How do I create a gradebook with category weights in Ultra?

Many instructors weight their course by categories like Quizzes, Exams, Assignments, Discussions, etc. There are two ways to set up your course to be calculated by weights: through the Overall Grade or through a calculation.

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1. Click on the Gradebook, then the gear icon in the top right to open the Gradebook Settings.

2. Determine if the pre-set categories are appropriate for your course. Note: Discussion, Test, Assignment, Exam, Homework, Presentation, Quiz, Attendance, and Homework are pre-set by the system and can not be deleted. Click Add New Category as appropriate, or select the three dots to edit/delete a category.

3. From Course Content, create an assignment or test. 

4. Ensure that you have at least one graded assignment (or discussion board) assigned to each category for your course.

Now, we can set up your gradebook with category weights.

Option 1: Overall Gradebook

Ensure that you have changed the Overall Grade Settings to Grade Category weights. Adjust the percentages as desired. You can then click on the Category Folders to see which assignments fall in that category. Note: Ultra will not save your weights unless the total equals 100%. Therefore, it is important that you have at least one assignment in your Course Content of each category that composes of the final grade in your course. 

Option 2: Creating a Calculation

1. Click the purple (+) to add a Calculation.
   
   

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2. Name the calculated column – for example, Final Grade – and set the column's visibility so students can see it. Set a grade schema (Percentage, Points, or Letter)
   
   
   

3. Click Open Parenthesis ( from the Operators column, Total from Functions and Variables column, then Multiply (*) from the Operators column, then Value from the Operators column, then Close Parenthesis ) from the Operators column. 
    
   
   
   

4. Expand the Total variable and select one category from the course. Type in the variable box the weight of the category as a decimal
   
   

   
   
   
   

5. If your total is less than one add the Add (+) from Operators column. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until sum equals one.

6. Once finished, click the Validate link above the Functions & Variables column to test your calculation. If it is configured properly, you will see a green check mark.
   
   
   
   

7. Click the purple X in the top left corner of the panel to close.