Quarterly and Semester Optional Fields

12-16 Optional Fields

12-16 Lab WU xls grade keeper has 6 optional weighted fields. To understand the significance of these 6 fields you must know what grade averages that the fields affect.

The two fields that are labeled Semester Exam weigh against the semester average. The four fields labeled Opt. Project weigh against the quarterly average.

By "weigh against" I mean that whatever percentage that you place in the field's boxes, that is the chunk of grade that is applied in the average score. For instance, if you place 50% in the weight box, then the score that the student makes will be 50% of the grade average of the part that it is weighed against. Did that make any sense? Carefully consider how much of the optional project/test should be worth in the grade average. See the following example.

An Example of Grade Weight for the Optional fields.
In this example, the optional field score is much greater than the term average.

This box represents all of the grades for the quarter [or semester] -- all of the tests, lab scores -- everything except the optional field.

Let's say the student earned a dismal 68%

This box represents the grade earned in the optional quarterly [or semester] project/test field.

Let's say the student earned a nice 98%

50% for optional quarterly or semester project/test: The grader will apply the weights and the final score will be an 83%, which might be an inflated grade average.

20% for optional quarterly or semester project/test: The grader will apply the weights and the final score will be an 74%

Important to note: You do not have to use any of these fields.

To use one or more of the fields do the following:

Decide how much the exam or project will count of the term's average grade.
Add the grade in the appropriate field. See the image below. [the grade field for the quarterly option is not labeled.]

quarterly projects