Introduction

The instructions below will tell you how to add a "Weighted Column" to "Full Grade Center" in Blackboard Learn. A "Weighted Column" is a type of "Calculated Column," which is a column that uses other columns to calculate either a total, min/max, or average. The "Weighted Column" lets you total up other columns and assign percentage weights to those columns in various ways.

Creating a Weighted Column

To create a "Weighted Column," do the following:

1. In your BB Learn course or shell, click "Grade Center" under the "Control Panel" in the left-hand course menu.
2. Click "Full Grade Center
3. Click "Create Calculated Column."
4. Click "Weighted Column."
5. Specify a "Column Name" in the provided field. Perhaps "Weighted Total" or what you will.
6. If you wish, enter a "Grade Center Name." This changes how the name of the column will display in "Full Grade Center" only. Students will still see the "Column Name" in their "My Grades" area.
7. If you wish, enter a "Description." This appears to students in their "My Grades" area.

8. Select what the "Primary Display" for the column should be.
   

   "Primary Display" appears to you in "Full Grade Center" and to students in their "My Grades" area.

   1. "Score" is a numeric score.
   2. "Letter" is a letter grade.
      1. If you choose "Letter," see the webpage below on configuring your Bb Learn course shell's letter grade schema.
         1. Bb Learn Grade Center -- Letter Grades and Checking the Grading Schema
   3. "Text" lets you enter words, phrases, etc.
   4. "Percentage" displays the score out of 100%.
   5. "Complete/Incomplete" will display a check and award points if any character (including a zero or "0") is entered.

9. Select an option if you wish for the "Secondary Display."
   1. This offers the leftover options from "Primary Display."
   2. The "Secondary Display" only appears to you in "Full Grade Center," not to students.
10. Select either a column or a column category to add to the "Selected Columns" box.

    1. If you want to select a column:
       

       1. Click on a column name in the "Columns to Select" box.
       2. Click the upper > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
       3. Enter the weight percentage you want for that column.

    2. If you want to add a category of columns, follow steps i-vi below.
       

       Note: A "Category" is a way of organizing columns in "Full Grade Center." If you select a category of columns, then all columns in that category will be totaled and/or calculated together according to what you specify and given the percentage weight you specify. More on assigning categories to columns and creating categories is below.
       

       1. Click a category from the "Categories to Select" box.
       2. Click the lower > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
       3. Enter the weight percentage you want for the category.
       4. Decide if all the columns in that category will be evenly weighted against one another,
          1. Or if the columns in the category will be weighed proportionately according to their individual grade point values.
       5. Decide if you want to drop a certain number of the highest or lowest grades.
          1. If you do, enter a number in the appropriate box or boxes.
          2. If you do not, leave the "Highest Grades" and "Lowest Grades" boxes empty.
             1. Grades will only be dropped if one or both of the "Highest Grades" or "Lowest Grades" boxes are filled.
       6. Decide if you want to use only the highest or lowest grade in the category to calculate the grade for category.
          1. Only the highest or lowest grade in the category will be dropped if you select either "Lowest Value to Calculate" or "Highest Value to Calculate."

11. Repeat step 10 until all the columns and/or categories in the "Selected Columns" box add up to 100% and match your syllabus.

12. Decide if you want to calculate this "Weighted Column" as a running total or not.
    

    1. If you select "Yes," then only other columns in Grade Center that have grades will be included in the calculations for the "Weighted Column."
       1. Columns or cells within columns with no grades (even if they have an attempt or submission in them) are exempted and will not count for or against students or a student.
    2. If you select "No," then all grade columns, with or without grades, will count towards the total.
    3. It's generally recommended to enter a "0" or a grade of some sort for every grade column, no matter which option you choose here, just to make sure there are no errors or misunderstandings.

13. If you want to "Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
    1. Please note that "Weighted Columns" are not included in other calculated columns' calculations unless they are specifically selected to be included. If you simply specify all grade columns in other calculated columns, "Weighted Columns" and other calculated columns are not included. If you select "No" here, then you won't be able to include this "Weighted Column" in other calculated columns' calculations.
14. If you want to "Show this Column to Students," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
15. If you want to "Show Statistics (average and median) for this column to Students in My Grades," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
16. Click "Submit" to save your settings.

Edit a Weighted Column (Old Version)

Please visit Editing a Weighted Column for updated instructions.

