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Word count SpeedGrader

JedKeenan

Word count in SpeedGrader is wildly inaccurate.

I have two instances that are not a couple of words off but over a thousand words off. They are both files saved as PDF 1.7 files from MS Word but both with wholly inaccurate word counts.

Is this just me?

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Accepted answers

Hildi_Pardo

Hi Jed, I might suggest reporting this to Canvas Support so they can investigate it.

BUT -- one thought I have is that sometimes, even in Word docs or other files, there is code hidden it the background if text is copied and pasted from somewhere else. Since the numbers are so wildly off, I would wonder if there are words that can't be seen (words that are in the coding in the background).

bergs

We just encountered this same issue with undercounted word counts shown in SpeedGrader for a few student PDF submissions. According to Canvas Support, the cause of the issue was the use of a font that is not supported by Canvas document previews. According to Support, "If a student uses an unsupported font, Speedgrader is unable to confirm line breaks or spacing."

The list of supported fonts is here: What types of files can be previewed in Canvas? - Instructure Community - 607 (canvaslms.com)

Our impacted students used the Aptos font, which is currently being rolled out as the new default font for Microsoft Office products. Supporting Microsoft Office's default font seems important, so I'm hoping that Canvas is prioritizing adding Aptos to the list of supported fonts.

All comments

Hildi_Pardo

Hi Jed, I might suggest reporting this to Canvas Support so they can investigate it.

bergs

The list of supported fonts is here: What types of files can be previewed in Canvas? - Instructure Community - 607 (canvaslms.com)

DonnaLove

Yes, Apros is the new default font for MS Word so that will be a big issue in addition to the current problems with this tool.

We are also having word count issues and it is not font-specific. I have an example student's paper being 618 words in Word using Arial font but converted to .pdf, and the SpeedGrader indicates 131 words. I have other similarly extreme examples when the upload is a .pdf. I have also seen an uploaded PPT as a .pptx that showed no word count at all and the slides were extremely plain. This problem leaves teachers needing to download all of the submissions to get an accurate word count, which completely defeats the purpose of the SpeedGrader.

olsona

Fortunately, a student who was penalized for not meeting the word count requirement contacted the instructor. Please update the supported fonts in Canvas so the Word Count is accurate.

Possible solutions until Canvas is updated:

Teachers can copy the text in SpeedGrader and paste it into Assignment Comments to see if the Word count is correct. Don't click Submit.
Microsoft users can Change the default font in Word - Microsoft Support.
1. On Word "Home" tab
2. Click the Font dialog box launcher or Ctrl+D
3. Choose font
4. Click "Set As Default"
5. Click "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?"
6. Click "OK"
  When a new document is started, the new default will be used.

c_murphy

We have the same issue here, with the Aptos font. Miscalculation of word count by more than 1000. Aptos is the default font so students need to be able to use this. This should be prioritised by Instructure.

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