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Learn@Illinois Moodle - Setting up the Gradebook Using Percentages
Learn how to set up the gradebook using percentages--the most popular way to set up your gradebook. A percentage gradebook is particularly suited to classes that designate percentages for each element of the class and do not have precise point values determined for each activity before the course begins.
For a more permanent link to this information, please use: http://go.illinois.edu/MoodleGradebookPercent
Below is a sample percentage-based gradebook. The black folders are called "categories". Our course syllabus is the following:
- Attendance 10%
- Assignments 30%
- Discussion Forum Posts 20%
- Quizzes 10%
- Tests 30%
Attendance, Assignments, Discussion Forum Posts, Quizzes, and Tests are our categories. We make the course sum to 100 points and set each of our category folders to have a "Maximum grade" of the percentage we want (e.g., 10% of the grade is translated to be 10 points out of 100 in the gradebook).
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. This is the default, but it is a good idea to double check.
Set up Gradebook Folders or "Categories"
- From the course homepage, click on Grades.
- Click Grader report and select Gradebook setup.
- Click Add category.
- Under "Grade category":
- For "Category name", type in the name of your category (e.g. Quizzes).
- For "Aggregation,", select the desired mean type:
- "Simple weighted mean of grades" will weight your items according to their point values. (Recommended)
- "Mean of grades" will give all items in the category the same weight regardless of point values. (Recommended)
- "Weighted mean of grades" allows you to assign weights within the category that are different than the point value weights.
- Under "Category total", for "Maximum grade," type in the percentage value. For example, since quizzes are worth 10% of the grade, type in 10.
- Click Save Changes.
- Repeat the same process for each category. Make sure that the "Course total" is 100 when you are done.
Move All of Your Activities into Category Folders
Each activity/grade item must be moved manually into the appropriate category folder. See Moving an Activity into a Gradebook Category Folder to learn the different ways you can place activities into categories.