Grading

Canvas Gradebook

You should use the integrated Canvas gradebook. We recommend creating assignments in Canvas, even when students hand in papers in class or turn in nothing at all, so that a grade can be entered in Canvas. Keeping all of your grades in Canvas allows for more grade transparency with students.

Grade Visibility

Do not hide grades from students, except temporarily when grading. Always show student grade summary totals, including the course total grade. If recording grades elsewhere as in an Excel spreadsheet, also enter grades in the Canvas gradebook.

If the rare case that the Canvas gradebook does not accurately reflect the grade for a course, choose to "hide totals in student grades summary" in the course settings (under "more options"). If you hide grade totals, you must include the following disclaimer in your Canvas course syllabus:

• Due to the method used to calculate grades in this course, the Canvas gradebook may not always provide an accurate representation of your course grade. Because of this discrepancy, the course final grade and total grades for weighted assignment groups are hidden in the gradebook. Please check with your your instructor for details about your final grade in the course.

Other Gradebooks

In the rare case that your department utilizes a different gradebook than the integrated Canvas gradebook, please ensure you share each student's grades transparently, but also in a responsible manner, following FERPA guidelines to safeguard student privacy. ITS can help provide guidance on responsible data sharing.

While not recommended unless absolutely necessary, if you use a different gradebook, we suggest you hide the "grades" page in the course navigation menu.

Grading Missing Submissions

We recommend you do not use the gradebook setting that automatically applies zeros to missing submissions. Best practice is to manually enter "0" in the gradebook for each missing assignment, or exempt a student with "EX"

If you do choose to use the setting to "Automatically apply grade for missing submissions" please do so with caution. If an assignment is published but no longer required by all students, Canvas may give students who opted out of the assignment zeros and unintentionally reduce their final grade.

Course Grading Schemes

You must setup a grading scheme in Canvas for each course you teach. This ensures students have an accurate representation of their grades.

NCSSM Connect and Online Courses

use the following 10-point grading scheme:

• A 100 % to 89.5%

• B < 89.5 % to 79.5%

• C < 79.5 % to 69.5%

• D < 69.5 % to 59.5%

• F < 59.5 % to 0.0%

Residential Courses

use your departmentally-mandated grading scheme. The default grading scheme for residential courses is:

• A+ 100% to 97%

• A < 97% to 93%

• A- < 93% to 90%

• B+ < 90% to 87%

• B < 87% to 83%

• B- < 83% to 80%

• C+ < 80% to 77%

• C < 77% to 73%

• C- < 73% to 70%

• D < 70% to 0%

Grading Policy

You should add the grading scale to your course syllabus. You should also provide your grading policy in the syllabus, including policies for late submissions, missing work, and extra credit.