[ARCHIVED] Weighting Items for Grading

Jump to solution
jbball1104
Community Novice

In the way I weighted grades I gave the "reading assignments" 25% towards the overall grade. I've noticed that when students are getting full credit in these assignments, their overall grade doesn't budge.  Yet, when they don't get full credit, their grade goes down. Students are asking me why when they basically get 100% on the "reading assignments" it doesn't improve their overall grade.  I can't figure it out myself. It makes sense if you are getting full credit in an area each time than your grade should gradually go up.  But it's not.  It's only when they don't do well in this assignment area.  I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this.  What am I missing?

Labels (2)
1 Solution
mzimmerman
Community Coach
Community Coach

Hi Jennifer,

To figure out why weighted grades are producing a particular result--especially when it's different from what you're expecting--I always find that it helps to actually run through the calculations that go into the weighted total result.

First, how many assignments are in this "reading assignments" category?   Remember, the grade for the assignment category is determined by dividing the overall points possible by the points awarded, but only for those assignments that have been graded.   Also, whether the student has only turned in 1 reading assignment or 10, the category is still worth 25%.

So, if they get 100% on their first reading assignment, they already have the maximum percentage they can for that 25% of their grade.  After that, any assignment they submit that is less than 100% can only lower their percentage for the category, and their overall grade.

Does that make sense?

Mike

View solution in original post