SCANNING SERVICES

USAS provides a range of cost effective and high quality scanning services. Our two primary paper scanning services are Scantron "bubble sheet") document scanning and reporting for paper surveys and PDF scanning of written exams and uploading into Gradescope.

GETTING STARTED

  • Gradescope and PDF Scanning Services
    • Scanning written exams and assignments into PDF format
    • Uploading PDF documents to online grading platform (e.g., Gradescope)
  • Scantron ("bubble sheets")
    • Can be ordered for custom surveys/exams
Our team knows that you have a range of options for assessing your students' learning. If your methods include Scantron forms or other types of paper exam, we can help. (We can also help with online exams.)

GRADESCOPE AND PDF SCANNING SERVICES

USAS will scan written paper exams or homework assignments to PDF for instructors who use Gradescope, or who would like PDF copies of written material for any reason. Our experience with high-volume paper processing (and an industrial paper cutter) allows us to complete projects quickly and efficiently.

Although UMN does not have an enterprise license for Gradescope, many instructors find it a useful tool for managing and grading written exams and assignments. It is especially popular in STEM courses, where students may be asked to write code or equations, diagram a molecular structure, add details to a partially complete engineering circuit, or draw a graph.

Our PDF scanning services include orienting documents, cutting off staples or booklet bindings, scanning, and ensuring that pages are scanned and oriented correctly. For Gradescope, you will add USAS ([email protected]) as a TA in your Gradescope course. This will allow us to upload the PDF files to the platform, review submissions, and resolve any issues (e.g., extra pages in an exam, individual exams that did not automatically match to the roster). We can provide any or all of these services for projects that require scanning paper into PDF format.

After the exam has been administered (or homework assignment collected), please send (via Campus Courier) or bring to USAS, along with a completed Gradescope Order Form. We will notify you by email when the upload into Gradescope is complete.

For more information about Gradescope please visit the CSE Gradescope guide.

Download Gradescope Order Form

EXAM DROP-OFF AND TURNAROUND TIME

Click here for delivery instructions and office hours and location. (Note: if sending homework assignments for Gradescope/PDF scanning, University policy does not require secure handling. However, campus mail deliveries are not tracked, and may be slow in arriving. Therefore, we do not recommend sending via campus mail.)

Turnaround times are listed below. Please note, the times listed below reflect weekday hours, not weekends:

  • Gradescope exams and assignments are processed within 24 hours of receipt, but may require 48 hours during Finals Week
  • Custom surveys/exams are dependent on the specific project

AFTER SCANNING IS COMPLETE

Once a Gradescope project is complete, with all exams or assignments uploaded and matched to the course roster, we will notify you via email.

For non-Gradescope PDF scanning projects, we will share the resulting files via Google Drive, Box drive, or any other secure method by arrangement.

Scanned Scantron bubble sheets and Gradescope exams/assignments can be returned to you (pickup at USAS or sent by Campus Courier or campus mail), or we can store them for 6 weeks and then securely destroy.