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.

This video was recorded using Moodle 3 and the Classic theme. The default theme in Moodle 4 as of the Fall 2023 is Boost.

How to access the Gradebook setup in Moodle 4 using the Boost theme

To access the Gradebook setup in Moodle 4 using the Boost theme: open the course, click the Grades tab, and select Gradebook setup from the drop-down menu.

Adding Weights to the Entire Gradebook

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

• Open the course and access the Gradebook Setup window.
• Click on the Cell Actions button (three dots) across from the course title at the top of the Gradebook Setup window.

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

• Select the Edit Category option.
• From the Aggregation drop-down menu, choose Weighted Mean of Grades.

Do not choose Simple Weighted 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 button.
6. You will now see a Weights column in the Gradebook where you can add your weight figures.

• Be sure to click the Save changes button after entering your weight values. If you don’t click the Save changes button, the weight values will not be saved.

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 Cell Actions button (three dots) button across from the Category where you want to add weights.

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

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

Do not choose Simple Weighted 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 button.
6. You will now see a Weights column in the Gradebook where you can add your weight figures for the category.

• e sure to click the Save changes button after entering your weight values. If you don’t click the Save changes button, the weight values will not be saved.