Using categories and weighted grades in Gradebook

In the Gradebook tool, you can create categories and assign Gradebook items to them. Also, you can assign percentages to the categories, thereby weighting them and the items they contain.

Creating categories

To create Gradebook categories:

1. In your site's menubar, click Gradebook.
   
   
2. Near the top, click Gradebook Setup.
   
   
3. Under "Categories & Weighting", choose Categories only.
   
   
4. In the text box that appears, type a name for the category you're adding.

   Note: To create more than one category, click Add a Category.

5. When you are finished, click Save Changes.

Creating categories with weighted grades

To create categories and weighted grades:

1. In your site's menubar, click Gradebook.
   
   
2. Near the top, click Gradebook Setup.
   
   
3. Under "Categories & Weighting", choose Categories & Weighting.
   
   
4. In the text box that appears, type a name for the category you're adding.

   Note: To create more than one category, click Add a Category.

5. Next to each category name, under "%", enter a number representing that category's percentage of the final grade.

   Note: The total percentage must equal 100. Before you can save your changes, the "Running Total" must equal 100.0%, and the "Needed Total" must equal 0.0%.

6. When you are finished, click Save Changes.

Adding Gradebook items to a category

After you create a category, you can assign Gradebook items to it. You can assign an item when you create it or by editing an existing item; see Adding, editing, or deleting a Gradebook item.

Note: When you assign Gradebook items to a category, keep in mind that items that are worth more points are already "weighted" more heavily. If you want all items to influence the grade equally, you must make them worth the same point value or use percentage grades.

For more information on how grades are calculated using categories and weighting, see How categories and weighting affect grade calculation in Gradebook.