Blackboard Grading Schema
Topic Overview
Grading Schemas take the actual points scored from a Grade Item and compare it to the total points possible for that item to derive a percentage. This percentage is mapped to a range of scores in order to display a grade. (The Grade Center includes a copy of a default grading schema).
When a Grading Schema is employed, and depending on the grade display option, the Grade Center will translate the entry according to the Grading Schema and display the corresponding value.
Steps
Letter Grading Schema
- Click on Control Panel > Grade Center > Full Grade Center
- Underneath Manage on the Grade Center page, click on Grading Schemas
- You can choose to use the Letter default grading schema or you can create a grading schema
- You can edit the Letter default grading schema by clicking on the chevrons (the two arrows pointing downward) to the right of the Letter title and select Edit
- From here you can insert and delete rows as needed.
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Creating a New Grading Schema
This example will follow the setup of a grading schema that matches the following letter grading scale:
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C=70% - 79%
D = 60% -69%
F = 0% -59%- Click on Create Grading Schema
- Type in the name of the new schema in the Name text area. Decide on how many grading levels are needed. By default there are only 2 levels. To add more grading levels click on the Insert Row button
- Insert 3 new rows to create the grading map using the example above
Setup the percentage spread to match the letter grade
Click Submit to save your grading schema.
An explanation of how Blackboard interprets a schema setup
 A student will have the letter grade of D recorded if the grade entered is between 60% up to not including 70%. The only difference would be the letter grade of A; it would be a grade that is between 90% up to and including 100% and would be recorded as an A. The percentage range given for each grade value must begin with the lesser value listed first. The values must also overlap. For example. A = 90-100%, B= 80-90%, C= 70-80% and so on. Ranges must be set up this way to avoid gaps that could occur when a score falls between two numbers in the range.
Setting up scores that will be recorded when entering a grade manually. If an instructor types in the letter A for a student's grade, the student would receive a 95% for their grade.
Grades Manually Entered as column must be filled out to complete your grading schema and the percentage in the "will calculate as" must fall within the "Grade Scored Between" range on the left-hand side.
Grading Schemas Greater Than 100%
Instructors can now make the uppermost value in a grading schema greater than 100%. For example, if a student earns 100% or more, an instructor may choose to assign an A+ to those scores.