CoGrader supports grading handwritten assignments. You can upload scanned files, automatically split them into individual student submissions, combine pages, and grade them just like typed assignments.
With the updated Auto Split Student Scans feature, you can also tell CoGrader how many pages belong to each student, making it easier to process an entire class's work.
Here is a video walkthrough, or follow the steps below:
Step 1: Create a Handwritten Assignment
From the CoGrader homepage, click Essays. Choose the handwriting option (Grade handwriting).
Fill in your Class Name, Assignment Name, and Prompt. Then set your Feedback style, Rubric and Grading parameters.
Step 2: Add Student Submissions
Scroll to the Student submissions section on the same setup page (Upload one file or several files, or scan the essays with your phone).
You'll see three upload options:
One scan of the whole class: use this if your school scanner exported all student work as a single PDF. CoGrader will read the file and automatically try to split it by student.
Several files (one per student): use this if each student submitted their own file, or if you have multiple separate files to upload. You can also use this if a student's work spans multiple pages across separate files; you can combine them in the next step.
Scan with my phone: scan the QR code with your phone and take photos of the handwritten work.
Step 3: Choose How to Split Your Scanned File
When you upload a PDF with multiple student essays, CoGrader asks How should CoGrader split your file?
You can choose between automatic splitting (Find each student's essay for me) and splitting by a fixed number of pages(Every student wrote the same number of pages).
Option A: Find each student's essay for me
Choose this option if students' essays have different page counts or you're unsure how many pages belong to each student.
CoGrader will analyze the scanned PDF and attempt to identify where one student's submission ends and another begins.
You'll then have an opportunity to review the results and make corrections if needed.
Option B: Every student wrote the same number of pages
If every student has the same number of pages, you can tell CoGrader exactly how many pages each submission has.
For example:
If each student wrote 2 pages, set Each student wrote 2 pages and click Continue.
If you upload a 20-page PDF, CoGrader will split it into 10 student submissions.
When the total number of pages divides evenly by your selected page count, CoGrader can skip the review step and continue with the separated submissions.
Important: If the pages don't divide evenly, CoGrader will ask you to review the separation.
For example, if you select 2 pages per essay but upload a PDF containing 21 pages, you'll need to review the results before proceeding.
Step 4: Review the Scan Separation
You only see this screen if you chose Find each student's essay for me, or if your page count didn't divide evenly.
After you upload, CoGrader will process the file and try to split it into individual student essays. If it detects more essays than expected (for example, reading one long submission as multiple entries), you can fix that easily.
On the review screen:
Select all the entries that belong to the same student
Click Combine to merge them into one submission
Enter the student's name
Repeat for any other entries that need to be combined or corrected
You can also split entries that were grouped incorrectly. Once everything looks right, click Continue to Grading.
Step 5: Grade and Approve
CoGrader will load only the submissions you confirmed. Grade each one using your rubric as you normally would, then review, approve, and click Share feedback when done.
What If I Upload a Scanned PDF Using Create Manually?
If you choose Create manually instead of the handwriting option, you don't necessarily need to start over.
When you upload a PDF through the manual assignment workflow, CoGrader asks Is this one student's work or several?
One student: The entire PDF belongs to one student.
Several students: The PDF contains work from multiple students.
If the file contains multiple students' essays, choose Several students and click Continue so CoGrader can guide you through separating them. This helps prevent an entire class's scanned work from being treated as one student submission.
Adding handwritten work to an existing assignment
Open the assignment, click Add Submissions and choose Add handwritten essays.
Note: Handwritten grading and the ability to split a PDF into multiple student submissions are currently available in the Essay Grader, not the Quiz Grader.
Tips for Best Results
Make sure your scans or photos are clear and easy to read. Rule of thumb: if you can't read the handwriting, CoGrader probably can't either.
Use automatic splitting when students have different page counts.
Use split by number of pages when every student's submission has the same page count.
Review the scan separation whenever CoGrader asks you to confirm the results.
Use consistent file names to help identify student submissions.
Supported File Types: For handwritten work, CoGrader supports PDF and, if single-page, JPG/JPEG and PNG.