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Teacher Connect > Gradebook

Gradebook Categories and Grading Methods

This article describes how gradebook category grading methods can be setup using different grading methods.  The grading method determines how the marking period grade is calculated.  

1. Gradebook Categories help organize assignments and calculate a category average by dividing the total points earned by the total possible points for all assignments within that category.
   
2. Grading Methods define how gradebook category averages are used to calculate the marking period grade.
   

Please note that the list available grading methods are controlled by the Teacher Connect Toolkit, so access to a particular grading method may not be available in the gradebook.

Grading Methods Defined:

(1) Use Summation for a Total Points gradebook - *All categories MUST have an equal weight of 1.

1. Example: Homework=1, Tests=1, Quiz=1

(2) Use Averaging when categories have an un-equal weight - *All categories MUST add up to a 1 or 100

1. Example: Homework=30%, Tests=50% and Quiz=20%

(3) Use Summation Percentage (not common)- *All categories MUST have an equal weight of 1. 

1. Assignment Scores - Converts the number of points earned divided by the number of possible points and then multiplied by 10. The resulting grade is the percentage of the individual assignment grades
2. Category Averages - The sum of the assignment percentage grades divided by the sum of the assignment multipliers
   
3. Marking Period Averages - Category Averages are multiplied by the category weight and then added together
   

Important Notes:

1. If a mixture of Grading Methods are used, the marking period average is calculated as a straight average of all the category averages. 
   
2. When using a Grading Method of Summation or Summation Percentage all categories MUST be weighted with a 1. *Using any other weight will multiply the weight x the possible x earned of each assignment before summation.
3. Categories with a weight of zero - assignment grades within that category will NOT be included in the marking period average.
   

Summation (Total Points) - All categories have an equal weight of 1

In this example, the Summation method is used for both categories, Homework and Tests. Category weights are equal (both set to 1). The teacher has given extra weight to an assignment within the Homework category by assigning a Multiplier of 2 for Homework Assignment 3. The student has earned grades in Homework and Tests as follows: 

Summation Category Average 

Sum for each Category

(Assignment Points Earned x Multiplier) / (Assignment Points Possible x Multiplier)  = Category Average

Averaging - Category weights are unequal percentages that total 1 or 100

Use the Averaging grading method when the category weights are not equal but add up to 1 or 100. In this example the Homework is worth 30%, and Tests are worth 70% of the MP grade. The teacher has given extra weight to an assignment within the Homework category by assigning a Multiplier of 2 for Assignment #3. The student has earned grades in Homework and Tests as follows: 

Averaging Category Average

Sum for each Category 

Assignment Points Earned x Multiplier) / Sum for the Category (Assignment Points Possible x Multiplier) = Category Average

Homework

                 (9 x 1) + (9 x 1) + (8 x 2) / (10 x 1) + (10 x 1) + (10 x 2) = Category Average

                     34 / 40 = 85 Category Average

Tests

              (90 x 1)+ (70 x 1) + (100 x 1) / (100 x 1) + (100 x 1) + (100 x 1) = 260/300 = 86.67 Cat. Average

                   260 / 300 = 86.67 Category Average

Marking Period Average

1. Multiply the Category average times the category weight for each category:

    Homework Category Average x Homework Category Weight (30% or .30)

                                          85 x .30 = 25.50

           Tests Category Average x Tests Category Weight (70% or .70)

                                     86.67 x .70 = 60.669

2. Sum all the values calculated in Step 1    25.50 + 60.669 = 86.17 MP Average

Raw Score to Percentage - Category weights are unequal percentages that total 1 or 100

This calculation is an average of the category averages. In this example, the Raw Score to Percentage method is used for both categories, Homework and Tests. Category weights are not equal. (Homework is worth 30% of the MP grade, and Tests are worth 70 %.) The teacher has given extra weight to an assignment within the Homework category by assigning a Multiplier of 2 for Assignment 3. The student has earned grades in Homework and Tests as follows: 

Raw Score % Category Averages

1. Convert the points earned for each assignment to a percentage times the assignment multiplier.

                ((Points earned / points possible) x 100) x multiplier = percentage

   Homework

                         H1:   ((9 / 10 = .90) x 100)) = 90 x 1 = 90 

                         H2:   ((9 / 10 = .90) x 100)) = 90 x 1 = 90

                         H3:   ((8 / 10 = .80) x 100)) = 80 x 2 = 160

   Tests

                        T1:   ((90 / 100 = .90) x 100) = 90 x 1 =   90

                        T2:   ((70 / 100 = .70) x 100) = 70 x 1 =   70

                        T3:  ((100 / 100 = 1) x 100) = 100 x 1 = 100

2. Add the Sum of the Assignments in Step 1

Homework  

90 + 90 + 160 = 340

Tests 

90 + 70 + 100 = 260

   Homework   (1+1+2=4 multiplier total)

340 / 4 = 85 Category Average

   Tests             (1+1+1=3 multiplier total)

        260 / 3 = 86.67 Category Average

Homework Category Average x Homework Category Weight (30% or .30)

85 x .30 = 25.50

Tests Category Average x Tests Category Weight (70% or .70)

86.67 x .70 = 60.67

25.50 + 60.67 = 86.17 Marking Period Average

Homework

90 + 90 + 160 = 340

Tests

90 + 70 + 100 = 260

Homework   (1+1+2=4 multiplier total)

340 / 4 = 85 Category Average

Tests   (1+1+1=3 multiplier total)

260 / 3 = 86.67 Category Average

Homework Category Average x Homework Category Weight

85 x 1 = 85

Tests Category Average x Tests Category Weight 

86.67 x 1 = 86.67

85.00 + 86.67 / 2 = 85.83 Marking Period Average