Submitting an assignment online is a simple process. You can turn in all manner of files using Blackboard's assignment tool, and you can even turn in multiple files using a single submission space; if your professor wants you to turn in a paper and a literature review separately, you can put both in the same submission spot (provided that's what your professor wants). Consult your syllabus or your professor to determine what file format you should be submitting your assignments in. If you're still not sure what format to submit in, either Word (.docx) or PDF are commonly accepted.
To get started, you'll need to locate the assignment inside the course.
Assignment Information
An assignment looks roughly like this:
Note, the colors and text will often be different. What's key is that it's underlined (indicating you can click on it to open it) and the icon, which indicates ASSIGNMENT. Usually there will also be some key words in the heading or text to clue you into the fact that this is an assignment.
When you open an assignment by clicking on its name, you'll find more information about the assignment, often including a due date and points possible.
Usually, you'll also find detailed instructions here, and links to any supplemental files your professor wants you to use or refer to when completing your homework. If your professor is using the plagiarism teaching tool SafeAssign on your assignment, you'll also see a SafeAssign license agreement.
Assignment Submission (Classic)
The next step is as simple as attaching a file to an email.
Beneath the assignment information you'll find the submission space.
In some cases, your professor may indicate that you can write your submission directly into Blackboard's assignment page. To do this, click the WRITE SUBMISSION button to reveal the submission input box.
If you are going to be spending more than a few minutes writing your submission, we strongly recommend you do your writing offline, in Word. If you have been instructed to put your response directly into the WRITE SUBMISSION box, you can copy from Word and paste into this box.
Upload a File
Most often, your professor will want you to attach one or more files. To do this, click the BROWSE LOCAL FILES button under Attach Files, locate the file or files you which to attach, and click OPEN to attach them.
If the assignment is using SafeAssign, you will need to check the box next to the agreement statement to submit your assignment.
Comments
The comments space is an optional space you can use to add a note to your professor to accompany your assignment. Text put in the comments space is not a part of the assignment submission, but supplemental to it. Think of it as something you might say to your professor as you hand in an assignment.
Submit
CLICK SUBMIT to turn your assignment in. Click SAVE DRAFT if you have done some work inside the assignment that you want to keep but do not want to turn your assignment in to the instructor.
Click CANCEL to close the assignment page without saving any changes you've made.
Submitting an assignment online is a simple process. You can turn in all manner of files using Blackboard's assignment tool, and you can even turn in multiple files using a single submission space; if your professor wants you to turn in a paper and a literature review separately, you can put both in the same submission spot (provided that's what your professor wants). Consult your syllabus or your professor to determine what file format you should be submitting your assignments in. If you're still not sure what format to submit in, either Word (.docx) or PDF are commonly accepted.
To get started, you'll need to locate the assignment inside the course.
Assessment Details & Information
To view a Blackboard assessment's, Details & Information, click on the assessment in the Content list.
This will open the assessment's Details & Information panel on the right side of the screen. As the name suggests, this section provides details and information about the assessment. This information includes due date and time, including rules related to the due date and time (for example, whether you will be prevented from submitting or starting late), time limits, your remaining number of submission attempts, and Originality Report information, should the plagiarism checking tool SafeAssign be enabled.
If the Details & Information panel has a speech bubble icon in the upper right, then your instructor has enabled class conversation on the assessment. Click this to enter a discussion forum where you can post and view class questions and answers about the assessment.
Remember, your Class Conversation posts are not private communications between you and the instructor -- the whole class will be able to read your posts.
If the item is an assignment, it will have a VIEW ASSESSMENT button at the bottom of the panel. You are free to open and close an assignment as many times as you like without using an "attempt." Only when you submit an assignment do you use an attempt.
If the item is a test, it will have a START ATTEMPT button at the bottom of the panel. Clicking this button will begin your test -- the timer will start (if one has been set) and an attempt will be used.
If you used an attempt in error and need an additional attempt, please contact your instructor. CETL can only assist instructors with providing additional attempts, not students.
Insert Local File in a Text Box
Once you have the assignment opened, you'll usually be presented with some specifics about the assignment -- instructions, a case study to download and review, perhaps a rubric.
In some cases you will be writing your response into the submission space -- the text box at the bottom of the Assignment Content space that includes default text "You can add text, images, and files here."
If you plan to spend more than a few minutes writing, we strongly encourage you to write your response in Word. Unless you are directly instructed otherwise, you should save the Word file to your computer, then upload your file to the assignment page. Click SUBMIT when you have finished (this uses an attempt).
To save your work without using an attempt, click SAVE AND CLOSE.
When you use the attach button in Blackboard Ultra, the item becomes embedded in the text. Blackboard supports many different file types, including the standard .docx, .pdf, .pptx, .jpg, .png, etc. This page outlines the file types Blackboard supports.
Note: DO NOT insert or attach actual video files such as .mp4 or .mov as they consume excessive storage space. Please instead hyperlink or embed your captioned video on a
streaming service like Yuja which Detroit Mercy supports.
To insert a local file, first click the attach button in the toolbar.
This will open your document storage (aka Finder on Mac and Windows Explorer on PC).
Find the file you wish to insert. Select it and click Open.
Depending on the type of file, this will either:
A) embed a link to your document within the text box. You will be given the option to change the Display Name for the file. You will also be given the options for how you wish users to works with your file: view only, download only, or both.
Users will click that link to access the file, which will either open in a new tab/window, preview on the main screen, or require download.
OR
B) embed an image within the text box. You will be given the option to change the Display Name for the file and to set Alternative Text (for the visually impaired). You will also be given the options for how you wish users to works with your file: view only, download only, or both.
There is no current way to adjust the size of the image.
Be sure to save your changes.