Canvas Tips for Exam Success

As finals approach, it’s more important than ever to stay organized, reduce stress and make the most of the tools at your fingertips. The Teaching, Learning and Technology Center has gathered the top Canvas tips to help students and faculty navigate the end of the semester with confidence. Whether you’re reviewing exams, submitting final projects or wrapping up your courses, these quick tips will help you stay on track and finish strong.

Students

Add a To-Do Item in the Calendar

Never miss a deadline again! Your To-Do list in Canvas keeps track of assignments, quizzes and important reminders—all in one place. Check it regularly to stay organized and avoid last-minute scrambles. You’ll be able to view all of your To-Do items on your Calendar, making it even easier to manage your workload. Learn how to add a To-Do Item in the Calendar.

Stay on Track with Canvas Calendar

As the semester progresses, keeping up with assignments, meetings and deadlines can be challenging. The Canvas Calendar helps you stay organized by consolidating your course schedule in one place. View your agenda by day, week or month and stay on track with Canvas Calendar. View step-by-step instructions.

Test Your Grades with the Canvas What-If Tool 

The What-If tool in Canvas lets you estimate your total grade by entering hypothetical scores for any assignment. Simply click an assignment grade, input a new score, and see how it affects your overall grade. This is a great way to plan ahead and set goals for upcoming assignments. Learn how to use the What-If tool.

View Similarity Report in Canvas

Have you noticed a colored flag at the top of one of your assignment pages and wondered what it means? This icon indicates that you submitted an assignment with Turnitin. When your professor uses Turnitin for an assignment, a similarity report is generated, comparing your submission to a vast database and highlighting matching content. Learn more about similarity reports in Canvas.

Faculty

Display Recent Announcements on your Course Home Page

Want to make sure your students never miss an important update? Pin your course announcements to the homepage in Canvas!  This keeps key reminders, deadlines and class updates front and center—so your students stay in the know without the endless scrolling. Set it and forget it, and let your announcements do the work for you! Learn how to display recent announcements on your course home page.

Stay Organized with Notes in Canvas Grades

Use the Notes feature in Canvas Grades to keep key student details easily accessible. Whether it's a preferred name, assignment topic, attendance records or important reminders, Notes help you stay organized and ensure no detail is overlooked. Streamline grading, enhance course management and personalize student interactions with this simple yet effective tool. Learn how to use the Notes feature in Canvas.

Streamline Feedback with the SpeedGrader Comment Library

Don’t type out the same comment over and over – use the Comment Library. The SpeedGrader Comment Library will save you time and energy by allowing you to save and reuse commonly used text feedback. You can add and delete feedback in the Comment Library and can access them in each course that you are enrolled in as an instructor. If you find yourself providing the same feedback on assignments for different students, then the comment library is for you! Learn how to use the SpeedGrader Comment Library.

Promote Academic Integrity Using Turnitin

Turnitin, integrated with Canvas, helps promote academic integrity and support student learning by checking the originality of written work. It generates a similarity report that highlights matching content and identifies sources, making it easier to discuss proper citation and referencing. Learn how to use Turnitin in Canvas.

Explore Seton Hall’s Canvas knowledgebase articles for even more ways to make the most of your Canvas experience.

Categories: Science and Technology