Select Gradebook2 from the Tool Menu in your site.

This displays the Gradebook Settings in the right panel.

Gradebook Settings:

1.   Name: By default The Gradebook is named "Gradebook". if you export a copy of the gradebook to your computer, the filename will also be the default, "Gradebook". Naming the gradebook makes it easy to identify the filename if you export a copy onto your computer. We recommend using the course name, quarter, and year, e.g., ENG001F11, or the actual site name.

2.   Organize by: From the dropdown menu, choose the gradebook structure: For a weighted Gradebook select "Weighted Categories". This is a gradebook that has the graded items organized by Categories that are weighted.

3.   Grade using: from the dropdown menu, choose the grading format. Note: You may choose only one option. Gradebook2 does not allow multiple grading systems.

    --- Points: This is a grading option that is commonly used by many instructors. All the item’s points can add up to any total score and the Gradebook will automatically calculate the running Course Grade based on a 100% grade scale. If your gradebook is set up for points, the score entered for an item cannot be greater than the item's maximum possible points. You may enter a negative score.

    --- Percentages: This option allows instructors to enter a percentage, between 0 and 100, of an item's maximum points. The Gradebook automatically calculates the percentage of each item's maximum points for the course grade, based on a 100% grade scale.

Note: For grading items in Assignments, Forums and Tests & Quizzes, scores can only be entered as points. If, in those three tools, you set the maximum points at any value other than 100, the Gradebook converts those points to the 0-100 scale used in percentage grading.

    --- Letter Grades: This option allows instructors to enter letter scores of A+ thru F, and 0, in the spreadsheet for grading. For the running Course Grade calculation, the Gradebook automatically adds all the item’s letter grades and calculates the running course grade based on a 100% grade scale.

Note: For grading items in Assignments, Forums and Tests & Quizzes, scores can only be entered as points.  The Gradebook converts these points to a letter grade.

4.   Display To Students options: Gradebook2 allows instructors to release grade information to students. Checkmark any of the desired "display to students" settings

    --- Course grades: Check this box if you want students to see a running total of their earned course grade, based solely on the work they have turned in.

    --- Released items: This option is checked by default so students can see scores when the instructor has released them via each item’s settings. Instructors can decide to release or not release individual item scores. It is recommended that this "master" checkbox remain checked and instructors release or not release scores via the individual graded item settings. Note: Uncheck this box if you do not want students to EVER see their scores for any items.

    --- Mean: Check the box to show students the mean, or average, of the class’ course grades.

    --- Median: Check the box to show students the median of the class’ course grades.

    --- Mode: Check the box to show students the scores found most often in the class’ set of course grades.

    --- Class Rank: Check this box to show each student her or his course grade’s class rank.

    --- Statistics Chart: Check this box to let students see statistics charts for released items.

5.   Once you are satisfied with all your settings, click Save/Close.

To Create a Category, Right-Click (CTRL-Click Mac) the gradebook title and select "Add a new category".

This displays the Add Category panel on the right.

Category Information:

1. Enter a Name for the category
2. Enter the weight for the category (as a whole). In the example above, the "Papers" category is worth 50% of the course grade.
3. Instructors have the option to specify the number of lowest-score items in the category that they want to exclude from course grade calculations, by entering a number in the Drop lowest box. The Gradebook will display this number next to the category folder icon in the Gradebook tab of the Grade Items frame.
4. Check the Include in grade box to include all items in the category in running Course Grade calculations.
5. Check Extra credit if you want all items in the category to have no negative impact on grade course calculations
6. The Release Scores option is unchecked by default. It is recommended that this "semi-master" checkbox remain unchecked and instructors release or not release scores via the individual graded item settings. Checking this box will automatically release the scores for all of the items in the category.
7. The Weight Items Equally option allows all graded items to have equal relative weights in the category. In the example above, this box has been checked. The 4 items in the category (paper 1, paper 2, paper 3 and paper 4), is each worth 25% of the category (which is 12.5% of the total Course Grade). If this box is not checked, you will need to set each item's relative weight (i.e., weight relative to other items in the category) manually.
8. An option here is to set the weight by points. If this box is checked, the panel display is reset and the "Drop Lowest" and "Weight Equally" boxes are removed. Weighting by points means that the weight of each item in the category is relative to the maximum point value assigned to it. For instance, if 3 items are listed in the category (paper 1 - 25 points, paper 2 - 50 points and paper 3 - 75 points), then paper 1 is worth 16.66% of the category, paper 2 is worth 33.33% of the category and paper 3 is worth 50% of the category.
9. Click Add if you want to add the Category and remain in the New Category frame to add another Category. Click Add/Close to add the Category and close the New Category frame.

