---
title: "Marking Guides"
canonical: "https://helpcentre.macewan.ca/space/ETS/2601091322/Marking%20Guides"
format: markdown
---
**AUDIENCE: ****FACULTY**** | ****STAFF**
## Creating and Using Marking Guides
**Marking guides** are an advanced grading method that uses criteria-based assessment, where an instructor enters a comment per criterion, and a grade between a set range for each criterion. The raw marking guide score is calculated as the sum of all criteria grades.
Click on the kebab menu for the assignment and select edit settings from the dropdown menu.
On the edit assignment page, scroll down to the Grade section. From the Grading method menu, select Marking guide. If you have selected “points” under the Type menu, whatever value you assign to your criteria levels will be a proportion of the value you enter into the Maximum grade setting for the assignment.
Select **SAVE AND RETURN TO COURSE** at the bottom of the screen.
## How to create a marking guide
Once **Marking guides are enabled,** you can create a marking guide by selecting **Define new grading form from scratch **or **Create new grading form from a template.**
**Defining a new grading form from scratch**
Click on the 3-dot menu for the assignment and select edit settings from the dropdown menu.
Select advanced grading.
Select Define a new grading form from scratch.
In the **marking guide** editor, give your marking guide a title in the box adjacent to **Name.** Adding a **Description **of your marking guide is optional.
Below the **description **box, edit your criterion.
1. Enter a name for your criterion where it indicates **Click to edit criterion name. **
2. Next, in the space below **Description for students, **enter the criterion description that the students will see.
3. You can then choose to enter an alternative **Description for Markers** in the line below the student description.
4. Determine the** **total points for this criterion by entering the numerical value below **Maximum score**.
5. You can add more criteria by selecting **+Add criterion** at the bottom of the editor.
*Remember, the total points of all criteria combined in the marking guide should match the *maximum value* you indicated in the **Grades** category setting of the assignment.
If you regularly use the same comments when marking, add them to a **Frequently used comments** bank. Click the +Add frequently used comment button to add a comment and repeat as needed.
Once finished, click the **SAVE MARKING GUIDE AND MAKE IT READY **button. If you plan to continue your edit choose the **SAVE AS DRAFT** button.
## Create a new grading form with a template
Once you have created your first marking guide, you will be able to reuse and edit that marking guide in multiple courses. You must first enable **Marking guides** as outlined earlier in this document.
With editing turned on, navigate to the assignment to which you would like to add the marking guide. On the top menu, select **Advanced grading.**
Select the *Create new grading form from a template* box.
Click the box **include my own forms** and select **SEARCH.**
Any marking guides you have previously created will populate here. If you have not created any marking guides, you will not be able to proceed and will have to [create one from scratch.](#) Select the marking guide you want from the list, scroll to the bottom, and select **Use this form as a template.**
Select **CONTINUE** to confirm that you want to use the selected marking guide as a** template for the new grading form.**
Select **Edit the current form definition** as indicated below. Select continue on the next screen.
Continue editing this marking guide as you did the first one.
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> | Related Issues | advanced-grading | grading-template |
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