To edit the settings for a "Weighted Column," do the following.

1. In "Full Grade Center" in your Bb Learn course or shell, click the circled down arrow in the "Weighted Column" (which might be named something else) column header.
2. Click "Edit Column Information."
3. Specify a "Column Name" in the provided field. Perhaps "Weighted Total" or what you will.
4. If you wish, enter a "Grade Center Name." This changes how the name of the column will display in "Full Grade Center" only. Students will still see the "Column Name" in their "My Grades" area.
5. If you wish, enter a "Description." This appears to students in their "My Grades" area.

6. Select what the "Primary Display" for the column should be.
   

   "Primary Display" appears to you in "Full Grade Center" and to students in their "My Grades" area.

   1. "Score" is a numeric score.
   2. "Letter" is a letter grade.
      1. If you choose "Letter," see the webpage below on configuring your Bb Learn course shell's letter grade schema.
         1. Bb Learn Grade Center -- Letter Grades and Checking the Grading Schema
   3. "Text" lets you enter words, phrases, etc.
   4. "Percentage" displays the score out of 100%.
   5. "Complete/Incomplete" will display a check and award points if any character (including a zero or "0") is entered.

7. Select an option if you wish for the "Secondary Display."
   1. This offers the leftover options from "Primary Display."
   2. The "Secondary Display" only appears to you in "Full Grade Center," not to students.
8. If a column or category is missing from the "Selected Columns" box:
   

   1. If you want to add a column:
      

      1. Click on a column name in the "Columns to Select" box.
      2. Click the upper > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
      3. Enter the weight percentage you want for that column.

   2. If you want to add a category of columns, follow steps i-vi below.
      

      Note: A "Category" is a way of organizing columns in "Full Grade Center." If you select a category of columns, then all columns in that category will be totaled and/or calculated together according to what you specify and given the percentage weight you specify. More on assigning categories to columns and creating categories is below.

      1. Click a category from the "Categories to Select" box.
      2. Click the lower > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
      3. Enter the weight percentage you want for the category.
      4. Decide if all the columns in that category will be evenly weighted against one another or if the columns in the category will be weighed proportionately according to their individual grade point values.
      5. Decide if you want to drop a certain number of the highest or lowest grades and enter a number in the appropriate box or boxes if you do. If you don't want to do this, leave the "Highest Grades" and "Lowest Grades" boxes empty. Grades will only be dropped if one or both of the "Highest Grades" or "Lowest Grades" boxes are filled.
      6. Decide if you want to use only the highest or lowest grade in the category to calculate the grade for category. Only the highest or lowest grade in the category will be dropped if you select either "Lowest Value to Calculate" or "Highest Value to Calculate."

9. If a column or category in the "Selected Columns" box needs to be edited:

   1. If you want to edit a column's weight percentage, then edit the number next to the % sign for that column.

   2. If you want to add a column:
      

      1. Click on a column name in the "Columns to Select" box.
      2. Click the upper > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
      3. Enter the weight percentage you want for that column.

   3. If you want to add a category of columns, follow steps i-vi below.
      

      Note: A "Category" is a way of organizing columns in "Full Grade Center." If you select a category of columns, then all columns in that category will be totaled and/or calculated together according to what you specify and given the percentage weight you specify. More on assigning categories to columns and creating categories is below.
      

      1. Click a category from the "Categories to Select" box.
      2. Click the lower > sign next to the "Selected Columns" box.
      3. Enter the weight percentage you want for the category.
      4. Decide if all the columns in that category will be evenly weighted against one another,
         1. Or if the columns in the category will be weighed proportionately according to their individual grade point values.
      5. Decide if you want to drop a certain number of the highest or lowest grades.
         1. If you do, enter a number in the appropriate box or boxes.
         2. If you do not, leave the "Highest Grades" and "Lowest Grades" boxes empty.
            1. Grades will only be dropped if one or both of the "Highest Grades" or "Lowest Grades" boxes are filled.
      6. Decide if you want to use only the highest or lowest grade in the category to calculate the grade for category.
         1. Only the highest or lowest grade in the category will be dropped if you select either "Lowest Value to Calculate" or "Highest Value to Calculate."

