Gradebook columns explainer

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Last updated: 11 Jul 2023
2 min read

Gradebook columns are created automatically based on graded assignments (including graded quizzes).

Gradebook columns are also created automatically for each assignment group. (Think of an assignment group as an assignment folder, see the illustration below.)

  1. Non-graded assignments do not create gradebook columns.
  2. You can set a graded assignment to not count towards the final grade. Assignments which are graded but do not count toward the final grade still create a column in the gradebook.

In the illustration below, in Assignments, there are six assignments spread across three assignment groups.

Assignments

  1. Group project 1
  2. Group project 2 - submission
  3. Group project 2 - presentation
  4. Quiz 1
  5. Quiz 2
  6. Essay

Assignment groups

  1. Project
  2. Quizzes
  3. Individual Assignments

In Grades, there are six assignment columns and three assignment group columns.

Assignment group columns:

  1. Do not have the "Out of ___" points sub header.
  2. Are tallied based on the assignments in the assignment group i.e. they cannot be edited directly.
  3. Are tallied based on submitted assignments only (see IMPORTANT note below the screenshot).

Note: the Total column is not shown in the screenshot below.

IMPORTANT: Assignment group (and Total) columns calculation

The Assignment Group column(s) and the Total column ignore missing submissions. Using the Quizzes assignment group above as an example:

Student A

  • Quiz 1: 4 out of 5
  • Quiz 2: 5 out of 5
  • Quizzes column: (4+5)/5 x 100 = 90%

Student B

  • Quiz 1: Did not submit.
  • Quiz 2: 5 out of 5
  • Quizzes column: 5 / 5 x 100 = 100%

In order to get Canvas to count the missing submission, you need to enter a 0 for the missing submission.

You can do this course-wide by setting a missing submission policy, with the missing submission grade as 0%. Note that applying a missing submission policy will not affect previously graded missing submissions. Therefore, the Missing Submission policy should be set up when a course is created prior to creating assignments.

You may also want to hide the totals in student grade summaries.