Assignments: Annotation Tool Details

Annotation Toolbar

You can provide feedback directly in submitted assignments using annotation tools.

  1. From the Dropbox of a course, tap the assignment you want to evaluate.
  2. Inside the assignment folder, click a submission to open it.
  3. Above the submission, you will see the Annotation Toolbar.

Annotation Toolbar

Annotation Features

There are many features available for instructors within the annotations toolbar when leaving inline contextual feedback for students:

  • Sidebar - Choose from two sidebar options — Thumbnails or Outline — to get an overview of the content in a document. 
  • Jump to page - Allows quick movement to pages throughout the submission. You may click the arrows to go forward and back one page, or click the number and type a specific page to jump to.
  • Page Layout - Use this tool to adjust the page mode, page transition, and page rotation.
  • Pan - Use the Pan tool to move around the submission by clicking and dragging on the submission.
  • Zoom - Zoom in and out of the submission.
  • Fit / Fill - Change between fitting the submission to your screen which will show a full page at once, or fill which will zoom in to show as much of the submission as possible on your screen at once.
  • Drawing Tools - Write and draw anywhere and anything on the submission. Click the marker icon to access additional annotation settings. The dropdown menu gives you access to the drawing pen tool, highlighter, and eraser.
  • Note - Write a note to the submitter. A note can have a background color to help it stand out. Notes can be collapsed and expanded to show the text.
  • Text - Add text that the submitter sees throughout the submitted document. You can customize the text color and choose to highlight the text in a variety of colors.
  • Shapes - Add inline arrows, lines, and rectangles to the submitted document. Shapes can be edited in multiple ways, including color and arrow type.
  • Undo or Redo - Use the undo and redo arrows to remove or restore annotations made.
  • Print - Printing an annotated submission will also print all annotations on the document including shapes and notes. 
  • Search - Search for a specified word or phrase within the submitted document.
  • Download - Download the submitted document. Use the dropdown arrow to choose whether you'd like to download the original submitted file or download the version which contains all applied annotations including notes. 
  • Settings for the currently selected annotation - Each annotation tool has specific settings that can change its look. These settings include color, font, weight and more.
  • Delete annotation - Annotations can be quickly removed by clicking on the annotation and then clicking the delete annotation trashcan icon.

Pen and Highlighter Tool

  • Choose the Pen or Highlighter tool to draw, hand-write, or highlight directly onto the submitted document. The Pen tool will automatically be placed on top of the document covering words and pictures, as illustrated in the image below. 

Example of text before Pen annotation usedExample of text after pen annotation used with "Education" crossed out with red pen

  • The Pen and Highlighter tool settings allow you to change the stroke color, background color, transparency, stroke weight, and pen filters.

Annotation toolbar for pen and highlighter

  • Click the drop-down arrow to choose a different drawing tool including Highligher and Eraser, which allows you to erase pen and highlighter marks.

Drawing tools dropdown arrow options in assignments annotation feature

Text and Notes tools

  • Choose the Text tool to add text anywhere on a document. Move and resize, and change appearance — including font, size, alignment, and color with the settings bar.

Text tool in annotation in assignments

 

  • Choose the Note tool to add longer comments which can be collapsed or expanded. Change appearance with a variety of shapes and colors in the settings bar.

Note tool in Annotation Settings in Assignments