Canvas Document Processor Guide - Checkmark Plagiarism

Before You Start

Your Canvas administrator turns on Checkmark as a Document Processor once for your school. After that, any teacher can add it to their assignments.

If Checkmark Plagiarism isn't in the list in step 3, ask your Canvas administrator to turn it on, or email support@checkmarkplagiarism.com and we'll walk them through it. Setting up Checkmark in Canvas for the first time? Start with the Canvas Integration Setup Guide.

Watch: Checkmark in Canvas in One Minute

How to set it up, what students do, and where to find every report.

Phase 1

Turn On Checkmark for an Assignment

Four clicks, once per assignment. Do it before students start submitting so every submission gets a report.

Teacher Setup

Open the Assignment and Click Edit

Any assignment students submit online

A Canvas assignment page with the Edit button outlined in red

• In your course, go to Assignments and open the assignment.
• Click Edit at the top right.

Click “Add Document Processing App”

Near the bottom of the edit page, just above Save

The Document Processing App(s) section with the Add Document Processing App button outlined in red

• Scroll down to Document Processing App(s).
• Click Add Document Processing App.

Choose Checkmark Plagiarism

Pick it from the list Canvas shows

The Add A Document Processing App dialog with Checkmark Plagiarism outlined in red

• Click Checkmark Plagiarism.
• Not in the list? Your Canvas administrator needs to turn it on first (see Before You Start).

Click Save

That's the whole setup

Checkmark Plagiarism listed under Document Processing App(s), marked 1, and the Save button, marked 2

• 1. Checkmark Plagiarism now appears under Document Processing App(s).
• 2. Click Save.

You're Done

From now on, Checkmark automatically checks every file and text entry students submit to this assignment, and puts the report in SpeedGrader.

Phase 2

Students Submit the Usual Canvas Way

Nothing new for students to learn. Checkmark checks file uploads and text entries automatically.

Student Experience

File Upload

Students upload their essay and click Submit Assignment.

• Word (.docx), PDF, and plain-text (.txt) files are checked.
• A PDF needs real text in it. A scanned picture of a page can't be read.

Text Entry

Essays typed into Canvas's own text box are checked too.

• Works for any assignment that allows Text Entry.
• Canvas doesn't record how the text was written, so the report's Pasted and Transcribed fields show “—”.

See a Checkmark writing box under the Canvas form? Students can also write and submit there. Checkmark records how those essays were written, so their reports also show pasted text and the writing playback.

Phase 3

Where to Find Reports

Reports usually arrive within a minute or two of a student submitting.

Grading & Reports

Open SpeedGrader™

The same way you always grade

The SpeedGrader link under Related Items on the assignment page, outlined in red

• On the assignment page, click SpeedGrader under Related Items.
• Or open it from the Gradebook as usual.

Find the Checkmark Card

In the right-hand panel, next to the student's work

SpeedGrader with Document processor reports marked 1 and the Checkmark card marked 2

• 1. Look for Document processor reports.
• 2. Checkmark's card shows the scores for that submission. Each file gets its own card.

Reading the Card

What each number means, and what the colored dot tells you at a glance.

A Checkmark card for a text entry with a red dot next to Overall: 100%

Uncited: Text that matches a source without a citation.
AI: Text that reads as AI-generated.
Pasted and Transcribed: Measured from the writing history, so they only appear for essays written in Checkmark. Files and Canvas text entries show “—”.
Overall and the dot: Everything Checkmark flagged, combined. green under 20%, amber from 20% to 50%, and red above 50%.

Open the Full Report

Click View Checkmark Report on the card

The Checkmark report with the score tiles marked 1, underlined matched text marked 2, and the Plagiarism Breakdown marked 3

• 1. The score tiles: Overall, Uncited, and AI.
• 2. Matched text is underlined in the essay.
• 3. The breakdown. Show quote shows the source text it matched.
• For a full tour, see Reading the Checkmark Report.

See Every Submission on the Assignment Page

Scroll down on the assignment page

The Checkmark submissions table on the Canvas assignment page, outlined in red

• Every student who submitted, their copied percentage, and a View Report button.
• Use the Status menu to mark a submission Flagged, Not Flagged, or Resolved.

Forgot to Turn It On for an Assignment?

Checkmark reminds you. On an assignment without it, the Checkmark panel shows one line with a link back to this guide.

The one-line reminder: Plagiarism checking is off. To turn it on, add Checkmark under Edit, Document Processing App

Follow Phase 1 to turn it on. Only submissions made after you save get a report in SpeedGrader.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Checkmark as a Canvas Document Processor.

Which files does Checkmark check?

Word (.docx), PDFs that contain text, plain text (.txt), and Canvas text entries, up to 50 MB. Older Word (.doc) files and scanned PDFs can't be checked yet. The card in SpeedGrader says so, and the student can resubmit in another format.

Do students see the report?

No. The Checkmark card and report are only shown to teachers.

How long does a report take?

Usually a minute or two. Until it's ready, the card says Checkmark is analyzing the file. Refresh SpeedGrader to see the finished report.

What happens when a student resubmits?

Each new attempt is checked again and gets its own report.

I don't see Checkmark Plagiarism in the list.

Your school's Canvas administrator needs to turn it on first. Email support@checkmarkplagiarism.com and we'll walk them through it. It only takes a few minutes.

How do I turn it off for an assignment?

Edit the assignment, remove Checkmark Plagiarism from Document Processing App(s), and click Save.

Need Help?

Questions about the Document Processor? Our support team is here to help.

Contact Support Reading the Report Canvas Teacher Support Canvas Integration Setup