All about grading

I have different categories/types of assignments that make up the final grade for a class. How do I define the weight that each of these categories should carry in the calculation of the final grade?

» First, go to View | Options and click on the Assignments tab. Here you can select the Standard Assignment Types you wish to use, as well as create up to four Custom Assignment Types (e.g. labs).
» Next, go to Classes, highlight the class and click on the Weighting tab. Check the box for Use Assignment Type Weighting. Use your mouse to adjust the percentage bars to the appropriate weight for each assignment type.

What if I want to add my own types of assignments beyond the eight standard types?

Go to View | Options and click on the Assignments tab. Here you can select the Standard Assignment Types you wish to use, as well as create up to four Custom Assignment Types.

How do I designate the assignment type of an assignment?

Go to Tests & Assignments and click on the Assignment Info button. Highlight the class and assignment. Look for the Type field and select the assignment type you want from the drop-down menu (by clicking on the arrow pointing down). If you need to add assignment types to the drop-down menu, click on the arrow pointing to the right or go to View | Options and click on the Assignments tab.

What if I need to count Attendance as part of the final grade? What if I need to count Participation and Citizenship as well?

» First, go to View | Options, click on the Grading tab and check the box marked I need to keep track of attendance. Next, go to Classes, select a class and click on the Grading tab. Check the box for Non-academic grades count towards final grade and adjust the percentage.
» If you also need to count participation and citizenship, go to View | Grading Options and click on the Attendance tab. Here you can check the boxes for Attendance, Tardiness, Participation and/or Citizenship. After making your selections, you can adjust the percentage bars to the right. You can also adjust the settings for how to mark participation and citizenship by clicking on the Attendance Marks tab.

How do I change the settings to mark Attendance, Tardiness, Participation and Citizenship?

You can also adjust the settings for how to mark participation and citizenship by going to View | Grading Options and clicking on the Attendance Marks tab.

How do I change the type of grade that should be assigned to certain assignments?

Go to Tests & Assignments and click on the Assignment Info button. Highlight a class and assignment. In the Grade Type field, you can select the grade type you want from the drop-down menu (click on the down arrow).

How do I change the Final Grade Type of a class?

Go to Classes, highlight a class and click on the General tab. Look for the Final Grade Type field (right above Notes) and select a final grade type from the drop-down menu (click on the down arrow).

How do I define the range of percentages that constitutes a certain grade (e.g. what if I want to make the cutoff for a B- to be at 75%, a B+ at 82%, the A- at at 87%, etc.)?

» Go to View | Grading Options and click on the Letter Grades tab. Here you can use your mouse to adjust the sliders for each grade and thus change the percentages to match your grade range. In addition, you can opt to Use pluses and minuses or to Use A+ grades for your letter grades. If you need to adjust the ranges for grades other than Letter Grades, click on Other Grades and select the cut-off percentages for Pass/Fail, Complete/Incomplete, and Check grades. Also, you can adjust how much Late assignments should be marked down.
» Lastly, if you have a separate grade type system from the standard grade types offered by ThinkWave Educator, you can click on the Custom Grades tab to create and set ranges for your separate grade types.

How does the program calculate a final grade as one type of grade when individual assignments use other grade types? (i.e. How does the program calculate a final grade from a mixture of non-discrete and discrete grades?)

» In order to average letter grades (and other “discrete” grades) together, ThinkWave Educator converts these grades to and from a numerical score ranging from zero to one hundred. The rule ThinkWave Educator uses is: If the grade is the best of the range (such as A+ or Check-Plus), then that grade is given a score of 100. If the grade is not the best of the range, such as B+, or Check, the grade is given a score that is 3/4 of the way from the bottom of that grade’s range to the top of that grade’s range. For example, if you have defined grades in the Grading Options dialog so that the range of an A+ is 97 to 100, and an F is from 0 to 60, then the A+ is equivalent to 100, while the F is equivalent to (3/4 x 60) = 45. An A+ averaged with an F will then be (100 + 45) /2 = 72.5. This average would be equivalent to a grade of C- if you are using the default grade setup.
» If you wish to use a different ratio than 3/4, or you don’t want to automatically make the best score in the range convert to 100, you can adjust these settings on the Grade Conversion Rules dialog. To get there, go to the Options screen, and on the Grading tab, click the Change button.

What if I use a type of grade that differs from the ones offered by ThinkWave Educator?

Go to View | Grading Options and click on the Custom Grades tab. Click on the Add Grade button and enter the name of the first type of grade you will be using (e.g. smiley face). Next, set a cut-off percentage for your newly created grade by entering/adjusting the number in the Requires at least: field. Continue adding grades (e.g. frowney face) and setting cut-off percentages as needed.

