The plus (+) assessment feature allows teachers to quickly enter data for assessments given outside of Otus (observation, exit slip, etc.). This assessment is created directly in the assessments or standards view of the gradebook.
Create the Assessment
Step 1: Navigate to the Gradebook module. Select the Assessments tab if entering points-based scores, or the Standards tab if entering standards-based scores.
💡 Tip: If you don't see a plus symbol in your Assessments tab, please try clicking on the Standards tab. If a particular class does not use a points grading scale, you will not see the plus option in the Assessments tab.
Step 2: Select the + symbol just above the First Name column.
Step 3: Fill out the assessment information.
Assessment Title: Type in the title of your assessment.
Type: Choose from the various assessment types available.
Points/Grading Scale: Determine the number of points (Assessments view) the assessment is worth or the standards grading scale (Standards view).
Link Standards: Choose which standard(s) to link to the assessment
Submission Date: Similar to a due date, the submission date is a date stamp for when the grade was entered into the gradebook. You can choose a future or past date if you wish.
Due Date: The due date is an optional field that can be used in addition to the submission date. Any grades added after this date will be marked as Late automatically.
Add to: Choose the class or classes you wish to assign it to.
Include Score in Final Grade: toggle off if you don't want this assessment to be included in the calculation in the student's final overall grade. Note: This is not an option for standards-based assessments.
💡 Tip: A standard MUST BE linked to any plus assessment you expect to see in the Standards view of your grade book.
Enter Grades
Assessments View (Points-based)
If you created your Plus (+) assessment in the assessments view of the gradebook, a new column will be created with the assessment title at the top. Add points directly in the score field for each student by double-clicking directly in the field.
Grade multiple students at once by selecting the checkmark to the left of the student names and entering the score for just one of the students. The same score will populate for all selected students.
Click on the status On Time and choose from Late, Missing, Excused, or Excluded.
Standards View (Standards-Based)
If you created your Plus (+) assessment in the standards view of the gradebook, click on the score column and select the correct grading scale level, or type the first letter of the grading scale level.
Press enter/return or tab on your keyboard to move to the next student.
To go back to a previous student, press shift+tab.
💡 Tip: You can access the assessment again to enter additional grades.
Navigate to your assigned assessments
Select the appropriate class
Click on the assessment title to return to the grading page.
Add Comments
You can comment on both points-based and standards-based Plus (+) assessments.
Step 1: Navigate to the Gradebook module and select the Assessments tab.
Step 2: Locate the correct assessment and click the comment bubble icon next to the student you wish to leave a comment for.
Step 3: Type your comment and click Save.
The comment bubble will darken on the gradebook page if a comment has been added.
💡Tip: You can add the same comment for multiple students at once.
Otus Live
Click to see a video from our Otus Live series on adding a Plus Assessment in the assessments view of the gradebook.
Click to see a video from our Otus Live series on adding a Plus Assessment in the assessments view of the gradebook.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
Click to view FAQ and troubleshooting details.
Click to view FAQ and troubleshooting details.
I don't see the plus sign in my gradebook when I attempt to create a plus (+) assessment.
Try clicking on the Standards tab of the gradebook. Points-based plus assessments are entered from the Assessments view, whereas non-points (standards) plus assessments are entered from the Standards view. If the specific class you are viewing does not have access to a points grading scale, the plus sign will not be available in the Assessments tab.
Do plus assessments appear on the student's or family's notification feed?
No, plus assessments do not appear on the student or family notification feed. They only appear in the gradebook.
How do I assign a plus assessment to specific students?
You can do this through the Manage Assignees menu by unassigning the assessment from selected students after the assessment has been created. Check out this article for more instructions on using Manage Assignees.
Can I view the data for the plus assessment for all my classes at once?
Yes! For any plus assessments that are added at the same time for multiple classes, you can view the aggregated data in Assessment Analytics. The same is true for administrators assigning a plus assessment to an entire grade level or multiple classes at once.
Can I unassign a plus assessment?
Yes, you can unassign a plus assessment just like you unassign any other Otus assessment. Click here for instructions on unassigning an assessment.
Can I clone a plus assessment?
No. Plus assessments are not stored as drafts and are unable to be cloned. Creating a plus assessment is so quick and easy that creating a new one with the same settings won't take long at all!
Can I assign a plus assessment to additional classes after it's been created?
No. Once a plus assessment is created, the only things that can be edited are as follows:
Title
Assessment Category
Points
Submission Date
Due Date
How can I use plus assessment for extra credit?
Make the assessment worth 1 point since total points must be greater than 0 in order to save correctly in Otus. Then give the students a grade above 1 point for the amount of extra credit you'd like to award. This is only available for a points-based assessment.