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 setup. Note that a 100 point maximum grade is worth 10% of the course grade because the course total is 1,000:
Full gradebook points

Do the Math

To set up this gradebook, doing the preparatory math is the most difficult part. Once the percentages are decided, it is simply a matter of changing the point values for each activity. In the screenshot above, we have a course that is worth a total of 1,000 points.
Note: 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. For example, if we were to use 100 points, our final exam would only be worth 15 points, causing students to perhaps mistakenly assume that the exam is not very important.

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 instead of in the gradebook. The gradebook display 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.
Note: When you use categories, the weights displayed next to the activities are the weight within the category rather than the weight for the course as a whole.

In the example below, the points gradebook is set up using categories of activity type:
Points Gradebook with Categories - Top Half

Create Categories in the Points Gradebook

If you choose to set up categories, make sure that your category folders are all set to "Natural (Sum of grades)".

  1. In the upper right corner, click the Actions menu gear.
    Actions menu gear
  2. From the drop-down menu, select Gradebook setup.
    Select gradebook drop down
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click Add category.
    Add category
  4. Enter/select the following:
    • Under "Grade category" -> "Category name" type in the name of your category (e.g. Quizzes).
    • Under "Aggregation," select "Natural (Sum of Grades)," which should be the default.
    Aggregation sum of grades
  5. Click the Save changes button.
    Save changes
  6. Repeat the same process for each category.

Creating a Category to Drop the Lowest Grade

If you need to drop the lowest quiz/assignment/etc., you will need to create a category for that type of assignment. Please see our help page Dropping the Lowest Score for more information.

Related Topics



Keywords:gradebook, grade, book, set up, point, category, folder, categories, maximum, boost   Doc ID:78324
Owner:ATLAS-TLT .Group:University of Illinois Liberal Arts and Sciences
Created:2017-11-20 11:10 CDTUpdated:2020-09-21 16:45 CDT
Sites:University of Illinois Liberal Arts and Sciences
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