Google Document Assignment Submission Types in Canvas

This document examines 5 options for “Submission Type” when a student will be submitting a Google Document, Sheet, or Slides as an assignment deliverable. Each option identifies advantages, disadvantages, and considerations when that submission type is selected in Canvas.

When students are asked to submit a Google Document or Sheet for an assignment, there are multiple Submission Types to choose from when setting up the assignment in Canvas for a fully online course.

Website URL Submission

Best for situations when:

Files being submitted are in a shared Google folder.
The instructor wants to provide inline feedback that will stay with the student’s work versus being stored in Canvas.
Students will be peer reviewing each others’ work providing inline feedback and suggested edits.
Students will be returning to the document to:
- Update for revised submissions
- Add new content (e.g. journals with multiple entries)
- Reference for future assignments, study guides, or professional application

For an example of instructions when using the Website URL Submission in a course, see Website URL and Text Entry Google Doc Submission Examples.

Canvas Submission Type Setting	Student Submission View

Advantages

Disadvantages

Cautions

Students can paste the URL in the space provided without the extra steps of making it a hyperlink. Canvas does that conversion automatically.

Students can see additional submission options (Google Drive and Google Drive (LTI 1.3)), which may be confusing to the student or complicate grading and feedback functions for the instructor.

Students must have properly shared the Google file so someone with the link can either:

View for view-only access
Comment to provide in-line feedback or suggested edits
Edit to make changes to the submitted content

A “Comments” area below the URL submission allows students to provide additional text commentary in response to prompts. The “Comments” entry space appears small, but expands to allow for large amounts of text.

Text Entry Submission of Google Doc link

Best for situations when:

Instructor wants to provide inline feedback that will stay with the student’s work versus being stored in Canvas.
Students will be peer reviewing each others’ work providing inline feedback and suggested edits.
Students will be returning to the document to:
- Update for revised submissions
- Add new content (e.g. journals with multiple entries)
- Reference for future assignments, study guides, or professional application

For an example of instructions when using a Text Entry submission in a course, see Website URL and Text Entry Google Doc Submission Examples.

Canvas Submission Type Setting	Student Submission View

Canvas Submission Type Setting	Student Submission View

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions

Advantages

Disadvantages

Cautions

Students can either paste the URL in full as text or can create a hyperlink using the “External Link” option in the editor.

Students need to take extra steps to create their hyperlink to the file.

Students must have properly shared the Google file so someone with the link can either:

View for view-only access
Comment to provide in-line feedback or suggested edits
Edit to make changes to the submitted content

Instructors can provide in-line feedback directly on the student’s work.

Functionality of Speedgrader is limited.

Google LTI 3.1 Submission

Best for situations when:

Students are completing a template or responding to questions/prompts in a worksheet.
The instructor wants to provide inline feedback to content but does not want it attached permanently to the student’s work (e.g. portfolio pieces).

Canvas Submission Type Settings

Canvas Submission Type Settings

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions
Students can work from a standard template or form.	Students can see additional submission options (Google Drive and Google Drive (LTI 1.3)), which may be confusing to the student or complicate grading and feedback functions for the instructor.	Rubric, if used, must be added via Google.
Inline feedback available and viewable with grade in Canvas through the Speedgrader tool.	Inline feedback does not stay with the student’s copy of the document, which can impact a student if they are making updates or building content over time or over multiple assignments.	Students will need to connect their Google Account the first time they use the Google LTI 3.1.

File Uploads

Not recommended for Google file submission assignment. Best in other situations.

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions
Instructors can provide inline feedback in Canvas during grading through the Speedgrader tool.	If the student selects "Google Doc" instead of Google Drive LTI, they may get a lot of "Unknown Folder" options. We aren't 100% sure what makes some folders "unknown."	In-line feedback does not stay with the student’s copy of the document, which can impact a student if they are making updates or building content over time or over multiple assignments.
	If the student selects "Google Drive" instead of the "Google Drive LTI," they get ONLY their "My Drive" files.
	If the student selects 'File Upload," the only option is local files on their computer.

Google Drive Cloud LTI

Not recommended for Google file submission assignment.

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions

Advantages	Disadvantages	Cautions
Students can work from a standard template or form.	Instructors are limited to files in “My Drive,” and cannot access files in “Shared” folders.	Rubric, if used, must be added via Google.
In-line feedback available and viewable with grade in Canvas through the Speedgrader tool.		Students will need to connect their Google Account the first time they use it.