Learn@Illinois Moodle - Deducting Points from a Student's Final Grade
Learn how you can deduct points from a student's final grade by creating a special gradebook item, making it extra credit, and inputting negative point values in the Single view interface. This will work for both percentage and points gradebooks.
For a permanent link to this information, please use: http://go.illinois.edu/MoodleNegativeGrade
- In the top right corner, click the Actions menu gear.
- From the drop-down menu, select Gradebook setup.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Add grade item.
- In the "Item name", enter the name of the grade item.
- In the "Maximum grade" field, enter -0.01 and in the "Minimum grade" field, enter the most points you will deduct (e.g., if you want to deduct 10 points, enter -10).
Note: The Max grade needs to be negative, but by doing this it appears as a range of “-10--0” to students, leading to less confusion.
- Click Save changes.
- In the second to last column of the grade item you have just created, click Edit.
- From the drop-down menu, select Edit settings.
- Click the "Extra credit" checkbox, then click Save changes.
- The Max grade should display as "-0.01+".
- At the top of the "Gradebook setup" page, click the drop-down menu labeled "Gradebook Setup".
- In the drop-down, select Single view.
- Select the grade item you have just created (e.g. Deducted Points) from the "Select grade item..." drop-down menu.
Note: If you have more than 100 students, adjust the display number in the "Items per page" drop-down at the bottom of the page to a number higher than the total number of students.
- Input negative point values. For students who are not being penalized, leave the field empty.
- Click Save.
- You will be notified that grades were set. Press Continue.