Setting up the Overall Mark
In Gradebook, the overall mark option allows you to set up a column that shows the overall mark for two or more pieces of coursework.
The overall mark can be a points or percentage value and can be calculated in a number of ways.
Instructions
In Gradebook select Marks' view, select Set it up.
This option is available under Gradebook settings by clicking on the cog icon in Gradebook and scrolling through the options, in the settings menu e.g.
You can calculate the Overall mark in a number of ways:
Weighted calculation
If you want to calculate the total mark of two or more pieces of coursework that are marked out of 100%, select Weighted and Next.
This allows you to assign percentage values to any course item and category and choose whether to weight items in the same category proportionally or equally. In the Overall Mark screen, proportionally will be selected by default:
In Blackboard Gradebook, assessment items are grouped by category and each category is included in the the total automatically, for instance all the categories are scored at 10%, you just want to include the relevant assignments in your overall score.
First deselect all the categories by clicking on the
You’ll see the symbol turn purple and the value drop to 0%. It can be easier to see the items if you unlink the items in the list that contribute to the mark by opening the folders and clicking 
This moves the items outside the folder
NB If you don’t categorise an Turnitin assessment, it is assigned to the ‘No category’ folder at the bottom, unlink this item as well.
Enter the percentage value each assessment will contribute to the overall mark and click on the padlock to prevent it changing:
If the values do not meet 100% you’ll receive a warning.
Finally, select how the overall mark is displayed e.g. percentage and whether to show it to students and then Save.
The Overall mark column appears beside the students' names in Gradebook’s Marks view. You can click on Overall mark to edit the calculation:
Video showing Weighted Overall Mark (3.45)
Watch this video on creating an overall mark based on a weighted average:
Points total
If you want to calculate the total mark of two or more pieces of coursework that are marked in points, select Points and Next.
This allows you to add up the points values of course items and categories, you can then represent this as points or a percentage at the end. In Blackboard Gradebook, assessment items are grouped by category and each marked item is included in the the total automatically.
Therefore you need to deselect the items you don’t need from the overall mark. Deselect all the categories and any items by clicking on the
You’ll see the symbol turn purple and the value drop to 0. If you have a number of items in your Gradebook, sometimes it can be easier to move them outside the catgeory folder. Unlink those items in the list that contribute to the mark by opening the folders and clicking
This moves the items outside the folder, which makes them easier too see.
If you don’t categorise the Turnitin assessments, they are assigned a no category folder at the bottom. The overall mark will be calculated from the values show:
and the total value appears at the bottom
Finally, select percentage or points and whether to show it to students and then Save
The Overall mark column appears beside the students name in Gradebook’s Marks view. You can click on Overall mark to edit the calculation:
Overall mark by formula
Use the advanced option when you need to perform more complex calculations for your overall mark.
For instance you may have a number of smaller weekly tasks that you want to take the maximum or average value and add it to the value of a larger piece of coursework like an essay.
Select Advanced and Next.
Then begin to build your function in the centre of the screen using the buttons at the side. For instance I want the student mark to be the sum of: the average of the tests, plus the maximum of the discussions plus the mark of the web project.
Click on button to add the first operator, item or category. For instance to get the Average click on Average then use the dropdown arrow to select the category of Test.
Then select the operator Add, and a plus appears in the main area.
Next I select the next item e.g the Maximum function and choose Discussions category from the dropdown. Again I choose the Add operator and select Total and select the coursework item:
Remember to select how the overall mark is displayed, whether student can view it and then Save
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Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle