Canvas - How do I set up the Gradebook?

Before you begin creating Assignments and setting-up grades in Canvas, take a moment to think about the structure of grades in your course. There are two main ways of calculating your grades: using points to calculate a total grade or weighting components of your course into a final grade. 

Points-Based Course

In this type of course, graded items are assigned a point value that students can earn. To calculate the final grade, the points earned by a student are divided by the total points available in the course. 

Creating this type of scheme in Canvas is fairly simple. First, you'll need to create your assignments and quizzes. As the semester progresses, you will input grades. The final grade will be calculated automatically in the Gradebook's Total column.

Instructions

  1. Create any AssignmentsLinks to an external site. and QuizzesLinks to an external site. in your course.
    1. If you need to add columns that aren't associated with students submitting work, such as attendance, create those as AssignmentsLinks to an external site..
  2. Grade as you normally would! Enter scores for students directly in the GradebookLinks to an external site. or using SpeedGraderLinks to an external site..
  3. The final grade for students will appear in the Total column in the Gradebook.

Extra Credit

You have several options for how to grant extra credit in a points-based course. The two preferred methods are:

  1. Adding extra points to a student's score. This is essentially increasing the numerator in the grade calculation; for example, earning a score of 102/100.
  2. Creating an extra credit assignment worth 0 points and using it to record extra credit points earned. Not earning anything won't hurt the overall grade, as the denominator is 0, but earning extra will increase the overall numerator for the student.

Weighted Total Course

In this type of course, graded items are organized into categories. These items and categories are then assigned a percentage of the final grade. 

Creating this type of scheme in Canvas involves a bit of work. First, you'll need to create the proper Assignment Groups on the Assignments page. Then you can create your assignments and quizzes and place them into the proper Assignment Groups. The weights for the final grade are set using the Assignment Groups. Then you can proceed with grading as the semester progresses and the final grade will be calculated in the Gradebook's Total column. 

Instructions

  1. Create Assignment Groups based off of the categories that compose the final grade for your course. 
  2. Add weights to your Assignment Groups.
  3. Create any Assignments and Quizzes in your course, making sure to place them into the corresponding Assignment Group.
    1. If you need to add columns that aren't associated with students submitting work, such as attendance, create those as Assignments.
  4. Grade as you normally would! Enter scores for students directly in the Gradebook or using SpeedGrader.
  5. The final grade for students will appear in the Total column in the Gradebook. Subtotals for each Assignment Group will also be reflected in the Gradebook.

A Note About Assignment Groups

Assignment Groups can contain a single item, or several graded items. If an Assignment Group contains multiple items, the total for the Assignment Group is calculated by dividing the total points a student has earned by the total points possible for all assignments in that group. Items within the Assignment Group are weighted proportionally according to their points, not as an average of all the items. For example, let's say an Assignment Group has two assignments in it: one worth 50 points and another worth 25 points. Within the Assignment Group, the 50-point assignment will count twice as much toward the Assignment Group subtotal than the 25-point assignment.

Extra Credit

If you would like to add extra credit using a weighted total course, you can do so! Check out this discussion on weighted grades and extra credit on the Canvas Community for more details.

Tutorial Video

Gradebook Guides

As with all of Canvas's features, there's a great collection of resources available in the Canvas Guides.

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Canvas is the Learning Management System at CWRU, providing campus members the tools and resources needed for in-person and online teaching and learning. Canvas includes tools instructors and students have come to depend on, such as assignments, announcements and tests.