Grade Items in the Gradebook represent all tasks and activities you want to evaluate within a course. They can be included in the Gradebook as standalone items, or linked to assessment tools such as Discussions, Quizzes, and Assignments. The grades and feedback you enter in these tools are automatically updated in the Gradebook.

Table of Contents 

1. Getting Started with Grade Items
2. How to Create a Grade Item
3. Which Grade Items Should I Use?

Getting Started with Grade Items

To start using ‘Grade Items’, first navigate to the ‘Grades’ menu by clicking on ‘Grades’ in the Navbar. The first time you visit this menu you will be asked to set up the ‘Gradebook’ using the ‘Setup Wizard’. After this, you can create ‘Grade Items’. These are often used in combination with ‘Grade Categories’.

How to Create a Grade Item in a Weighted Grading System

Go to ‘Grades’ in the Navbar. Then click on ‘Manage Grades’. Under ‘New’, select ‘Item’. You will see the following screen, choose a ‘Grade Item Type’, ‘Numeric’ for example:On the next screen you can set up the ‘Grade Item’. Give the ‘Grade Item’ a name and possibly add it to an already existing ‘Grade Category’ (or create a new ‘Grade Category’ by clicking on ‘[New Category]’), information on how Grade Categories work can be found here. You can also add a description for the ‘Grade Item’ by clicking on ‘Show Description’.

Enter the maximum grade value in the ‘Maximum Points’ field. If you are using a weighted grading system, enter the ‘Weight’ (percentage) for the grade. The weight determines how much this ‘Grade Item’ contributes to the final grade percentage.

Note: If you cannot enter or adjust the weight, you may have selected the Distribute weight evenly across all items option when creating the grade category. In this case, the weights of Grade Items are distributed automatically and cannot be manually edited.

Note: If you use Weight, the system uses a Weighted Grading System. If not, a Points or Formula Grading System will apply.

Choose whether you want to use ‘Can Exceed’, ‘Bonus’, and ‘Exclude from Final Grade Calculation’:

• Can Exceed: Enable this option if you want students to be able to earn more points than the maximum set for the item. If this option is not selected and a student scores above the maximum, only the maximum points will be recorded in the Gradebook.
• Bonus: Use this option to allow extra points. Bonus items do not count toward the maximum possible points for a category or final grade but are added to the calculated grade. Note: Students cannot exceed the maximum grade due to bonus points unless you enable the Can Exceed
• Exclude from Final Grade Calculation: This option appears if you are using a points system. This option then excludes the grade item from the points calculation that makes up the final grade.

Then select the ‘Grade Scheme’, the way in which the assignment will be evaluated.  You can also add a Rubric. If you don’t have a Rubric for the assignment yet, you can immediately make a new one by clicking on ‘Create Rubric in New Window’.

Adjust the display options as needed. It is possible to show students the class average and grade distribution. It is also possible to show students whose work has been graded their Points grade and Weighted grade. You can do this by selecting ‘Override display options for this item’ under Student view and then selecting the appropriate categories. You can do the same for yourself at the Managing view.Click ‘Save and Close’.

Which Grade Items should I use?

The following ‘Grade Items’ can be linked to an assignment and included in the final grade calculation:

• Numeric: Students receive a grade based on a specific number of points.
• Selectbox: Students are graded using a non-numeric grading scheme, such as A/B/C/D/F, Pass/Fail, or Insuffiecient/Sufficient/Good.

The following ‘Grade Items’ cannot be linked to an assignment but can be included in the final grade calculation in a ‘Formula Grading System’:

• Formula: Formula Grade Items automatically calculate grades based on a pre-defined formula that incorporates other Grade Items. These Grade Items have a maximum of attainable points, like a Points System.

The following ‘Grade Items’ cannot be linked to an assignment and are not included in final grades:

• Text: Allows you to add textual comments that do not count toward final grades. Comparable option: General Feedback.
• Pass/Fail: Students are graded based on a Pass/Fail scheme. Comparable option: Selectbox Grade Item with a Pass/Fail Grade Scheme.
• Calculated: Combines multiple Grade Items. Comparable option: Formula Grade Item.