Weight Grades
Grade weighting is an important part of how final grades are calculated.
Weight grades to make certain assignments count for more or less
towards the final grade. PowerGrade provides four methods to weight
grades and assignments. You can use none of them, all of them, or
any combination of the four. You can set up weighting at any time
during the school year, but it is best to do so at the beginning
of the year or term so that students know what to expect.
The first method of weighting is the easiest. Simply enter the value of the
assignment multiplied by the number of times you want it weighted. Perhaps homework
assignments are usually worth 10 points, but you want a specific homework assignment
to be worth 20. When creating the assignment in PowerGrade, make it worth 20
points rather than the usual 10.
The second method uses PowerGrade to weight assignments. Rather than perform
the multiplication yourself, enter the points possible and the appropriate weight
when you set up the assignment. PowerGrade performs the calculation and enters
the proper grade into your data file. Students and parents view the total points
possible and the final calculated grade; they do not have access to weighting
information. However, you can explain the weighting in the assignment's description.
The third method uses PowerGrade to weight categories of assignments for final
grades. For example, weight grades so that chapter tests are worth 50% of the
final grade, the final exam is worth 20%, and homework assignments are worth
the remaining 30%.
The fourth method weighs one final term grade for more than another final term
grade. Some teachers use this method to calculate term or end-of-year grades.
If you weight the final exam by two and the final exam category
by two, you are effectively quadrupling the weight of the final
exam, thereby rendering the other assignments and tests less valuable
in the final grade calculation. It is important to carefully consider
how much weight you give to which assignment and which category.
If you are not sure how to go about weighting assignments or categories,
contact your PowerSchool administrator. Mistakes in the setup process
could cause problems later on.
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