Bb Grade Center: Extra Credit

Case Study

Carol wants to create an extra credit column for her course. She already knows how to designate extra credit questions in a test (see Extra Credit Questions from Blackhawk Technical College). But this column is to be used for an optional paper which can earn students up to 10 points.

In order to be considered "extra credit," the column must be set up with a value of "0" points possible. Any points then added to the column will be added to the total column.

First, she will set up an Extra Credit category and then an Extra Credit column. Then she will include the new column in the Grade Center's Total column. Here's how:

Go to Grade Center
Mouse over the menu for Manage and choose Categories.

Select Categories from Manage menu

On the Categories screen, click Create Category

Add Category button

On the Create Categories screen, enter "Extra Credit" in the Name text box.

Category is given the name, Extra Credit

Click Submit.

You have created a category named "Extra Credit." Now you will create the column.

On the main grade center screen, click Create Column.

Create Column button is highlighted on main grade center screen.

On the Create Grade Column screen, enter a name such as "Extra Credit." You might add a note in the Description box how many extra credit points are available.

A name is added to the Create Grade Column screen.

Select Score for Primary Display. An additional option may be select from Secondary Display but this is optional and students will not see it.
Select Extra Credit from the Category drop down box.
Enter the score 0 in the blank field for Points Possible.

Primary Display is set to display Score and the Category is set to Extra Credit. A zero has been entered for Points Possible.

In the Options section, select Yes for Include this Column in Grade Center calculations.
Select Yes for Show this column to Students.
Select No for Show Statistics (average and median) for this column to Students in My Grades.

The options section.

Click Submit.

The new column will appear in the Grade Center. It is automatically placed in the last position. If you want to adjust the position of this column (or any column), go to Manage and select Column Organization.)

Student scores in columns are displayed. The column Total has 43 points. The column Extra Credit appears last and has no score.

10 extra credit points have been entered in the Extra Credit column. Notice the Total has automatically changed.

An shortened view of the grade center shows the students's name, Total column and Extra Credit column. Total=53 points and Extra Credit=10 points.

What about Weighted Grades?

The method described above does not work with weighted grades, because weighted grades are based on a 100% total. Generally, if extra credit is available in class with a weighted grade total, the extra credit must be manually figured.

You might try the method described by NIU, Weighted Grade Options.

Return to Tips and Tricks