Extra Credit Columns

In the Grade Center, you can provide extra credit to students in three ways:

• Extra credit for the total column
• Extra credit when weighting grades—added to a category
• Extra credit for a weighted total column

Extra credit for the total column

You can create an extra credit column in the Grade Center with a maximum score of 0 that is included in the default Total column computation. Then, you can assign extra credit points as needed.

This method works for only one individual extra credit column where grades aren't weighted.

Example: Columns in the Grade Center

Grade Center columns with points possible

Column	Points Possible
Assign 1	10
Assign 2	10
Essay	50
Test	30
Extra Credit	0
Total	100

If you assign 0 as the points possible, any grading schema that uses a percentage, such as Percentage or Letter, is represented in the Full Grade Center as a score. These grading schemas are based on the percentage of the score compared to the points possible. When the points possible are 0, a percentage can't be calculated.

Create an extra credit column

1. In the Grade Center, select Create Column.
2. On the Create Grade Column page, provide the appropriate information.
3. Select Score from the Primary Display menu.
4. Select Percentage from the Secondary Display menu.
5. For Points Possible, type 0.
6. Select Yes for Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations.
7. Select Submit.

The extra credit column appears in the Grade Center. After you add points in an extra credit column, a student's total points can equal more than 100 percent. If a student receives full credit for all gradable items (100 points) and also receives 6 extra credit points, the result is 106 out or 100 or 106%.

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Create extra credit when weighting grades

The weighted total column generates a grade based on the result of selected columns and categories, and their respective percentages. When you create a weighted column, you can include other calculated columns and other weighted columns. Your options are to add extra credit points to a category or to the overall grade.

More on creating a weighted total column

Add extra credit points to a category

Example:

You want to add 5 points extra credit to tests. In the Grade Center, create an extra credit column worth 0 points. After adding the 5 points for each student to the extra credit column, create another column to calculate the combined test grades total. The “Tests Total” column includes any columns that include test grades and the extra credit column. When you create the weighted total column, instead of adding the category "Tests" worth 20%, add the “Tests Total" column for 20%.

1. In the Grade Center, select Create Column.
2. On the Create Grade Column page, provide the appropriate information for a tests extra credit column.
3. Select Score from the Primary Display menu.
4. For Points Possible, type 0.
5. Select Yes for Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations.
6. Select Submit.

Create another column to calculate the total of the tests columns and the tests extra credit column.

1. Select Create Calculated Column to access the menu and select Total Column.
2. Provide the appropriate information and a name such as “Tests Total.”
3. Include the test columns and the tests extra credit column.
4. Select Percentage from the Primary Display menu.
5. Select Submit.

For your weighted total column, check that the "Tests Total" is the column that's being weighted and not the category “Tests.”

When you combine an extra credit column with a weighted total column, both calculate as points instead of percentages. Read more about the math logic used by weighted total columns.

Add extra credit points to the overall grade

1. In the Grade Center, select Create Column.
2. On the Create Grade Column page, provide the appropriate information for an extra credit column.
3. Select Score from the Primary Display menu.
4. For Points Possible, type 0.
5. Select Yes for Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations.
6. Select Submit.

Create a "Final Total" column that includes the "Weighted Total" and the "Extra Credit" columns.