This section will cover how to create assignments in Canvas, the various assignment types, and the various settings that can be applied. To get started with creating an assignment, click the + Assignment button in the upper right of the assignments page.

Add Assignment Button

Required Settings

Enter Points Possible, Assignment Group that the assignment should be placed in if you've created assignment groups, and grade display type. There are 6 different grade display options:

Percentage
Complete/Incomplete
Points
Letter Grade
GPA Scale
Not Graded

Assignment grade types

Next, you'll need to specify the Submission Type for this assignment. Here you have 4 different options:

No Submission - This can be used to create a column in the gradebook for items that don't have anything submitted, such as, participation or attendance.
Online - this is the default submission type and has the following options
- Text Entry
- Website URL
- Media Recordings
- File Uploads - Uploads can be limited to certain file types (e.g.: .doc, .pdf, etc.)
On Paper - for assignments that are going to be turned in physically. This allows for the assignment to still be graded within Canvas, and to be tied to other functionality such as the calendar and To-Do list for students even though there is nothing being submitted online.
External tool - for third party assignment tools such as VoiceThread

Assignment submission type

Additional Options

Each assignment can be set as a group assignment if groups have been set up in your course by checking the This is a Group Assignment box. If you haven't created groups prior to creating the assignment, you'll get the option upon checking this box. When creating the groups you'll have additional options such as allowing self-enroll, setting the number of groups, etc. For more information on groups, view the video tutorial by Canvas.

Group assignment options

You can also set assignments to Require Peer Reviews. With peer reviews, you're able to manually or automatically assign peer reviewers, and also allow reviews to be anonymous.

Peer review options

Lastly, there is the topic of due dates. Due dates can be set to specific groups and/or students, so if an individual group has a different due date than another but is completing the same assignment, this can be done in the Assign to field. Multiple due dates and rules can be set up by clicking the +Add button. By default the due date entered will be applied to Everyone.

Assignment due dates

Click Save or Save & Publish to immediately publish the assignments for students.