Weighting Items for Grading

[jbball1104]

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?

[mzimmerman · Accepted solution]

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

[kmeeusen]

 @mzimmerman 

One of the cleanest explanations for that piece of weighting I have ever seen!

Thank you, and you can count on me stealing it!

Kelley

[jbball1104]

Thanks so much, that makes perfect sense.  I was viewing the issue from a student's perspective that "Hey, I'm constantly getting full credit in this area, why doesn't my grade improve?"  Because I saw it from their eyes, I wondered the same thing. 

Now I get it.  If the student is consistently getting full points in this section, thus consistently have 100% in this part of the overall grading, then of course their grade wouldn't go up because it's already at full credit.  If they want to see an improvement in their overall grade, then they need to raise the other sections up.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question!

[mzimmerman]

Glad to help!