DocsStudent Guide

Submitting Assignments

How to submit work, upload files, and see feedback

Assignments are lessons where you submit work for your instructor to grade. They might be essays, projects, code, designs, or anything else.

Finding Assignments

Assignment lessons appear in the course curriculum with a clipboard icon. Open one to see the instructions.

Before You Submit

Read the instructions carefully. Check:

  • What to submit (file formats, page count, word limits)
  • When it's due (deadline shown at the top)
  • How it's graded (max score, passing score)
  • Late policy (whether late submissions are accepted and what penalty applies)
Warning

If you miss the deadline and late submissions aren't allowed, you won't be able to submit at all. Plan ahead.

Submitting

You have two options, and you can use one or both:

Written Response

Type directly in the text area. Good for:

  • Short essays
  • Reflection answers
  • Code snippets (paste as plain text)
  • Links to external work

File Upload

Click the upload area and select a file. The form shows:

  • Allowed formats (e.g. PDF, DOCX only)
  • Max file size (e.g. 10 MB)
  • Number of files (usually 1)

The file uploads directly to cloud storage with a progress bar. Once complete, you'll see the filename.

Before Clicking Submit

Tip

Once you submit, you can't edit your submission unless the instructor returns it for revision. Double-check everything first.

Check:

  • File is the correct version
  • Text response is complete
  • Nothing important is missing

Then click Submit Assignment.

After Submitting

Your submission appears in the Your Submissions section at the top of the assignment page. You'll see:

  • Status (Submitted, Grading, Graded, Returned)
  • Submission timestamp
  • Late flag (if applicable)
  • Your uploaded files and text response

Waiting for Grading

While waiting, the status will be Submitted or Grading. You can't submit again until the instructor grades it (unless they return it for revision).

Receiving Feedback

When your instructor grades the assignment, you'll see:

  • Status: Graded
  • Score (e.g. 85/100)
  • Passed or Not Passed badge
  • Instructor Feedback (their written comments)

If the feedback mentions changes to make, check if the status is Resubmit Required — that means you can submit again.

Late Submissions

If the deadline passed but your instructor allows late submissions, you'll see a warning banner:

⚠️ Past due — submission will incur a X% penalty

Submitting late still works, but your final score gets reduced by the penalty percentage. For example, if the penalty is 10% and you score 80/100, your final score becomes 72/100.

Tips for Good Submissions

  • Follow the format rules. If the instructor asks for PDF, don't submit a Word doc.
  • Use the instructions as a checklist. Address every requirement.
  • Proofread before submitting. You usually can't fix typos after.
  • Save a backup. Keep a copy of your submission locally before you upload.
  • Don't wait till the last minute. Upload failures happen. Budget an hour of buffer.