Bb Tip #89: Grade Center – Weighting Grades

A weighted grade column is a calculated column that displays the calculated result of component parts (columns and/or categories); each part is worth some percentage of the total. You can create a weighted grade based on any column and/or category in the Grade Center. For example, you can create a weighted grade column that calculates the final grade for the course. Categories such as Test, Discussion, and Assignment would be given a certain percentage of the final grade along with the percentage for other grade columns (e.g. Mid-term, Final Exam).

Follow these steps to do it.

To add a weighted column to the Grade Center:

1. Go to the [Control Panel] of the course you want to add a weighted column. Click on the [Grade Center] link to expand it.
2. Click on [Full Grade Center].
3. Move the mouse over the [Add Calculated Column] button and select [Weighted] from the drop down menu.
4. Enter a name that describes what the weighted grade column is in the Name field. Grade Center display name and description are optional.
5. Select how you would like the results of the weighted grade to be shown by clicking on the pull down arrow and selecting primary display from the list. Secondary display is optional and will only be shown in the Grade Center.
6. In the select columns section, choose which grade columns and/or categories will be used in the calculation of the weighted grade by clicking on the grade column or category and then clicking on the respective arrow to move the column/category over to the selected columns area.
7. Enter the weight percentage to be applied to each column/category you selected. The total weight must equal 100%.
8. When selecting a category you can choose to weigh columns equally or proportionally and whether to drop grades in the category or to use the highest or lowest grade in the category.
9. Choose whether to calculate the weighted grade as a running total which would include only the columns that have been graded in the calculation.
10. In the options section you should indicate whether you want to include this weighted grade column in grade center calculations, show the weighted grade column in My Grades, and show statistics for the weighted grade column in My Grades. My Grades is what is shown to your students when they go into your course.
11. Click [Submit] when you are finished entering all your information and selecting the options. The weighted grade column will be added as the last column in the Grade Center.

Want more information?

Step-by-step instructions are available [pdf]
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