Setting up the Gradebook

Overview: Here are some directions for setting up a simple gradebook. Documentation about more complex gradebook features is found in other documentation.  See the menu options under Grading.

Steps to set up your gradebook.

1. Analyze

The first thing to do is to look at your syllabus to analyze how you are grading. We recommend you use percentages as in the example below. Each "Activity" should be represented as a category in the gradebook with identical weight (% of final grade)

2. Basic Setup

The percentage method requires using weighted mean of grades. In order to use weighted mean of grades you must Create Grade Categories.

3. Getting items into the gradebook

Items (grade columns) get into the gradebook in two ways:

  1. Automatically, when certain activities, like Assignments, Quizzes, or Rated Forums are added to the course;
  2. Manually by adding a graded item directly into the Gradebook. Click for documentation to manually add a graded activity.

4. Confirm that grading criteria in gradebook and syllabus match

  1. Run report 360 Assignments & Weights found in the My Reports block of your Course MENU. This report shows what is set up in your gradebook
  2. COMPARE the grading criteria in your syllabus (Step #1) with that in Report 360?  Are they identical?  If not you will need to correct your Moodle gradebook and/or your syllabus.

5. More…

Moving Items around in the Moodle gradebook

Gradebook Views in Moodle (Grader Report, User Report, Categories and Items)

 

Note: While we do not recommend using the aggregation method called “natural weighting” (formerly sum of grades), some instructors use this method. Please see Moodle documentation if you need assistance with this method.