Google Docs assignment submission altering document format

[ScottHahn]

I have students who use Google Docs to develop essay assignments. We require essays to be formatted in APA style. When a student submits a Google Doc to an assignment in Canvas, Canvas converts the document to be read in Canvas Doc Reader, but changes the format of the References page's hanging indent. Is there any work being done to correct this issue? The workaround is that students must download the Google Doc to Word, correct the formatting, and then upload the corrected Word document to Canvas. This involves a significant amount of extra work and document duplication for simple formatting. 

[NoahBoswell]

Hi @ScottHahn ,

Have you tried having the students download the Google Docs as PDF files and then uploading them to the assignment as a PDF file upload instead of directly through Google Docs? I've tested that a few times and haven't experienced issues.

[ScottHahn]

That is the issue. There shouldn't be a need for a workaround. The Canvas document viewer should be able to mirror the formatting of a Google Doc. It doesn't change the formatting of a Word document, so why does it change the formatting of a Google Doc? These "extra" steps are a big frustration for students. 

The goal of a student completing and submitting an assignment is to evaluate the content of the assignment, not to learn how to do a workaround.  

[dbrace · Accepted solution]

Hi @ScottHahn,

I understand you and your student's frustration. Unfortunately, this is the type of question or situation that we cannot "fix" if there is an actual problem. Have you reported this to either your Canvas team directly to Canvas Support?  You should see how to do either of those by clicking on "Help" on the lefft-side of Canvas and reviewing the options that are available to you.

-Doug