Setting up an coursework submission dropbox

The Assessment code of practice recommends that staff collect and mark coursework assignments–where feasible–in Blackboard, using a Turnitin or Blackboard assignment submission point (drop box).

You choice of drop box will be based on the assignment format and method of submission and your marking preferences, this guide looks at these two options in more detail.

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Choosing the type of dropbox

Within your Blackboard module, you can choose between a Turnitin or a Blackboard assignment drop box. The following matrices provide an overview of the functionality of each type of drop box. Overall, the default Blackboard assignment dropbox accepts a great range of submissions and provides more marking options. Turnitin’s functionality is designed to make the marking of text-based submissions more efficient.

Comparison of accepted submission types:

Comparison of marking options:

In general, use a Blackboard assignment drop box to

• accept any digital format including text, audio and video submissions (using Panopto) as well as specialist software files

• create a group assignment

• mark offline submissions such as in-person presentations

• use accommodations, exceptions or exemptions for students with RARs or EC1s

• to set up anonymous, delegated marking or parallel marking

• generate similarity reports

• facilitate peer review

• provide video feedback

In general, use a Turnitin assignment drop box to

• accept text-based submissions

• use the plagiarism checking tool that produces a similarity report

• use Turnitin Feedback Studio for online marking and digital annotation tools and Quickmarks

• download annotated student submissions with feedback for external examiners

• use PeerMark, a student peer review tool.

Setting up your drop box

Roll the mouse over where you want to add your drop box, click the plus in the purple circle to reveal the add item menu …

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… to add a Blackboard assignment dropbox,

select Create from the menu, then Assignment in the Create Item menu.

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Then follow instructions for setting up a Blackboard assignment drop box

… to set up a Turnitin assignment drop box,

select Content Market from the menu, then Turnitin from the Content Market options.

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Then follow instructions for setting up a Turnitin dropbox

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Example Blackboard drop box in Instructor view

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Example Blackboard drop box in Student view

Naming the dropbox

The assessment code of practice advises that the use of meaningful dropbox names in the following format: Coursework # Title (##%) for your assignment title e.g. 'CW 1 Post-modernist painters essay (40%). This will help you and your students locate the assessment and make it clear how the student’s final grade is calculated. 

Including an assessment brief and description

Include a separate document with assessment description as well as intuitive assignment instructions within the dropbox. Assessment briefs and instructions must be simple, concise, clear, unambiguous and intuitive. All text and non-text items must be legible, using font size that can be viewed by persons with low vision.

• UU Guide to writing assessment briefs.

Setting the due date

If you are setting a due date for your assignment it is best to chose a date that complies with the following:

• Monday – Friday.

• Not during published vacation periods for the programme.

• Not on Bank Holidays or a day that the University is closed.

• Scheduled by 12pm (noon) in GMT UK time.

Including a Rubric

Digital feedback should be issued via Blackboard, students should receive an agreed set of general comments and a single mark following moderation. Marking criteria/rubrics will be made explicit in the module handbook and module Blackboard area.

See our guides for using rubrics, adding a Blackboard rubric and Turnitin rubric.

Including the student declaration.

The assessment code of practice advises that there be students compliance with the student declaration at the point of submission, the declaration can be found in 25/26 module template and the Learning Object Repository

The code of practice also advises that the release of marks should be accompanied by the following statement:

“Marks provided on Blackboard Ultra are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and may be subject to change. Please note that as these marks are provisional, they do not necessarily include any penalties applied for academic misconduct”

NB The declaration and disclaimer are included in the 25/26 Blackboard module template.

Late assessments (EC1)

According to the Assessment code of practice, where a student fails to submit coursework owing to extenuating circumstances, or where a student considers that their performance has been affected by extenuating circumstances, they can submit an EC1 form with written medical evidence or evidence of other circumstances to their Programme/Subject Director by the date on which the work was due to be submitted.

If you have students with EC1 forms, you need to make sure they have access to an identical dropbox with a later due date.

If the original coursework dropbox is a Blackboard assignment you can have two options, create a new a Blackboard dropbox with the same settings but different due dates and EC1 in the title. Alternatively add an exception for that student in the Gradebook which will allow the student to submit to the same class assignment drop box at a later due date. See creating an exception for a student.

If the original coursework dropbox is a Turnitin assignment , you need to provide a new Turnitin dropbox with the same settings but different due dates and EC1 in the title.

If you set up a separate dropbox, you’ll need to setup a gradebook column to capture the results of both drop boxes, see setting up a combined total column in Gradebook*

Reassessment/ resit

According to the Assessment code of practice, reassessment of coursework may involve either a re-working of the original task or the completion of a new task Reassessment of coursework. Typically, a new drop box should be made available to relevant students in Blackboard Ultra for resubmission purposes.

Related articles

• Assessment types

• Accommodating RARs, exceptions and exemptions in assessment

• Turnitin assignments

• Blackboard Assignments

• Using Rubrics (Marking Grids) for Assessment

• Adding the student declaration using Learning Object Repository

• Marking and Feedback with Gradebook

• Assessment Code of Practice in Blackboard

Useful links

UU Assessment and feedback code of practice