This is available for Planners and Graders.

You can post Annotations and page notes (general comments) to Planners, Graders, co-graders, and candidates. The purpose is to improve the user experience and make it more efficient to provide feedback. 

Understanding the Annotation tool

The Annotation tool is a feature in Marking 2.0 that provides a variety of options for leaving feedback and notes. You can use it in the Marking, Results (for Graders only), and Explanations workspaces. Graders can write and edit comments even after they have confirmed the marking.

The tool can be used on all Inspera question types. However, for the Upload Assignment question type, only the PDF format supports annotations. You can still add Page notes to other file types. On a PDF file, you cannot comment directly on the file, but you can make comments on the question title and add Page notes.

Key features of the Annotation tool

• You can post Page notes (general comments) on questions.
• You can reply to comments from co-graders.
• You can include mathematical notations in comments using LaTeX.
• You can make draft comments by posting them to Only me.
• You can search comments and use text formatting tools.

Important notes on sharing and workflow

• A Planner selects in the test settings whether comments will be shared with the candidates, and if the co-grader channel is available.
• If a Planner sets a test to Private marking and results alignment, Graders will not see each other's marks or comments at first. They can only see them during the alignment process, which happens after they have shared their marking.
• Annotations made to candidates will be available to view within the Candidate Report.
• Graders can write and edit comments even after they have confirmed the marking, but candidates will not be notified of these new comments.
• The comments will be available as long as the question and its submission exist in the system.

How to use the Annotation tool

The Annotation tool provides a variety of options for leaving feedback and notes. This section will guide you through how to create and manage annotations and page notes.

1.  

   1. Start by selecting the candidate and question that you want to comment on.

      It is recommended to view the question in full-screen mode. Click Expand in the upper right corner to expand the view, and click Minimize to minimize and return. 

   2. Click and drag your mouse over the text you wish to highlight.

   3. Click Annotate or Highlight. 

      Use Highlight for private purposes, such as setting yourself a reminder. Highlighted text will not be shared with the candidate. To remove the Highlight, click on the text again and select Delete Highlight.

      

   4. When you click Annotate the Annotation sidebar will automatically open. Here you can write your comment. 
   5. To select who the comment will be shared with, click the selector on the top of the sidebar (Candidate by default).

   6. Click Save.

      Once the comment has been saved to a group, it can not be changed to another, but it can be deleted after it has been saved. To make the comment private, click the arrow next to the save button and select Only me.

   7. All Annotations and Page notes that have been written on a question will be indicated by a speech bubble and the number of Annotations and Page notes that have been written. 

      

2. You can edit, delete, or respond to comments at any time. To do this, use the buttons in the lower right corner of the comment box. 

   

3. You can use Page Notes to write a general comment that is not associated with a specific point in the question

   1. To use Page notes, click the Page note icon in the Annotations sidebar.

   The Page Notes tab will then appear automatically in the Annotations sidebar next to the Annotations tab. Any Page notes will only be displayed in the question to which they were created. You can add general comments to all of the questions in a test. 

   

4. Rich text options are available as well as support for LaTex within Annotations. Basic syntax is used to represent rich text; for instance, bold text is represented by two asterisks. To preview how your rich text, you can click Preview before saving. 

   

   • Tip: When adding formatted links, add the link text inside the brackets [ ] and the link inside the parenthesis ( ).

     • A properly formatted link will look like this: [My link text](https://support.inspera.com) 
     • Once saved, the link will appear like this: My link text

     Do not leave the brackets [ ] empty. If there is no link text it will appear as if there is no link.

5.  
   • Toggle between hide/show highlights : Make highlights in the text visible / non-visible.  
   • New page note : Creates a general comment where the grader or the planner can post a comment that is not related to a specific point in the question. 
   • Show annotations: The number indicates how many annotations the current text area includes. This also applies to highlights. 
   • Search the annotation list : Search for a specific annotation or comment.
   • Sort by location : Sorts the annotations and comments in chronological order or text placement. 

Using Annotations in the different tabs

The Annotation tool is available in both the Submission and Question tabs in the Marking workspace. The main difference between the two tabs is the audience you can choose to share your comments with.

1. Submission tab

   Planners and Graders can only address the individual candidate when using the Annotation tool in the Submission tab, as each answer is unique to that question and candidate. 

   When choosing audiance in the Submission tab only Candidate is available:

   • Candidate: The comment is shown to the candidate that submitted the response. 

     

2. Question tab

   When using the Annotation tool in the Question Tab your comments can be viewed by a wider audiance, which is useful for making general announcements.

   

   Comments and annotations made in the Question tab will be attached to the question for all candidates. Here Graders and Planners can also choose who they want to share their comments with:

   Choose the audience (for Planners and Graders):

   • All candidates: The comment is shown to all candidates. Co-graders and Planners can also see these comments. 
   • All graders: The comment is shown to all Graders.
   • All candidates in committee: The comment is shown to all candidates within the specific committee the Grader is assigned to. 
   • All planners and graders: The comment is shown to all Planners and Graders. 

   Choose the audience (only for Planners): 

   • All planners, graders and candidates: The comment is shown to all the Planners, Graders and candidates.

Candidate experience

• Comments are shared with candidates after marking is complete, but only if the Planner has chosen the setting to share comments in the test settings. For more information, see the article on After test settings.
• For a candidate to find comments, they must first log in to their account. They can then find the test in their archive and click on it. If there are comments on the test, links will appear next to the questions that have been commented on.

• The candidate's view is similar to the Grader's, but the main difference is that a candidate cannot add or reply to comments. 

  f

Q&A

• Yes, new comments can be added and even shared with Candidates after the grading is finished, but the candidates will however not be notified of new comments.
• Candidate submissions will as a general rule be saved for two years. After two years the submission may permanently be removed from the system - along with any comments.
• No, for the question type Upload Assignment, the only supported format is PDF. You can still add general comments (page notes) to the assignment. 
• No, but you can make comments on the question title or add Page Notes.