How to only count x number of quizzes and drop x number of lowest scoring?

[NoelleSullivan]

I'm wondering if this is possible in quizzes in Canvas. I will be providing 17 total quizzes in my course, but I want only the top 12 scoring quizzes to count, and some students may not take more than the 12 that I require (they can take more, but they're not obliged to if they are satisfied with their scores on the 12 they take during the term). 

Would simply telling Canvas to ignore the 5 lowest scoring quizzes work? Would it work if a student only took, say, 13 of the 17 total quizzes or would it end up dropping the 5 lowest scoring of the ones the student took, and then only counting the highest 8 scoring quizzes? 

hoping my question makes sense. TIA!

[jcarpenter1 · Accepted solution]

Hello, NoelleSullivan and welcome to the Community.  Yes, there is a way.  The first way is to set up an Assignment group called Quizzes (How do I add an assignment group in a course? )  This link shows you how to do that.  The second step is to create rules for this group.  Here's a link to help you with that step: 

• How do I create rules for an assignment group?

[jcarpenter1 · Accepted solution]

Hello, NoelleSullivan and welcome to the Community.  Yes, there is a way.  The first way is to set up an Assignment group called Quizzes (How do I add an assignment group in a course? )  This link shows you how to do that.  The second step is to create rules for this group.  Here's a link to help you with that step: 

• How do I create rules for an assignment group?

[Ron_Bowman · Accepted solution]

@NoelleSullivan 

In addition to what @jcarpenter1 mentiioned, With the 17 quizzes in an assignment group and the drop the 5 lowest scores enabled, it will not drop assignments that do not have a grade - only the graded assignments.  So, you will have to enable assign 0 to missing assignments for the entire gradebook.  

Instructor manual for setting the grade for missing assignments

Also, keep in mind that if the quizzes are worth different point values, Canvas will drop the scores that result in the highest possible grade.  Therefore, eventhough a quiz may have a lower percentage, it may be not be dropped.  There are a few questions on the forum regarding this matter, and it is confusing until you do the grade calculation.  If the quizzes are all worth the same number of points, then it won't be an issue.

[ThomasPilutti]

Hi @Ron_Bowman,
Thanks for the explanation. For a slightly different twist, how might one handle the circumstance of counting only the first 12 of the 17 assignments that a student turns in?  I'd like to allow students option to not have to do an assignment on an otherwise busy week, but I also prefer not to have students do more than 12 for my workload management.

Is one approach to manually set any assignment not turned in as "excused", and then to also excuse any assignment turned in after the student has 12 graded assignments?

[Ron_Bowman]

@NoelleSullivan 

In addition to what @jcarpenter1 mentiioned, With the 17 quizzes in an assignment group and the drop the 5 lowest scores enabled, it will not drop assignments that do not have a grade - only the graded assignments.  So, you will have to enable assign 0 to missing assignments for the entire gradebook.  

Instructor manual for setting the grade for missing assignments

Also, keep in mind that if the quizzes are worth different point values, Canvas will drop the scores that result in the highest possible grade.  Therefore, eventhough a quiz may have a lower percentage, it may be not be dropped.  There are a few questions on the forum regarding this matter, and it is confusing until you do the grade calculation.  If the quizzes are all worth the same number of points, then it won't be an issue.