Blackboard Ultra (Faculty) - Gradebook: Setting up Overall Grade
The Overall Grade Column
In Blackboard Ultra, the student's overall grade is not available until this column has been established by the instructor. Once created, it remains as the column on the far left, closest to the students' name in the grid view. The instructor will see reminders on the gradebook that the overall grade has not yet been set up until they have completed the setup.
Getting Started
Overall Grade Setup is easiest to establish once most of the columns and all of the categories to be included in the final grade calculation are created. Refer to the current course syllabus frequently to prepare the most accurate overall grade column for the course.
Use the Set it Up button to begin the process. At least 1 gradable item must be present in the gradebook before the option to set up the Overall Grade is available.
Initial Screen
The instructor's first choice is to determine if the course will be calculated using total points or weighted grades. There is an option to create an advanced calculation for the overall grade, but that should be used only in the event that grade calculation has a level of complexity that can't be achieved by the settings within points or weighted. The advanced column creation is similar to the Calculated Column setup. This choice can be altered later.
How the Points Option is Calculated
The Points option shows the running total automatically by summing the points earned by the student in each graded item and dividing that sum by the total possible points for all graded items. This value is then expressed as a percentage. For example, if a student earned 80 points on Assignment 1 (100 points possible) and 45 points on Quiz 1 (50 points possible), the total points earned is 125, and the total possible points are 150. The Overall Grade would display 83.33% (125/150 = 0.8333).
How the Weighted Option is Calculated
The Weighted option calculates grades using weighted categories or columns. This means that instead of each assignment being worth a specific number of points, each category of assignments or individual column is assigned a percentage weight towards the final grade (e.g., Homework 20%, Quizzes 30%, Exams 50%). This allows for flexibility in the amount of points available for different gradable items without significantly altering the calculations of the overall total.
Overall Grade Settings and Calculation
Overall Grade Settings
- The checkbox to "Calculate grades based on points earned out of total graded points" impacts the running total. Checking the box keeps the student's running total reflective of points earned as the assignments are graded. If it is unchecked, the total is reflective of all possible points in the course over the term.
- Select how the overall grade is displayed drop-down menu is how instructors and students see the Overall Grade as Letter, Points, Percentage, Complete/Incomplete, or a custom grade schema. To add an alternative view that is visible to the instructor and/or student, for example, so that a student can see both their percentage and what letter grade it equals, the instructor must create a duplicate calculated column using the Add Total Calculation option in the grades view.
- The Show to Students checkbox is the visibility setting for the Overall Grade column. [image]
Calculation of Categories and Columns
The Calculation table shows all categories within the course. If additional or alternative categories need to be created, complete that step before continuing with the Overall Grade setup. Category editing is found in the Gradebook Settings gear icon when the Overall Grade setup window is closed. Assign or re-assign gradable items to categories appropriately.
The categories are listed, and individual item adjustments can be made by expanding the category to see the items included within it. Gradable items with no category assigned populate at the bottom of this list. From this point on, expand either the Points or Weighted items below to continue setting up the Overall Grade.
Points Calculation
The Points Calculation View
Organization of Categories and Items
By default, the items are shown within their categories, and the total points possible within that category is listed.
Linking and Unlinking Items in Categories
To unlink items from a category, click the slashed chain link icon. The item will then populate above the category heading, and the category points will adjust.
Excluding Categories or Items
To remove a category or item from being included in the calculation, click the no icon. The icon will turn purple and the total points within that category and for the course will adjust. If a category is excluded, any future items associated with that category will not calculate unless overall grade is adjusted to include them.
Save at the bottom of the window to keep these calculations.
To make edits or adjustments later, find the edit option by clicking on the Overall Grade column header in the grades tab.
Considerations
- The value of each gradable item is determined in the assignment details or in the item's setting in the gradebook. Points possible for items cannot be adjusted in this screen.
- If an item is excused/exempted for a student, it is not included in the Overall Grade column calculation for that student.
- Items within a category can have special calculation rules applied, such as "drop" a score or "use only" the highest or lowest score within that category.
- Manually overridden grades are included in the Overall Grade column calculation.
Weighted Calculation
The Weighted Calculation View
By default, the items are shown within their categories, and the total percentage for that category is listed.
Consider:
- Will the items in categories be weighted proportionally or equally? This decision impacts all items in all categories; it cannot be adjusted for different categories.
- Should items within a category be calculated as part of the whole category's percentage, or unlinked from the category to be weighed individually?
- Items within a category can have special calculation rules applied, such as "drop" a score or "use only" the highest or lowest score within that category.
Equal vs Proportional Weight
The choice to allow items to be weighted proportionally or equally within the categories is significant. If all items in each category have equal points possible or if each item is isolated from a category and is assigned an individual weight, that choice won't impact the final grade calculation. However, if different items are worth different point values within a category and that point value reflects the amount of work, the significance of the item, or the impact the student's performance on that item is intended to have on the final grade, using "equal" weighting could inaccurately reflect the student's overall grade in the course.
- The example belowshows that one discussion has less points possible than the other. Points possible must be edited individually with assignment settings. With the equal setting, each discussion will count for 5% of the student's grade overall.
Locking Percentages
The percentage per category is editable. Using the padlock icon maintains your saved percentages. On each field that is unlocked, the percentage values will be redistributed anytime other category percentages are edited.
- The example below shows the percentage of the Journal category being reduced by 5%, and the two unlocked categories adjust to increase by 2.5% each, keeping the total at 100%.
Linking and Unlinking Items in Categories
To unlink items from a category, click the slashed chain link icon. The item will then populate above the category heading. Once it's outside of a category, the percentage can be customized for that item.
- Items that are created with "no category" must be unlinked from that designation to have a percentage assigned to them, too.
Excluding Categories or Items
To remove a category or item from being included in the calculation, click the no icon. The icon will turn purple, and the total percentage of other items within that category will redistribute. If a category is excluded, any future items associated with that category will not calculate unless Overall Grade is adjusted to include them.
Final Steps
Save to keep these calculations.
To make edits or adjustments later, click the edit option in the Overall Grade column header in the grades tab.
Considerations
- The value of each gradable item is determined in the assignment details or in the item's setting in the gradebook. Points possible for items cannot be adjusted in this screen.
- The total must equal 100% in the overall grade column. The option to save is not available until the total is 100%.
Need Additional Support?
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk:
- Call: (618) 650-5500
- Email: help@siue.edu
- Visit: Lovejoy Library Room 0005 during regular business hours.
This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!