How do I add extra credit to weighted categories in Gradebook2?
The Gradebook2 tool does not allow scores above the maximum value. For instance, if grading by Points, and the maximum point value is set to 150, you cannot assign a score of 155 points. If grading by Percentages, you cannot assign a score of 105%. If grading by Letter Grade, you cannot assign a score of A++.
Some instructors may want to award extra credit either as an addition to an existing grade or as a separate extra credit assignment.
The method of adding extra credit is slightly different depending on whether the gradebook is "non-weighted", "non-weighted categories" or "weighted categories"
It is also slightly dependent on whether the gradebook is scored by "points", "percentages" or "letter grades".
In all instances of adding extra credit, it is important to look at the total number of possible points that can be awarded for the semester to a student and base your extra credit calculations on how will it affect the final Course Grade.
This becomes a bit more complex when working with a weighted categories gradebook because instructors have the option to add an extra credit item to an existing category (which affectes to overall grade only as much as the weighted category affects the overall grade) or they can add an "weighted" Extra Credit category and place extra credit items within it (which will affect the overall grade only as much as the extra credit weighted category affects the overall grade).
- Case 1: Adding an extra credit item to an existing category.
- Case 2: Adding an extra credit category.
Go to Gradebook2.
Select Gradebook2 from the Tool Menu in your site.
Case 1: Adding an extra credit item to an existing category
Right-click the name of the Category and select Add a new grade item.
This displays the New Item panel on the right.
(Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Points) - Enter Extra Credit Item Information, then click Add/Close
- Enter a Name for the Extra Credit item.
- Note that this new item is located in an existing Category.
- Enter the Percentage of the Category. For instance, in the example above the extra credit item is worth 5% of the Papers category. Since the papers category is worth 50% of the Course Grade, the extra credit item (if given full credit) is worth 2.5% of the Course Grade (.05 x 50).
- Enter a Points value for the Extra credit Item. When grading by points set this number in some relationship to the percentage number for easier calculation. In the example above, the maximum point value is set to 5 (same as the percentage). Since, in this case, the item is worth a maximum of 2.5% of the Course Grade, every point awarded here is worth .5% of the Course Grade. A grade of "4" adds 2% to the Course Grade.
- Include this Extra credit item in the running Course grade calculation.
- Indicate that this item is "Extra Credit". That is, students are not required to be graded for this item and any grade given to a student for this item can only positively affect their Course Grade.
- 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.
- Important: Do not check Give ungraded no credit for an Extra credit item. Students that do not perform extra credit should not receive any grade for this item.
- Click Add/Close to add the Extra Credit item and close the New Item frame.
Example: (Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Points)
Tip: You might want to have a single "Extra Credit" item and just increase the awarded score as needed through the semester.
(Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Percentages) - Enter Extra Credit Item Information, then click Add/Close
- Enter a Name for the Extra Credit item.
- Note that this new item is located in an existing Category.
- Enter the Percentage of the Category. For instance, in the example above the extra credit item is worth 5% of the Papers category. Since the papers category is worth 50% of the Course Grade, the extra credit item (if given full credit) is worth 2.5% of the Course Grade (.05 x 50).
- Enter a Points value for the Extra credit Item. When grading by percentage set this number to 100. In the example above, the point value is set to 100. Since, in this case, the item is worth a maximum of 2.5% of the Course Grade. A grade of 100% will add 5% to the Category and 2.5% to the Course Grade.
- Include this Extra credit item in the running Course grade calculation.
- Indicate that this item is "Extra Credit". That is, students are not required to be graded for this item and any grade given to a student for this item can only positively affect their Course Grade.
- 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.
- Important: Do not check Give ungraded no credit for an Extra credit item. Students that do not perform extra credit should not receive any grade for this item.
- Click Add/Close to add the Extra Credit item and close the New Item frame.
Example: (Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Percentages)
Tip: You might want to have a single "Extra Credit" item and just increase the awarded score as needed through the semester.
(Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Letter Grade) - Enter Extra Credit Item Information, then click Add/Close
- Enter a Name for the Extra Credit item.
- Note that this new item is located in an existing Category.
- Enter the Percentage of the Category. For instance, in the example above the extra credit item is worth 5% of the Papers category. Since the papers category is worth 50% of the Course Grade, the extra credit item (if given full credit) is worth 2.5% of the Course Grade (.05 x 50).
- Enter a Points value for the Extra credit Item. When grading by letter grade set this number to 100, as there is no 1 to 1 relationship between a letter grade and a point. In the example above, the point value is set to 100. Since, in this case, the item is worth a maximum of 2.5% of the Course Grade. A grade of A+ will add 4.9166 points to the category grade or approximately 2.5 points to the overall grade.
- Include this Extra credit item in the running Course grade calculation.
- Indicate that this item is "Extra Credit". That is, students are not required to be graded for this item and any grade given to a student for this item can only positively affect their Course Grade.
- 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.
- Important: Do not check Give ungraded no credit for an Extra credit item. Students that do not perform extra credit should not receive any grade for this item.
- Click Add/Close to add the Extra Credit item and close the New Item frame.
Example: (Weighted Category gradebook - Scoring by Letter Grade)
Case 2: Adding an extra credit category
Right-Click the name of the Gradebook and select Add New Category.
This displays the Add New Category panel on the right.
Enter the Category Information, then click Save/Close.
- Enter a name of the Category (usually "Extra Credit").
- Enter the Percentage of the Course Grade. In the example above, the Extra Credit Category allows a 100% increase in the Course Grade.
- Include this Extra credit Category in the running Course grade calculation.
- Indicate that this category is "Extra Credit". That is, students are not required to be graded for any item in this category and any grade given to a student for any item in this category can only positively affect their Course Grade.
- Release Scores is usually unchecked in the Category set-up. Instructors can always edit individual graded items and decide if they want to release those scores to students or not.
- Leave Weight items equally unchecked so you can adjust the weight of individual extra credit items.
- Click Save/Close to add the Extra Credit item and close the New Item frame.
Right-click the Extra Credit Category and select Add a new Item.
This displays the Add New Item panel on the right.
Enter the graded Item information, then click Add/Close.
- Enter a Name for the Extra Credit item.
- Note that this new item is located in an existing Category (Extra Credit).
- Enter the Percentage of the Category. For instance, in the example above the extra credit item is worth 100% of the Extra Credit category. When grading by points (on a 100 point scale) or grading by percentages (on a 0 to 100% scale), each point or percentage will increase the student's Course Grade by 1%.
- Enter a Points value for the Extra credit Item. Set this number to 100.
- Include this Extra credit item in the running Course grade calculation.
- Indicate that this item is "Extra Credit". That is, students are not required to be graded for this item and any grade given to a student for this item can only positively affect their Course Grade.
- 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.
- Important: Do not check Give ungraded no credit for an Extra credit item. Students that do not perform extra credit should not receive any grade for this item.
- Click Add/Close to add the Extra Credit item and close the New Item frame.
Example: Case 2: (Adding an extra credit category)
Tip: In this set-up, to add .5% to a student's overall Course Grade, score the Extra Credit item ".5"
