The process of submitting final grades can be daunting. This post breaks down the grade submission process into discrete steps and provides guidance for each step of the way.
Step 1: Check the grading scheme
The grading scheme is the breakdown of percentages and letter grades and is used to calculate grades that students see in the Canvas gradebook. The default grading scheme in Canvas sites differs from the UMN Letter Grade Scheme. For example, the UMN Grade Scheme has an “A” at 93-100% whereas the default Canvas scheme has an “A” at 94-100%.
You may have already set the grading scheme at the start of the semester, so if you change it at the end, notify students as their grades may change from what they have been monitoring.
The first minute of the following video shows how to check/set the grading scheme in your Canvas course (the rest of the video shows Steps 2, 3 & 4).
Step 2: Update gradebook scores
All empty/blank grades need a score or another value like “EX” for excused to ensure all assignments have an accurate grade, as shown in the image below.
Step 3: Post all grades
Ensure the grades for all assignments are posted and not hidden. You can quickly scan the Gradebook to check: if you don’t see an eye icon with a slash through it for any of the assignments, then all the grades are posted.
[Optional] Step 4: Final grade override
The Final Grade Override option allows instructors to enter a final grade for students that differs from the grade Canvas automatically calculates in the Gradebook.
Head to the gear icon for the Gradebook settings, as shown in the following image, to allow final grade override.
Step 5: Prepare to submit final grades
Before submitting final grades, we recommend communicating with your students at least 24 hours before you submit final grades. This allows students to bring up something you may have missed in the final grading process.
The following video demonstrates the process of submitting final grades from Canvas to PeopleSoft/Faculty Center and includes information on how to address errors like ‘current and final scores do not match’ and last date of participation (for F and N grades).
Step 6: Finalize in Faculty Center
The last step is to verify, approve, and save final grades in PeopleSoft/Faculty Center.
Bonus Tips
- Set Default Grade for missing submissions
- Message students who...
- Save Speedgrader comments to your Comment Library
- Use a rubric to grade submissions in Speedgrader
Advanced resources
- Rules for assignments (aka drop lowest or highest scores)
- Weighted Grades
- Curve Grades
- Late Submission Policy (applies to ALL graded assignments)
- Apply scores to ungraded assignments
- Extra Credit Canvas Guide
- Anonymous Grading
- Group Grades (at individual level)
- Export grades (what do all those columns mean)?
- Icons and colors in the Gradebook
- View Student Grades (as they see it)