Learn@Illinois Moodle - Setting up the Gradebook Using Points
Learn how to set up a simple points gradebook. To use the points gradebook, all assignments and their precise point values must be established before the course begins. When assignments are altered or deleted, it affects the weight of all other items in the gradebook.
For a more permanent link to this information, please use: http://go.illinois.edu/MoodleGradebookPoints
Here is a sample points gradebook:
Deciding Point Values
In the screenshot above, we have a course that is worth a total of 1,000 points. This is a recommended point total because it makes the percentages easy to double check and is big enough to use chunks of larger round numbers of points for various assignments.
Just as in the percentage gradebook, let's imagine that we have the following setup in our course syllabus:
| Attendance | 10% |
|---|---|
| Discussion Forum Posts | 20% |
| Assignments | 30% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Tests | 30% |
Now we translate each of these percentages into point values out of 1,000 (by adding a 0) and double check that they add up to 1,000:
| Attendance | 100 points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Forum Posts | 200 points |
| Assignments | 300 points |
| Quizzes | 100 points |
| Tests | 300 points |
The tricky part now is that you have to make the activities in each category add up to the number of points and have a non-decimal value.
| Attendance | 100/1= 100 points each |
|---|---|
| Discussion Forum Posts | 200/8 = 25 points each |
| Assignments | 300/6 = 50 points each |
| Quizzes | 100/2 = 50 points each |
| Tests | 300/2 = 150 points each |
Edit Maximum Grades
The total points for each activity needs to be edited within that activity itself instead of in the gradebook. The gradebook display simply reflects the points as they are set in activities. See Editing Maximum Grades for instructions on how to do this.
Make the Course Level Aggregation Type "Natural Sum of Grades"
See Make the Course Level Aggregation Type "Natural Sum of Grades" to make sure that your Gradebook setup page is set to "Natural Sum of Grades" at the course level.
Note: This is the default, but it is a good idea to double check.
Optional: Use Categories in a Points Gradebook Setup
You may add category folders to the gradebook for organizational purposes.
- From the course homepage, click Grades.
- Click Grader report and select Gradebook setup.
- Click Add category.
- For "Category name" type in the name of your category (e.g., Quizzes).
For "Aggregation," select "Natural (Sum of Grades)," which should be the default.
- Click the Save changes button.
- Repeat the same process for each category.