   4. If you want to edit a category of columns, follow steps i-vi below. (A "Category" is a way of organizing columns in "Full Grade Center." If you select a category of columns, then all columns in that category will be totaled and/or calculated together according to what you specify and given the percentage weight you specify. More on assigning categories to columns and creating categories is below):
      

      Note: A "Category" is a way of organizing columns in "Full Grade Center." If you select a category of columns, then all columns in that category will be totaled and/or calculated together according to what you specify and given the percentage weight you specify. More on assigning categories to columns and creating categories is below.
      

      1. Edit the weight percentage you want next to % sign for the category.
      2. Decide if all the columns in that category will be evenly weighted against one another,
         
         1. Or if the columns in the category will be weighed proportionately according to their individual grade point values.
      3. Decide if you want to drop a certain number of the highest or lowest grades.
         1. If you do, enter a number in the appropriate box or boxes.
         2. If you do not, leave the "Highest Grades" and "Lowest Grades" boxes empty.
            1. Grades will only be dropped if one or both of the "Highest Grades" or "Lowest Grades" boxes are filled.
      4. Decide if you want to use only the highest or lowest grade in the category to calculate the grade for category.
         1. Only the highest or lowest grade in the category will be dropped if you select either "Lowest Value to Calculate" or "Highest Value to Calculate."

10. Repeat steps 8-9 until all the columns and/or categories in the "Selected Columns" box add up to 100% and match your syllabus.

11. Decide if you want to calculate this "Weighted Column" as a running total or not.
    

    1. If you select "Yes," then only other columns in Grade Center that have grades will be included in the calculations for the "Weighted Column."
       1. Columns or cells within columns with no grades (even if they have an attempt or submission in them) are exempted and will not count for or against students or a student.
    2. If you select "No," then all grade columns, with or without grades, will count towards the total.
    3. It's generally recommended to enter a "0" or a grade of some sort for every grade column, no matter which option you choose here, just to make sure there are no errors or misunderstandings.

12. If you want to "Include this Column in Grade Center," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
    1. Please note that "Weighted Columns" are not included in other calculated columns' calculations unless they are specifically selected to be included. If you simply specify all grade columns in other calculated columns, "Weighted Columns" and other calculated columns are not included. If you select "No" here, then you won't be able to include this "Weighted Column" in other calculated columns' calculations.
13. If you want to "Show this Column to Students," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
14. If you want to "Show Statistics (average and median) for this column to Students in My Grades," select "Yes" next to that option; otherwise, select "No."
15. Click "Submit" to save your settings.

Managing Column Categories

If you included a category of columns in the "Weighted Total," then you should make sure that all the grade columns you want to be included in a category are actually included in that category, and that no other grade columns are in that category.

You can see and assign columns to categories by doing the following.

1. In "Full Grade Center" in your Bb Learn course or shell, click "Manage."
2. Click "Column Organization."
3. Look at the "Category" column and see if the correct category is listed for each column. Grade Center columns will appear as rows.
4. If one or more Grade Center columns need to be changed to a specific category or no category:
   1. Select the check box in each row of the Grade Center columns that need to be changed.
   2. Click "Change Category to…"
   3. Select the appropriate category or "No Category."
   4. Repeat this step to assign all the Grade Center columns to the appropriate categories.
5. If you need to create a new category, see below.
6. Click "Submit" to save your change, or "Cancel" to go back to "Full Grade Center" without saving your changes.

Creating or Editing Column Categories

If you want to create a category or edit a category you created in "Full Grade Center," do the following.

1. In "Full Grade Center" in your Bb Learn course or shell, click "Manage."
2. Click "Categories."
3. Create a category or edit a category you created. To create a category:
   1. Click "Create Category."
   2. Enter the "Name" for the category.
   3. Enter a "Description" if you wish. Descriptions are only visible on the "Categories" page accessed in step 2.
   4. Click "Submit."To edit a category (some categories can't be edited):
4. Hover over the category's "Title" with your mouse.
5. Click the circled down arrow next to that "Title."
6. Click "Edit."
7. Modify the "Name" for the category.
8. Modify or enter a "Description" if you wish. Descriptions are only visible on the "Categories" page accessed in step 2.
9. Click "Submit."
10. Click "OK" in the lower right to return to "Full Grade Center."

Calculating Grades - Additional Considerations

• BB Learn Grade Center - Calculating Grades
• BB Learn Grade Center - Calculating Grades - Additional Options