AI-Assisted Grading: How to Speed Up Training

I get it - you want to harness AI-assisted grading—faster feedback, more consistency, time back in your week…but you don’t want to spend hours figuring out a new system and training the AI.

While there isn’t a silver bullet that takes away all the work, following these best practices within TimelyGrader can help save you a lot of time.

1. Start With What You Already Have

Most instructors already grade assignments using Canvas or D2L, so let's begin there!

If TimelyGrader is already integrated with your LMS, you can effortlessly import assignments directly into TimelyGrader. This process automatically brings in your assignment descriptions and rubrics. If you prefer not to use a rubric on your LMS, that's perfectly fine, too.

For those on our self-serve platform, simply create your assignment and let our AI help you quickly recreate an existing rubric or build a new one from scratch.

If you are not using TimelyGrader and looking at other grading tools, pro tip:

✅ Look for tools that adapt to your existing grading process, not the other way around.

2. Start Fine-Tuning by Uploading Student Submissions

You won't know how close or far you are until you give it a try. Upload a few student submissions to our fine-tuning system to get started.

When you grade, you notice nuances that rubrics alone can't capture. This step lets you train the AI to recognize and understand those subtleties. With our Fine-Tuning feature, you can continuously iterate and incorporate those nuances. We highly recommend running Fine-Tuning at least once to enhance accuracy and alignment with your grading style.

✅ It’s important to upload different quality student submissions. That way, you will see a diverse range of AI responses.

3. Calibrate TimelyGrader like a Teaching Assistant!

Once we've finished processing your submissions, you'll be ready to start fine-tuning. You'll see the AI's suggested grades, its reasoning, and initial feedback. If you notice any inaccuracies or misunderstandings related to your rubric, you can quickly make adjustments using the Fine-Tune button.

Once your submissions are processed, you'll see TimelyGrader’s suggested grades, reasoning, and first-pass feedback. If you spot inaccuracies or rubric misinterpretations, easily correct them on the fly using the Fine-Tune button.

Most inaccuracies stem from subjective or unclear rubrics. Consistent, accurate rubrics lead to consistent, accurate grading - a classic "garbage-in, garbage-out" scenario.

If you spot rubric errors or room for improvement, simply instruct TimelyGrader clearly and let us handle the rest. For example:

"Students need at least three APA-style references. Clarify this requirement in the criteria."

"Change the maximum rating from 5 to 10."

The rubric updates quickly, and you can instantly regenerate grades and feedback.

✅ Important Reminder: Always incorporate the specific nuances you observe (like overly large diagrams or missing minor details) directly into your rubric. TimelyGrader learns these nuances from you, ensuring it grades as thoughtfully and accurately as you do.

Apply Changes and Start Grading!

Once you are satisfied with the new grading and feedback results, hit Apply Changes and starting uploading final student submissions.

5. Keep the First Use Case Simple

Don’t start with your most complex assignment with multiple components. Start with something simple: essays, reports, and reflections that requires concise rubrics so you can build familiarity before tackling a capstone project.