Create a Weighted Grade Category

Grade Categories can be used to organize grade items. If a category includes Text, Calculated, or Formula Grade Items, the organization of those items within the category does not impact the calculation of the category those grades items are in. The totals off these categories do not contribute to the final grade.

  1. On the nav bar, click the Assessment menu, then select Grades.
    Grades on Nav Bar
  2. Then click Manage Grades.
    Manage Grades
  3. Click the New button and select Category.
    Grades New Category
  4. Enter the category Name.
    Category Name
  5. (Optional) Enter a Short Name for the category if you’d like. The Short Name is only visible to users with access to the grade book.
    Grade Category Short Name
  6. (Optional) Enter a Description if you’d like to share additional information about the category. Learn about how to use the HTML Editor to Format Course Content. By default, the Description field is collapsed, so you may need to click Show Description to expand it. Select whether or not to Allow users to view description.
    Grade Category Description
  7. Enter the Weight of the category (towards the final grade).
    Weighted Category Enter Weight
  8. Check the box for Allow category grade to exceed category weight if students will have opportunities to earn extra credit or bonus points that you would like to extend beyond the category and count towards their overall final grade.
    allow category grade to exceed weight
  9. Decide how the weight will be distributed across grade items in the category:
    Weight Distribution Weighted Category

    • Manually assign weight to items in the category: Allows you to manually assign weight to each grade item in the category. Use this option if grade items within the category should have different weights.
    • Distribute weights by points across all items in the category: Assigns a weight to each item in the category that is proportionate to how many points the assignment is worth. Weights are automatically recalculated as grade items are added to the category.
    • Distribute weight evenly across all items: When grade items are placed in the category, the weights of all grade items are automatically recalculated so that all grade items in the category have equal weight. If you select this option, you have the ability to drop high or low scores from the category’s calculation:
      • Number of highest non-bonus items to drop for each user: Enter the number of high scores you’d like dropped from the category calculation.
      • Number of lowest non-bonus items to drop for each user: Enter the number of low scores you’d like dropped from the category calculation.
        Distribute Weight - drop number of items
  10. (Optional) Override the system’s Display Options by checking the box next to the display option(s) you’d like the category to have. By default, Display Options is collapsed, so you may need to click Show Display Options to expand it.
    Override Display Options
  11. Click one of the Save options at the bottom of the screen to save your changes:
    • Save and Close: Returns you to the Manage Grades screen.
    • Save and New: Allows you to begin creating a new category.
    • Save: Saves any changes and stays on the same screen.
    • Cancel: Deletes the grade category, and takes you back to the Manage Grades page.
      Save Options Category