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Troubleshooting Assignment Format & Instructions Issues

Errors or weak feedback may occur if the assignment setup isn’t quite right. Here's how to spot and fix common issues:

Gabriel Chi avatar
Written by Gabriel Chi
Updated yesterday

Problem: “Protected from Hallucination/AI” or No Feedback Returned

Why it happens:

  • The system couldn’t confidently extract a clear prompt or task from the file.

  • The student's response includes unclear or irrelevant formatting.

  • The assignment is too long.

Fix it:

  • Double-check that each file only includes one answer.

  • If the prompt is embedded in the student’s file, remove it. Your assignment instructions should carry that instead.

  • There is no hard limit, but anything over 15 pages may cause issues. Shorter submissions usually run smoother.

Problem: Essay not graded as expected (e.g. off-topic score, irrelevant feedback)

Why it happens:

  • The assignment instructions were too vague or included steps unrelated to the task.

  • The rubric may not match the kind of writing being evaluated.

Fix it:

  • Review the assignment instructions, simplify, and focus only on what the student is expected to write.

  • Remove directions about turning in, formatting, or using other tools.

  • Ensure the rubric criteria match what you’re asking students to do

Problem: The Assignment won’t upload or import.

Why it happens:

  • The file might be too large or formatted incorrectly.

  • Some LMS imports fail if multiple prompts or attachments are included.

Fix it:

  • There is no hard limit, but anything over 15 pages may cause issues. Shorter submissions usually run smoother.

  • If importing from Google Classroom, make sure each file is a standalone document with only the student’s response.

Problem: Grading multiple questions at once doesn’t work

Why it happens:

  • CoGrader is optimized for one task at a time. Multi-question assignments can confuse the AI and break scoring.

Fix it:

  • If you need to grade multiple short responses, split them into separate assignments.

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