Grading Scheme

[VinceLocke]

How do I create a custom grading scheme that converts points to letter grades?

For example, let's say there are five assignments in the course, worth 100 points each, for a total of 500 points. I want to convert those 500 points into letter grades, but Canvas will only convert percentages to letter grades. When I've tried to convert the points to percentages, Canvas converts the percentages to grades that are lower than they should be, so I have to enter grade overrides for my students. How can I create a custom grading scheme that cuts out the percentages altogether?

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @VinceLocke,

The final grades in Canvas are basically always percentage-based, so converting points back to percentages if going to be the way to go.  You mentioned that when using the percentage-based grade scheme, Canvas was assigning letter grades that were too low though...  Could you provide more info about that issue, perhaps some screenshots of your grade scheme, and an explanation of what you wanted to achieve vs what Canvas assigned?  The community could probably help figure out what's going on there and how to help you fix it.

-Chris

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @VinceLocke,

The final grades in Canvas are basically always percentage-based, so converting points back to percentages if going to be the way to go.  You mentioned that when using the percentage-based grade scheme, Canvas was assigning letter grades that were too low though...  Could you provide more info about that issue, perhaps some screenshots of your grade scheme, and an explanation of what you wanted to achieve vs what Canvas assigned?  The community could probably help figure out what's going on there and how to help you fix it.

-Chris

[paul_fynn · Accepted solution]

Hi @VinceLocke, I am with @chriscas on tis one.

However, in my experience you can take whatever number or text that you like, code it out of 100 to transfer it into Canvas as a grade.

Then you decode that grade into the letter / text description that you want (this could include "500" "250" etc).

• Because the letter grade allocation works on a grade range rather than a fixed number, it should be tolerant to the calculation that you made pre-transfer into Canvas.

However, important to note that any letter grade has a distorting effect in the grades view in various places, and (from memory) will pull the number that you used in with it in student view.... so the number needs to be understood by students.

You might want to rebase your 500 schema back to 100 generally.... see 

• How do I use grading schemes in a course?

[KimFoxMedia]

This is my exact question. What is the purpose of a 'custom' grading scheme if it can't be customized to the points that I want? Why does there need to be a cap on the points. The default letter grades are not compatible with my course design. As opposed to making me put in a lot of effort to adhere the Canvas' percentages, make it easier for me to just use my current system. Very frustrating.