> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gradingpal.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set grading rules and feedback

> Control how the AI scores the work and how the feedback sounds, with switches, styles and instructions in your own words.

export const updated_0 = "19 September 2026"

export const page_0 = "/teachers/create/grading-rules-and-feedback"

export const label_0 = "Open your dashboard in GradingPal, then pick the assignment"

export const href_0 = "https://app.gradingpal.ai/teacher"

export const who_0 = "Teachers and co-teachers"

export const plans_0 = "All plans"

export const where_0 = "Sections 6 and 7 of Instant, the Feedback step of Guided (the Handout step for question-based work), and Feedback & grading on the Assignment tab"

<Card title="Who can use this?" icon="user-check">
  * **Who:** {who_0}
  * **Plans:** {plans_0}
  * **Where:** {where_0}
</Card>

### Limits and notes

* Once grades have been shared, these settings are locked.
* Changing them on graded work offers **Save & re-grade** so the grades match.
* Tone comes from the feedback style and your feedback instructions. There are no separate warmth or leniency controls.

## Grading rules

| Switch                             | What it does                                                                                                                             |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Award partial credit**           | For questions that accept more than one correct answer, gives credit for each correct part. Question-based work only. On by default      |
| **Check grammar**                  | Runs a spelling, punctuation and grammar check on each submission. Findings are shown to you and the student. Scores follow your rubric  |
| **Hide points from students** \[1] | Students still see the rubric level they earned on each criterion, plus all feedback, just no point values. Good for drafts and practice |
| **Language of student work**       | The standard the work is judged against, including regional spelling. **Auto-detect each submission** is available                       |

## Feedback

| Control               | Options                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Feedback style**    | **Targeted**: direct, in-line comments on specific parts of the work. **Glow & grow**: strengths balanced with areas to improve. **Structured**: organised by rubric criterion. **Sandwich**: positive, constructive, positive. **Actionable**: step-by-step suggestions for the next revision. **Socratic**: guiding questions |
| **Feedback length**   | **Concise** or **Detailed**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Feedback language** | **Same as the student's work**, or a language you choose                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |

For quizzes, exams and worksheets, feedback is given per question; style and length apply to written responses.

## Instructions in your own words

Under **Your grading instructions** and **Your feedback instructions**, select **Browse the library** for ready-made ones such as **Give credit for a valid method** or **Sound like me, not a bot**, or **Write your own**. Saved instructions live under **Your prompts** and are ready on every class you teach. Tick **Always include this** to have one added to every new assignment, for all classes or the ones you pick.

Some requests are turned away, and the editor says why: it cannot detect plagiarism or AI writing, and it cannot curve or rank because each student is graded alone. Others are redirected to the control that already does the job: length, language, hiding the score, a named style, or spell-checking.

## How to tell it worked

The **Grading** section of the Settings tab shows tiles for the style, length, instructions, partial credit, grammar check and points. The next graded submission reflects them.

## If something goes wrong

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Everything is greyed out">
    Grades have been shared, or grading is running. The section says which.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The feedback ignores my instruction">
    Instructions apply from the next grading run. For work already graded, save with **Save & re-grade**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I can't save an instruction">
    The editor explains: requests about plagiarism, AI detection, curving or ranking are declined. Say what earns the marks instead.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related tasks

* [Check spelling and grammar](/teachers/review/grammar-check)
* [What students see](/teachers/share/what-students-see)
* [Build a rubric](/teachers/create/build-a-rubric)

<Card title={label_0} icon="arrow-up-right-from-square" href={href_0} horizontal>
  Opens GradingPal on the screen this page describes.
</Card>

<hr />

<p style={{ fontSize: "0.875rem", opacity: 0.75 }}>Last updated {updated_0}</p>

<p>
  <strong>Was this page helpful?</strong>{" "}
  <a href={"mailto:support@gradingpal.com?subject=" + encodeURIComponent("Help page feedback (helped): " + page_0)}>Yes, this helped</a>

  {" · "}

  <a href={"mailto:support@gradingpal.com?subject=" + encodeURIComponent("Help page feedback (problem): " + page_0) + "&body=" + encodeURIComponent("Which of these fits? Couldn't find the step / Didn't match what I see / Missing information / Out of date / Other\n\nTell us more:\n")}>No, something's wrong</a>
</p>

<p style={{ fontSize: "0.875rem" }}>
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</p>