How a grading run works
Four steps, start to finish, for a whole class at once.
-
Unpack
Drop in a ZIP of PDF submissions, like the Download Submissions file from Canvas. Files from the same student are combined into one paper.
-
Redact
Every page is redrawn as an image, which strips hidden text, metadata and form fields. Typed names, email addresses and the top of page one are covered, and each paper gets an anonymous code.
-
Grade
The anonymous pages, your answer key and your instructions go to the AI model you pick. Up to five papers grade at once, each with points per question, feedback for the student and a confidence note.
-
Put names back
Names reappear on your screen only. Review each grade, ask a second model for an independent audit if you want one, and export the feedback.
What leaves your computer, and what doesn't
Anonymous grading only works if identity never reaches the grader. Here is exactly where each piece goes.
Stays in your browser
- Student names and file names
- The list matching each code to a student
- The original PDFs
Held in this browser tab's memory and cleared when you close or refresh it.
Sent to the AI model you choose
- Anonymous page images, labeled BG-0001, BG-0002 and so on
- Your answer key and grading instructions
- Your API key for that provider, used for the request
Requests pass through BlindGrader's server on the way to OpenAI, Anthropic or Google. The server doesn't save them.
You stay in charge of the grade
- Your key is the authorityUpload the answer key and add instructions like "partial credit for correct setup." The AI grades against them, paper by paper, with no curving or comparing students.
- Pick the modelOpenAI, Anthropic's Claude or Google's Gemini, and how much reasoning effort each paper gets.
- Get a second opinionRun an independent audit with another model, or grade a paper again and compare the attempts side by side.
- See where it's unsureEvery grade carries a confidence score with notes on what needs your eyes, like illegible handwriting or a missing page.
- Students can't talk the grader into pointsThe AI is told to ignore any instructions written inside a submission.
Before you try it
- Check the previewsAutomatic redaction covers typed names and the top of the first page. A name handwritten somewhere else on a scanned page can slip through, so look over the anonymous PDFs before you grade.
- The grade is a draftRead it before it goes to a student. You're the one assigning the final grade.
- Bring your own AI key for nowYou enter a key from OpenAI, Anthropic or Google for the session, and usage is billed to that account.
- PDFs onlyUp to 250 PDF files per ZIP.
Questions
Does BlindGrader store student work?
No. Submissions are opened and redacted in your browser. The anonymous pages are sent to the AI provider you choose for grading and aren't saved on BlindGrader's server. Names, the code list and grades live in your browser tab until you export them or close it.
Do I need an account?
Not right now. Open the app, enter an API key for the provider you want to use, and start grading. The key is held only for that session.
What does it cost?
The app itself doesn't charge anything during early access. You pay your AI provider directly for the papers you grade, at their usual rates.
Which exports work?
Any ZIP of PDF files, including the Download Submissions ZIP from Canvas. Files whose names start with the same student name are combined into one submission.
Is this allowed at my school?
That depends on your institution's policies on AI and student data. Check with your department before grading real student work. We're glad to answer questions from your IT or academic integrity office.