Create Category Weight Total Column

Figure out Your Categories

Category Weight total columns are flexible and only require a few steps to set up. Start by determining the categories required for your course activities.

• Go to your Syllabus Grade Table
• Review the activities listed

Categorizing Activities in Blackboard

Blackboard creates default categories for activities based on the tools used to make them. It's recommended you stick with these default categories, however, sometimes you'll have multiple types of activities using the same tool.

In the above image, exams and quizzes calculate differently towards final grade, but they're both categorized as "test". You'll need to re-categorize one group.

Create and Manage Categories

Navigate to the Full Grade Center

• Create Categories - in the Full Grade Center, select Manage, choose "Categories"
  
• Change Categories - in the Full Grade Center, select Manage, choose Column Organization
  
• Manage Existing Categories - in Column Organization, select and redefine columns
  

Create Weighted Total Column

Navigate to the Full Grade Center

• Create Weighted Column - Select Calculated Column, choose "Weighted Total"
  

Configure the Column Settings

Select column Action Link to edit

Name the Column

• Choose a title that will help students recognize the significance of this column.
• Write a brief description of the column. This works: "Your percentage based on submitted and graded work"
• Primary display is best as "Percentage" for weighted column since points are listed for students in My Grades. Secondary display is only visible to you. Choose what's best.

Select Categories

• Select each category you're using to calculate your final percentage
• Confirm you've got the correct activities in the category
• Move the category to the window to configure its percentage weight

Configure Categories

• Enter the percentage weight of the category
• Select "Proportional" -ensures each activity's points contribute accurately to the category as a whole
• Use these settings for dropping lowest or selecting highest activities in a category. Ignore if not applicable
• Choose calculate as running total "Yes". This means grades are calculated for all submitted work. Missing assignments must be "zeroed out" accurate total percentage figures.

Continue to add and configure each category until the total is 100 percent

Final Settings

These settings are recommended settings for the last section

Freeze Total Column

By default, Blackboard puts all newly created columns at the end of the Grade Center. In Column Organization, drag the new weighted total column to the fixed area of the Grade Center for easy assessment management.

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