How do I throw out the lowest or leave in the highest grade for a certain type of assignment?

Go to View | Grading Options and click on the Throw Out Grades tab. Check the boxes for the types of assignments you wish to throw out, make a selection from the drop-down menu (click on the down arrow) to choose whether to throw out the bottom, leave in the top, or throw out top & bottom. Finally, choose how many grades you want to throw out (you can either type in a number or use the tiny up and down arrows to the right).

What if I want to grade on a curve for a class or an assignment?

There are three methods available to curve grades in ThinkWave Educator:

» Curve to Letter Grade: This method is available for assignments with numerical Grade Types or for classes with Letter Final Grade Types. It will allow you to designate a certain percentage of students to receive a certain letter grade. For example, if you designate ten percent of the class to receive A’s, then the top ten percent of scores earned in a class or assignment will be given an A. To set what percentages you want to receive each letter grade, go to View | Grading Options and click on the Curve Grading tab. If you want to use pluses and minuses, click on the Letter Grades tab and click on the box Use Pluses and Minuses and/or Use A+ grades. Now if you return to the Curve Grading tab, you can also set the percentages for letter grades with pluses and minuses.
» Add So Best = Max: This method is available only for classes and assignments with numerical grade types. It will take the difference of the maximum number of points possible (or 100% if grade type is in Percentage) and the top score earned, and then it will add that difference to all other scores below the top. If the top student already is at or above 100% or the maximum points possible, then no points will be added. Points will never be deducted.
» Multiply So Best = Max: This method is available only for classes and assignments with numerical grade types. It will take the ratio of the top earned score to the maximum number of points possible (or 100% if the grade type is in Percentage) and multiply this ratio with all other scores below the top. The Multiply So Best = Max method spreads scores further apart than with the Add So Best = Max method.

If you want to use any of the above methods to curve an individual assignment, go to Tests & Assignments and click on the Assignment Info button. You will first have to choose a numerical Grade Type (select either Percentage or Points from the drop-down menu). After doing so, you can go to the Curve field and select one of the three curve grading methods from the drop-down menu.

If you want to use 2 or 3 (Add So Best = Max or Multiply So Best = Max) for a class, you will first have to choose a numerical Final Grade Type for the class (by going to Classes, clicking on the General tab, and selecting either Points or Percentage from the drop-down menu for Final Grade Type). Next, click on the Grading tab and select one of the methods from the drop-down menu for Curve Grading (located just above Notes).

If you want to use Curve to Letter Grade for a class, you will have to choose Letter as the Final Grade Type for that class (by going to Classes, clicking on the General tab, and selecting Letter from the drop-down menu). Next, click on the Grading tab and select Curve to Letter Grade for the Curve Grading field. Also, if you do not want to follow the percentages assigned to each letter grade in the Global Grading Options (View | Grading Options), you can check the box for Customize grading for this class and click on the Edit Custom Grading tab. Next, click on the Curve Grading tab and adjust the percentages assigned to each grade.

How do I set the ranges for grading on the curve? How do I determine the percentage of students who should receive a certain grade?

To set what percentages you want to receive each letter grade, go to View | Grading Options and click on the Curve Grading tab. If you want to use pluses and minuses, click on the Letter Grades tab and check the box for Use Pluses and Minuses and/or the box for Use A+ grades. Now if you return to the Curve Grading tab, you can also set the percentages for letter grades with pluses and minuses.

What if I want a certain class to have its own set of grading options (e.g. different ranges determining grades and curves, grading/not grading attendance, changing what grades get thrown out or left in, etc)?

Go to Classes, highlight the class, and click on the Grading tab. Check the box for Customize grading for this class. The Edit Custom Grading tab will be activated and you can click on it to change the Grading Options for this class.

From now on, when you want to change the Global Grading Options (by going to View | Grading Options), a message will come up to inform you that certain classes have their own custom grading policies defined. Whatever changes you make to the Global Grading Options will not affect the Grading Options for the customized class(es).

How do I determine how much an assignment should be weighted in comparison to other assignments of the same type?

