in both the Gradebook and in SpeedGrader, as well as anonymizes the student's ID in the address field. To make an anonymous assessment, you need to set it up when you create an assignment or a New quiz (Classic quiz cannot be anonymised).

To set up anonymous assessment, do the following:

  1. Create an assignment or quiz (with New Quizzes).
  2. Find the “Anonymous grading” option.
  3. Tick the box "Graders cannot view student names".
    The option for anonymous grading in an assignment with a checked box.
  4. Save.

Anonymous written exams in the fall of 2024

During the fall of 2024, in consultation with GA, the possibility of conducting anonymous assessment of written proctored examinations will be carried out. Read more about anonymous assessment under How to implement anonymous assessment at KTH .

Method 3: Assess anonymous written exams in Canvas 

Using KTH Import Exams, it is possible to grade anonymous written exams digitally in SpeedGrader while maintaining the anonymity. KTH Import Exams works exactly as usual, however, the Canvas assignment will automatically be created with the anonymous assessment setting selected. As a teacher, you do not need to make any additional settings in Canvas to assess your anonymous written exams in Canvas.

Full anonymization affects the functionality of Canvas

Method 2 and 3 above affect functionality in Canvas, which can have practical consequences for your work. It is therefore good to know what is affected and how it is affected.

The anonymization affects SpeedGrader and the Gradebook

When you anonymize an assignment or quiz, it affects what you see in SpeedGrader and in the Gradebook. In SpeedGrader, students' names are hidden just like in method 1, but student IDs are also anonymized in the address field, unlike method 1. In the Gradebook, all information about the anonymized assignment or quiz is hidden, except for its name. The column for the assignment or quiz becomes gray and empty, you see neither the status of the students' submissions nor their grades.

The Gradebook with two assignments, one with submission statuses and one empty and anonymous.

If you enter SpeedGrader you will always end up at Student 1, you cannot select a specific student's submission via the Gradebook.

Anonymous written exams 

Note that for anonymous written exams, each student will be assigned an unique anonymous code which can be found on the cover page of the exam. This is, however, not the same code as the anonymous ID assigned in Canvas. 

De-anonymization takes place when grades are posted

When the assessment is complete and you post the grades, the results are de-anonymised. You will see the results in the Gradebook and if you go into SpeedGrader, the students' names will be visible.

De-anonymize assignments manually if necessary

If for some reason you need to de-anonymize an assignment before the assessment is complete, it is possible to do so. Go into the settings for the assignment and uncheck the box "Graders cannot see the students' names" and then press save. The students' names will appear as usual.