To add a grade item to the category, right-click (CTRL-Click Mac) the category title and select Add a new grade item.

This displays the New Item panel on the right.

Item Information (when the category has Weight Items Equally selected):

1. Enter a name for the item in the Name box.
2. Note the Category
3. Enter a total Point value for the item. By default, this value is 100 points, If you are grading by Percentage or Letter Grade, leave this at 100; otherwise enter the point value for the graded item.
4. Check Include in grade if you want the Gradebook to include this item in the running Course Grade calculations.
5. Check Extra Credit if you want the item to have no negative impact on the course grade calculation. Extra Credit items can only add to the Course Grade, they cannot subtract from it.
6. Check Release Scores to let students see their scores and statistics for the item. Note: Usually, this is kept unchecked until the instructor is ready to release the item scores to the students. Instructors can always return to these settings and change the "Release Scores" setting later.
7. Check Give ungraded no credit if you want the Gradebook to treat blank entries as zeroes when calculating the course grade. Note: if checked, this means that all students will have a grade of "0" (rather than nothing). If this is checked on all graded items, students will begin with a Course Grade of "F" (rather than nothing).
8. Click Add if you want to add the item and remain in the New Item frame to add another item. Click Add/Close to add the item and close the New Item frame.

Note: In the example above, the "Papers" category was weighted as 50% of the Course Grade. Also, the category has Weight Items Equally selected. Therefore each paper is worth an equal amount of the 50% total for the category.

Item Information (when the category has Weight Items Equally NOT selected):

1. Enter a name for the item in the Name box.
2. Note the Category
3. Enter the weight this item has for the category.  In this example the Midterm Exam has a weight of 35% or the category (Note: The category "Tests" in this example is weighted to 35% of the Course Grade. This means that the midterm is 35% of 35%, or worth 12.25% of the Course Grade.
4. Enter a total Point value for the item. By default, this value is 100 points, If you are grading by Percentage or Letter Grade, leave this at 100; otherwise enter the point value for the graded item.
5. Check Include in grade if you want the Gradebook to include this item in the running Course Grade calculations.
6. Check Extra Credit if you want the item to have no negative impact on the course grade calculation. Extra Credit items can only add to the Course Grade, they cannot subtract from it.
7. Check Release Scores to let students see their scores and statistics for the item. Note: Usually, this is kept unchecked until the instructor is ready to release the item scores to the students. Instructors can always return to these settings and change the "Release Scores" setting later.
8. Check Give ungraded no credit if you want the Gradebook to treat blank entries as zeroes when calculating the course grade. Note: if checked, this means that all students will have a grade of "0" (rather than nothing). If this is checked on all graded items, students will begin with a Course Grade of "F" (rather than nothing).
9. Click Add if you want to add the item and remain in the New Item frame to add another item. Click Add/Close to add the item and close the New Item frame.

To display the item in the spreadsheet, check the box next to the item name.

This displays the item's grading column in the spreadsheet panel

Note:

• Points: You can only enter a number in the range of 0 to the maximum number of points you listed for the grade item.
• Percentage: You can only enter a number in the range of 0% to 100 %
• Letter Grade: you can only enter a letter grade between F and A+

To release the item grades to students, right-click (CTRL-Click Mac) the grade item and select Edit this Item.

This displays the Edit Item panel on the right.