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If Essays are configured, follow the steps below to utilize the Essay feature.
Accessing and Submitting Essays
To access available essays, follow these steps:
- Select the Essays option on the left hand side of the menu (only visible to learners with access to the Essay feature).
- Select Start next to the available essay you would like to work on.
- After reviewing the Overview and Instructions page, click on the Start Writing button to begin writing your essay.
- You will be presented with an Essay Prompt.
- Select Collapse Question if you wish to minimize the Question.
- Begin typing your essay in the Text box at the bottom of the page.
Note: If character limit is set, you will see a character count as well as a character maximum limit. If you exceed the character limit you will not be able to submit the essay; the submission button will be grayed out. Edit the text accordingly to reduce the character count.
The following options are available as you progress through the Essay writing experience:
- Pause Essay - Allows you to pause the essay at any time, progress will be saved.
- Save - Allows you to save the essay, exit and return later. After successfully saving the essay, the Save button will appear disabled.
- Submit For Feedback - If the option is enabled, you can submit your essay for feedback (not for grading). There is no limit to the number of times you can submit an essay for feedback. You can resume working on your essay while submitting for feedback (creating a new version), however you cannot submit the essay for another round of feedback while your essay is under review. You must check the box for Submit Essay for Feedback to activate. For step-by-step instructions, review Submit Essay for Feedback workflow below.
- Submit for Grading - allows you to submit your essay for a final score. You will not be able to make changes or updates after this point. You must check the box for Submit for Grading to activate. For step-by-step instructions, review Submit Essay for Grade workflow below.
Submitting Essays for Feedback
Once you are ready to submit your essay for feedback, follow these instructions:
- Select Submit For Feedback button on the bottom of the Essay writing page.
- Check the box within the pop-up prompt and select the Submit Essay for Feedback button.
- Essay Graders will be notified of your submission.
- The Essay dashboard will display the Submitted for Feedback status for this essay, indicating the essay is being reviewed.
After submitting your essay for feedback, you can start creating another version of your essay by completing the following steps:
- Select Resume next to the essay submitted for feedback.
- Continue working on the essay.
- Select Save or Pause Essay.
- You are still able to submit a new version of your essay for Grading if you choose to do so while your previous submission is awaiting feedback.
Reviewing Feedback
Once feedback has been provided, the learner receives a notification email as well as an in-app message.
Email message example:
In-app message example:
To access the feedback, you can click on the link in the notification within your in-app message, or follow these steps:
- Select the Essays option on the left-hand navigation menu.
- Select the Review button next to the essay.
- Select the Submission version you would like to review.
- Select the bubble icon on the right hand side of the screen to see any feedback left by the Essay Grader.
- After reviewing the feedback, the end user can continue to work on the essay by selecting the Resume Writing button.
Submitting for a Grade
When you are ready to submit your essay for a final score, you can follow these steps:
- Select the Submit For Grading button on the bottom of the Essay writing page.
- Check the box within the pop-up prompt and select the Submit Essay for Grading button. NOTE: Submitting an essay for grading is final.
- An Essay Grader will be notified of your submission.
- The Essay dashboard will now display the Submitted for Grading status for this essay.
Reviewing a Grade
Once feedback has been provided, the learner receives a notification email as well as an in-app message.
To access the feedback, you can click on the link in the notification within your in-app message, or follow these steps:
- Select the Essays option on the left-hand side of the menu.
- Select the Review button next to the essay.
- Select the Submission version you would like to review.
- Review the Overall Score as well as trait scores on the left-hand side. Select the bubble icon on the right hand side of the screen to see any feedback left by the Essay Grader. NOTE: The Resume Writing button has been disabled as this is the final score.
Update to Grade or Feedback
Greader admins have the ability to update feedback and/or grade on submitted essays. If that happens, you will receive an in-app notification, as well as an email letting you know there was an update to the submitted essay.
Access the Essay module to see the updated feedback and/or score.
Self-Graded Essays
Self-graded essays allow learners to submit essays for self-grade.
To access available Essays, follow the steps found in the Accessing and Submitting essays section above.
When ready to submit:
- Select the Submit for Self-Grade button.
- Select the confirmation checkbox on Submit Essay for Self-Grading to submit.
After submitting, you will be brought to the Essays screen to review your Essay, Essay prompt, Instructions and Rubric (if configured) and provide trait scores. NOTE: The overall score is calculated as the sum of individual trait scores.
After submission, the grade can be viewed by selecting the Review button next to the appropriate essay.
