WebCT Information for Instructors

Instructions for Total Grade Calculation

You can combine all the grades for however many quizzes you want, so they total in one single column in the gradebook. What's more, you could then hide the other columns so you and/or student only need to see the one (totals) column.

To combine those totals,

  • Click Manage Course
  • Click Manage Students
  • Under Actions Organize, select Manage Columns and click Go
  • Under Organize, click  Add Column
  • Label the new column Total Grade
  • Next to Type, select Calculated and click Add
  • Then return to Manage Students and at the top of that column, click on Formula
  • One at a time, add the quizzes from the column selection drop-box and click Insert
  • Press the + button to add each successive quiz
  • Select the function Sum
  • Click Update
  • To hide those totaled columns from Manage Student view, go back to Actions, Organize Manage columns, select the columns you're going to hide and then on the right next to Release columns select No, and click Go.
  • If you want to also hide them from your gradebook view, you can also next to Hide columns select Yes, and click Go. (Don't worry, you'll still be able to see the columns in add/modify, but you will no longer see them in the gradebook, ie manage students.)
  • If you wish to add additional components such as assignments and attendance, see Additional Components below.

Release Grades
The students cannot view their grades until you release them and create the My Grades Tool. First to release the grades:

  • Click Manage Course

  • Click Manage Students

  • Under Actions Organize, select Manage columns and click Go

  • Select the columns you wish to release to the students including their first and last names and any graded columns you wish them to see

  • On the right side of the screen under Actions, Options, and next to Release columns, select Yes.

  • Click Go

Add My Grades Tool
 Adding the My Grades Tool enables students to view their grades.

  • Click Control Panel
  • Click Add Page or Tool
  • Under Student Tools, click My Grades
  • For the title, enter: My Grades
    • Select On the Course Menu
    • Select on an Organizer Page: Homepage
  • Click Add

Additional Components 
 In addition to quiz scores, you can also include grades for assignments and attendance.

Adding Attendance Column

  • Click Manage Course
  • Click Manage Students
  • Under Actions Organize, select Manage Columns and click Go
  • Under Organize, click  Add Column
  • Label the new column Attendance
  • Next to Type, select Numeric
  • Click Add

Adding Assignments Column
Continuing from having added the Attendance Column:

  • Under Organize, click  Add Column
  • Label the new column Assignments
  • Next to Type, select Calculated
  • Click Add

Adding Exams Column
Continuing from having added the Assignments Column:

  • Under Organize, click  Add Column
  • Label the new column Exams
  • Next to Type, select Calculated
  • Click Add

Editing Columns
To edit each column:

  • Click Manage Students
  • Locate the column and click Edit
  • After you finish entering scores, click Update

Total Grade Calculation with Additional Components
You can use the Total Grade column to calculate attendance, assignments, and exams. Assuming you have already created your Total Grade column (see top of this page), suppose you wanted to grade your course in the following way:
 

Category Value
Attendance 30% of the total score. There are 28 classes. Students earn one point for every class they attend, for a total of 28 points.
Assignment 1 & 2 30% of the total score. Each assignment is worth 20 points, but only one assignment counts toward the total score. The lower of the two scores will be dropped.
Exam 40% of the total score. The exam is worth 100 points.

This is the formula you would need to create:

(([Attendance]/28*0.3)+(MAX{ [Assignment 1],[Assignment 2]}/20*0.3)+([Exam]/100*0.4))*100

This formula was created in the following way:

  • Go to Manage Students and at the top of the Total Grade column, click on Formula
  • Using the numeric keypad, enter: ((
  • From the Column drop-down list, select Attendance and then click Insert.
  • Using the numeric keypad, enter: /28*.3)+(
  • From the Function drop-down list, select maximum and then click Start List.
  • Form the Column drop-down list, select Assignment 1 and then click Insert.
  • Click the Next Item.
  • From the Column drop-down list, select Assignment 2 and then click Insert.
  • Click End List.
  • Using the numeric keypad, enter: /20*.3)+(
  • From the Column drop-down list, select Exam and then click Insert.
  • Using the numeric keypad enter: /100*.4))*100
  • Click Update

Click on this link to view a printable version of this page.
 

WebCT Contact Information
 WebCT Contact Information
Lars Larsen, Director, Distance Learning and AV Services | 803.323.4551 | larsenl@winthrop.edu
Last updated: 10/02/06