Using Weights in the Moodle Gradebook

In some cases you may want grade items or categories to represent designated proportions of the final grade in the gradebook.

What are Weights and How to Use Them in a Gradebook

This video explains what weights are, when to use them, and how weights calculate grades.

Adding Weights to the Entire Gradebook

To add fields where you can enter weights to every item in the Gradebook:

1. Open the course and access the Gradebook Setup window.
2. Click on the Edit button across from the course title at the top of the Gradebook Setup window.

Be careful not to click the Edit button for an individual Grade Item or Grade Category.

3. Select the Edit Setting option
4. From the Aggregation drop-down menu, choose Weighted Mean of Grades.

Do not choose Simple Weight Mean of Grades if you want to enter weights. The “Simple” aggregation option is not the same as the Weighted Mean of Grades.

5. Click the Save changes button.
6. You will now see a Weights column in the Gradebook where you can add your weight figures.

Adding Weights to a Gradebook Category

Sometimes you want to weight items inside of a Gradebook Category. To add weight fields inside of a specific category in the Gradebook:

1. Open the course and access the Gradebook Setup window.
2. In the Gradebook Setup window, click on the Edit button across from the Category where you want to add weights.

Be careful to select the corresponding Edit button for the chosen Category rather than the entire Gradebook or another Grade Item in the list.

3. Select the Edit Setting option
4. From the Aggregation drop-down menu, choose Weighted Mean of Grades.

Do not choose Simple Weight Mean of Grades if you want to enter weights. The “Simple” aggregation option is not the same as the Weighted Mean of Grades.

5. Click the Save changes button.
6. You will now see an indented Weights column in the Gradebook where you can add your weight figures for the category.