Grading: Weight & Calculate Grade Categories

Weight Grading Categories

After you have created at least one category, you can choose to weight the categories for your course by using the Weight Categories checkbox located below the Categories heading. 

Enabling weighting will display a new Weight field next to each category name. Inputting values into these fields allows you to adjust the weight for each category. 

Note: Weights are relative to each other. The actual percentage value of the category can be seen next to the Weight field.    

Calculate Grading Categories

Adjust grading categories to calculate by Total Pts (this is the default setting) as well as by Percent. These options can vary the outcomes of a student's overall grade in the course.

For example, if the grading category calculates by total points:

•  If a student scores 6/6 on an item,
•  And also scores 60/100 on an item,
• Total, the student has an average of total points (66/106=62%).

If the grading category calculates by percent:

• If a student scores 6/6 on an item, the grade for the item is 100%.
• If a student scores 60/100 on an item, the grade for the item is 60%.
• Total, the student has an average of the percentages, regardless of the total maximum points for each item (80%).

To view the calculation of a grade category:

1.  Click on a category.

2.  An Edit Grading Category window will appear.  The grade category calculation is shown here.  Click on the drop-down menu to change it.  Click on Save Changes or Cancel to continue.

NOTE:  It is recommended that if Category Weights are used, grade categories should be calculated by Total Points, not by percentage.