Gradebook categories can be used to organize and group related grade items together. For example, you may want to create separate grade categories for Quizzes, Dropbox Submissions, Discussions, etc. By organizing your grades in this way, you can evenly distribute points between grade items in each category, or drop the lowest item grade in a category.
From the Grades page, click on Manage Grades. From the New menu, select Category.
Name the category. You can, also, enter a short name that will be displayed as the heading in your gradebook column and a description for the category (although neither is required).
If you are using a “Points” grading scheme:
If, due to the awarding of bonus points, the value of the category may exceed the assigned value, click on “Can Exceed”.
If you don’t want the grades entered in the category to be counted in the calculation of the Final Grade, click “Exclude from Final Grade Calculation”
If you are using a “Weighted” grading scheme:
You will assign a weight to the category that indicates how it will be calculated into the Final Grade. You can also choose to allow the value of the category to exceed the assigned value.
You can choose to have Pilot distribute points equally among the items in the category. You can also drop the number of highest or lowest scores that you indicate.