There are two basic ways that the program can treat assignments that are graded on a “points” basis:

Specifying Assignment Weight

» This option allows you to choose weights for assignments graded in points just as you do for assignments not graded in points. Assignments of the same type and same weight will then count the same regardless of point-worth. For example, if you choose normal weights for an assignment worth 10 points and an assignment worth 20 points, the two assignments will count the same when calculating the final grade. On the other hand, an assignment worth 10 points but given 2x weight will be counted twice as heavily as an assignment worth 20 points but given normal weight. Also, an assignment worth 10 points and given 2x weight will count twice as heavily as an assignment with a letter grade but with normal weight.
» To use this method, go to View | Options and click on the Grading tab. Now click on the circle for I want to specify assignment weights, just as I do for all other grade types. Next, go to Tests & Assignments, highlight the class and assignment, and click on the Assignment Info button. In the Weight field, you can select your preferred weight from the drop-down list (click on the down arrow).
» Note: If you choose to specify assignment weights and you have classes with Final Grade Type set to Points, choosing Auto on the Classes screen will use 100 points as the total possible. For a more meaningful calculation, choose the next option, Automatically Weighting by Points.

Automatically Weighting by Points

» The program will weight assignments based on the number of points they are worth. In this case, a 10-point assignment counts half as much as a 20-point assignment. The program does this by automatically choosing an assignment weight that is proportional to the number of points.
» To use this method, go to View | Options and click the Grading tab. Click on the circle for I want to automatically weight by the total number of points possible. You also need to choose a number of points that should be considered “normal” for assignments not graded in points. This allows the program to compare points-weighted assignments with non-points-weighted assignments. For example, if you have two assignments, one worth 10 points and another with a letter grade, the program needs to know how to compare the two. If you enter 10 in the points box on the Options dialog, the program will consider these two assignments equal. Alternatively, if you enter 5 in the points box, the program will then weight the 10-point assignment as twice that of the letter-graded assignment. (This all assumes that the Letter-graded assignment has a weight of “Normal” or “1x.”)
» Note: If you choose to automatically weight by points, you cannot specify weights for points-based assignments. The program will choose a weight automatically for these assignments. Also, if you use points for all of your assignments (or all your assignments of a given type and you use the Use Assignment Type Weighting checkbox on the Classes screen for all of your classes), then the number you enter in the weight by points selection will have no effect.

How do I determine how many points an assignment may be worth?

Go to Tests & Assignments, highlight a class and assignment, click on the Assignment Info button. You can adjust the point-value of the assignment in the Max Points field.

How do I mark an assignment as Late, Missing or Excused?

Go to Tests & Assignments, highlight a class and assignment, and click on the Record Results button. Three little boxes below the Erase tab can be checked for Late, Missing, or Excused assignments.

How will late assignments be marked-down, and how can I change the amount of mark-down?

» Go to Tests &Go to View | Grading Options and click on the Other Grades tab. The amount by which late assignments will be marked-down can be adjusted in the last field labeled Late assignments should be marked down.
» If you have separate Grading Options for certain classes, you will need to go to Classes, highlight the class, and click on the Grading tab. Make sure the Customize grading for this class box is checked and click on the Edit Custom Grading tab. You can then click on Other Grades and adjust the percentage for Late Work.

How does ThinkWave Educator account for missing assignments?

Missing assignments are given a score of zero.

How does ThinkWave Educator account for excused assignments?

Excused assignments are discounted when calculating an individual student’s final grade. In other words, excused assignments do not figure in the total possible for a student or in the earned scores of the student.

How do I create Extra Credit assignments?

Go to Tests & Assignments, select a class and click on the New Assignment button (or the Assignment Info button if the assignment has already been created). Check the Extra Credit box (and enter whatever other relevant information that is necessary).

What if I don’t like/agree with the final grade calculated by ThinkWave Educator?

Go to Results, highlight a class and student, and click on the Adjust Grade button. Enter a new grade that will override the grade ThinkWave Educator has calculated. If you need to adjust the grade for combined terms’ results, click on the Show Combined Terms button and highlight the appropriate course code. Click the Adjust Grade button and make the necessary changes.

Note: ThinkWave Educator will not use the adjusted grades in any of its calculations. For example, if you adjust a student’s final grade in a single term for a class with combined terms, the adjusted grade will not be the one that is used to calculate the combined terms’ result. Instead, the program will only use the grades it has calculated.

How do I combine final grades from various terms?

ThinkWave Educator can only combine the final grades from various terms for classes with identical course codes. To assign or change a course code for a class, go to Classes and click on the General tab. After you have assigned the same course code for those classes and terms you wish to combine, go to Tools | Combine Terms and check the box for Use Combined Terms. You can adjust the weight that each term carries by sliding the percentage bars with your mouse.

Note: If you have a final exam that carries its own weight in the calculation for the combined terms’ result (i.e. it is not a test or assignment within a term), you will need to create a Final Exam term to separate it from the regular terms. You can create such a term the same way you create a class (remember to give it the same course code).