Deleting comments from Canvas assignments is a straight-forward process, but where things get tricky is when it comes to deleting submissions with comments. In this blog post, we’ll focus on how to delete a comment on Canvas assignments without removing the submission attached to it. We’ll go through different methods on how to accomplish this task, and provide additional tips and answers to some frequently asked questions along the way.

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The Challenge of Deleting a Comment on Canvas Assignment

While deleting comments from an assignment on Canvas isn’t a complicated process, things become more challenging when you want to remove a comment without deleting the submission attached to it. By default, Canvas settings do not allow comment deletion, which means that deleting comments is only possible when the submission the comment appears with has been deleted. Therefore, it’s essential to know which approach to use to avoid accidentally deleting an entire submission while removing a comment.

Things You Should Prepare for

Before you start deleting comments, be sure to have the following:

  • Your Canvas login credentials
  • An internet-enabled device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone
  • The assignment with a comment you want to remove

Method 1: Using Comment Options

Canvas has a feature that allows students and instructors to hide a comment from the course page. However, this method only hides the comment from the page and does not delete it from the system. To accomplish that, follow these steps:

  1. Login to your Canvas account and navigate to the assignment page with the comment you want to delete.
  2. Find the comment you want to remove and click on the three dots icon to open the comment options.
  3. Select the ‘Hide Comment’ option.
  4. To unhide the comment, click on the ‘View Comment’ option under the hidden comment section, then click on the three dots icon and select the ‘Unhide Comment’ option.

Pros:

  • It’s easy and quick to use.
  • You can unhide the comment any time you want.

Cons:

  • It does not delete the comment from the comment history or database.

Method 2: Using the Gradebook

Another option to delete a comment on Canvas submissions is through the gradebook. Note that this method deletes the entire submission and not just a single comment. Therefore, if you want to retain the submission but delete a comment, this method may not apply. Follow these steps:

  1. Login to your Canvas account and go to the gradebook.
  2. Find the assignment within which the submission and comment you want to delete exist.
  3. Locate the comment in the ‘Submission Comments’ column, and hover over it to reveal the ‘X’ button on the right side.
  4. Click on the ‘X’ button to delete the entire submission and all its comments attached to it.

Pros:

  • It’s a more comprehensive and efficient way to delete multiple submissions and comments at once.

Cons:

  • You cannot selectively delete a single comment using this method.
  • You cannot delete comments attached to a submission that has already been graded.

Method 3: Using API Requests

This method requires some programming knowledge, but it’s the most effective method to delete a comment without deleting the submission attached to it. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Log in to your Canvas account and go to the API Documentation page.
  2. Click on the ‘Courses API’ tab and select the course with the assignment you want to delete the comment for.
  3. Click on the ‘GET /courses/:course_id/assignments/:assignment_id/submissions/:user_id’ method to get the submission ID you want to delete a comment for.
  4. Open a new API request tab and use the DELETE method to delete the comment attached to the submission, using the endpoint: ‘/api/v1/courses/:course_id/assignments/:assignment_id/submissions/:submission_id/comments/:comment_id.’

Pros:

  • The most effective method to selectively delete single comments without deleting the submission.

Cons:

  • It requires programming know-how.
  • Performing API requests incorrectly may cause system damage.

Why Can’t I Delete a Comment on Canvas Assignment?

There are different reasons why you may be unable to delete a comment on Canvas assignment, including:

1. Inability to Locate the Comment

This is a common issue that students or instructors face when trying to delete a comment. The comment may be in a different assignment or course page, making it challenging to find. To fix this issue, check if you are on the correct page or use Canvas search function to locate the comment.

2. Lack of Permission

Canvas has user management settings that limit certain activities, including comment deletion. Be sure that you have permission to delete comments by contacting your administrator or instructor.

3. System Glitch

Sometimes, the Canvas system may experience technical difficulties that affect certain features like comment deletion. To fix this issue, try refreshing your page or logging out and logging in again.

Additional Tips

  • Ensure that you always have a backup of your submission before deleting anything.
  • Always read through Canvas user policies and guidelines before deleting or editing any comments on the platform, to prevent any accidental deletions.
  • Where possible, use Canvas default options for deleting comments before trying more advanced methods.

5 FAQs about Deleting a Comment on Canvas Assignment

Q1: Can I delete comments from submissions attached to graded assignments?

A: Once an assignment is graded, comments for the submissions attached to it are locked down for security reasons. Therefore, you cannot delete comments from graded assignments.

Q2: Will deleting a comment from Canvas also delete it from the database?

A: No, deleting a comment from Canvas only removes it from the course page. The comment remains in the database as long as the submission is not deleted.

Q3: Can I hide all comments in a Canvas assignment?

A: Yes, you can hide all comments by using the ‘Hide All Comments’ option in assignment settings. Note that this option does not delete the comments and can be unhidden at any time.

Q4: Can I use Canvas API to delete multiple comments?

A: Yes, you can use API requests to delete multiple comments at once, but this requires some programming knowledge. Ensure that you back up your data before trying this method.

Q5: Can I delete comments using the Canvas mobile app?

A: Yes, you can delete comments using the Canvas mobile app. Navigate to the comment and follow the instructions for the relevant method mentioned in this blog post.

In Conclusion

Deleting comments on Canvas assignments can be a daunting task, especially when you do not want to delete the entire submission attached to it. In this blog post, we discussed different methods to delete comments without deleting submissions, additional tips on how to proceed with the process, and answered some commonly asked questions. We hope that this blog post has helped you in your quest to delete comments on Canvas assignments.

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