Manual Grading — Essay & File-Upload Questions

Who this guide is for: Instructors and admins who use essay (free-text) or file-upload quiz questions that a person must grade.

Most quiz questions grade themselves. Essay and File upload questions don’t — the learner types a free-text answer or uploads a file, and an instructor scores it afterward from the grading queue. Both use the same pending-grading pipeline.

File-upload questions (LMS-450)

A File upload question lets the learner submit a file as their answer (e.g. a worksheet, slide deck, or image).

1. Add the question exactly like an essay one, but set Type to File upload (manually graded). There are no choices.
2. The learner uploads a file in the quiz player; the file is stored securely in S3.
3. In the grading queue, each file answer shows a Download button — it generates a short-lived (≤15 min) link to the learner’s file. Download, review, and score it just like an essay answer.

Malware safety: uploaded files follow the platform AV-scan posture (malware-scanning posture). A file flagged infected is never downloadable and shows “File unavailable” in the queue.

Add an essay question

1. In the course editor, open a quiz module → Manage Questions (see Quiz Authoring).
2. Click + Add question and set Type to Essay (manually graded).
3. Write the prompt and set the points the answer is worth.

There are no choices to configure — the learner answers in free text.

How completion works with essay questions

When a quiz contains one or more essay questions:

• The learner submits as usual; auto-graded questions are scored immediately.
• The attempt enters Pending grading — it is not scored and the learner’s module is not completed yet.
• Once an instructor grades every essay answer in the attempt, the attempt is scored (auto + manual points), pass/fail is decided, and — if passed — the module completes (issuing certificates / firing follow-ups as normal).

Grade submissions

1. Go to Admin → Grading queue (/<locale>/admin/grading-queue).
2. Each pending attempt lists its essay answers with the question and the learner’s response.
3. For each answer, enter a score (0 … the question’s max points) and optional feedback, then Save grade.
4. When the last answer in an attempt is graded, the attempt finalizes automatically.

Configuration reference

Troubleshooting