I have been trying to solve this but I don't think I am using the same terms as Moodle does, which makes it confusing.
I want to weigh individual quizzes differently within a category. For example, I have three main categories: Quizzes, Homework, and Review. The overall category values are 75% for Quizzes, 10% for Homework and 15% for Review. I have seven quizzes per term. However, I want to weigh each quiz differently. For example,
Unit 1 quiz - 12% of the 75%
Unit 2 quiz - 16% of the 75%
and so on. I will want to do this with the Homework and review as well.
Each quiz has maybe 40 - 60 questions. How do I set this up? Do I have to set up seven different categories, each with different weighting or do I do it with sub categories and if so, how do I set the proper values? Do I use the multiplicator option? (I read the description of this five times and it still does not make any sense). I select scales and it just gives me a paper on scaling (very confusing). I have searched but can find no mention of this, which leads me to believe that I am using the wrong terminology. Any ideas?
V odpovědi na Neil Lindholm
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Susan Mangan -
You could probably do this a couple different ways. This is how I would do it:
1. First, add your 3 categories Quizzes, Homework, and Review to the Gradebook and set the aggregation method to weighted mean of grades.
2. Within each category, enter the corresponding weight (75% for Quizzes, 10% for Homework and 15% for Review)
3. Set each of the graded items within each category to "1".
4. On the Edit tab of the quiz you have the ability to set a 'total', so regardless of how many questions are in the quiz you can scale it down to a smaller weight (eg, 12%, 16%).
Alternately, you can maybe scale your individual graded items in the gradebook within each category instead of changing the totals. So instead of steps 3 and 4 above:
3. Set each of the graded items within each category to be scaled to what you want (eg, 12%, 16%). But I'm not sure if this will work as I have never tested this method myself so I can't confirm how it will calculate.
Hope that helps??
1. First, add your 3 categories Quizzes, Homework, and Review to the Gradebook and set the aggregation method to weighted mean of grades.
2. Within each category, enter the corresponding weight (75% for Quizzes, 10% for Homework and 15% for Review)
3. Set each of the graded items within each category to "1".
4. On the Edit tab of the quiz you have the ability to set a 'total', so regardless of how many questions are in the quiz you can scale it down to a smaller weight (eg, 12%, 16%).
Alternately, you can maybe scale your individual graded items in the gradebook within each category instead of changing the totals. So instead of steps 3 and 4 above:
3. Set each of the graded items within each category to be scaled to what you want (eg, 12%, 16%). But I'm not sure if this will work as I have never tested this method myself so I can't confirm how it will calculate.
Hope that helps??
V odpovědi na Susan Mangan
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Elena Ivanova -
in #4 - changing the Max Grade for the quiz in the Quiz > Edit tab, will not provide you a different weight for the quiz, I think 
If a student gets 10 out of 10 points in a quiz, it is = 100%.
So, if instructor would type 9 for Max Grade, then student's final grade will be 9 out of 9 (100%) in the gradebook.
Best bet would be setting quiz sub-category to the Weighted mean as well (alternate 3 solution)
I would probably do something like this (huge screenshot attached)
p.s. If you have "Aggregate including subcategories" option, it should be set to No.
If a student gets 10 out of 10 points in a quiz, it is = 100%.
So, if instructor would type 9 for Max Grade, then student's final grade will be 9 out of 9 (100%) in the gradebook.
Best bet would be setting quiz sub-category to the Weighted mean as well (alternate 3 solution
I would probably do something like this (huge screenshot attached)
p.s. If you have "Aggregate including subcategories" option, it should be set to No.
V odpovědi na Elena Ivanova
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Susan Mangan -
Awesome example, that is probably a much better way of doing it. Many of our instructors change the max grade of their quizzes to scale the total grade down to the proper weight of that item. In hindsight I guess this would only really work if using Simple Weighted means?
On this same topic, you choose to use Sum of Grades. Would that essentially be the same as selecting Weighted Mean of Grades and selecting 1 for the weight?
On this same topic, you choose to use Sum of Grades. Would that essentially be the same as selecting Weighted Mean of Grades and selecting 1 for the weight?
V odpovědi na Susan Mangan
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Neil Lindholm -
Elena, that is exactly what I want to do and what I was looking for but my gradebook does not have the weight column.
I attached a screen shot.
Can I assume that I did not turn on this option somewhere? If so, where is the place to select this option?
I attached a screen shot.
Can I assume that I did not turn on this option somewhere? If so, where is the place to select this option?
V odpovědi na Neil Lindholm
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Neil Lindholm -
Never mind, I just figured it out. I don't use simple weighted means, but weighted means. Magically, the column that I wanted appeared.
Thanks both of you for your help.
Thanks both of you for your help.
V odpovědi na Neil Lindholm
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Neil Lindholm -
Actually, another question. How is the weight actually calculated? In the example posted above, the sum of your weights is greater than the sum of the category weight. Does this matter? I calculated the weights of the seven quizzes to add up to 100% of the total amount of quizzes but my quizzes are worth 80% overall. Does the program assume the weight values are percentages (a weight of 21 actually is 0.21 of the total) or is something else going on?
I wish I could find an example of a great course layout or the online Moodle help documents would show examples. Would make things much easier. The help for Item Weigh explains nothing.
I wish I could find an example of a great course layout or the online Moodle help documents would show examples. Would make things much easier. The help for Item Weigh explains nothing.
V odpovědi na Neil Lindholm
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Elena Ivanova -
If you do not check "Aggregate Including subcategories", then it should work, imho.
In my example I have 3 quizzes, each of them is out of any number of points.
I know that each quiz is suppose to contribute some % to the Quizzes subcategory ( not to total) So, I make sure that the sum of %es (weight) of my quizzes is equal to 100 in that particular sub-category: 12+16+72.
The weights that I enter for quizzes in Quizzes sub-category are unrelated to the weights that I enter for items/categories located in the Course category (also equal 100% = 75+10+15). p.s. I put 75, since this is what you said before, not 80%
Most people get confused by the interface which shows weights in one column, so visually you assume that they all equally treated, but they are not. They are "nested" (in case of not using "Aggregate Including subcategories").
P.s. I am trying to write several scenarios with screenshots at the moment, so I will post a link once ready for review.
When I was starting, this page helped me a ton., You might get confused with old screenshots though
In my example I have 3 quizzes, each of them is out of any number of points.
I know that each quiz is suppose to contribute some % to the Quizzes subcategory ( not to total) So, I make sure that the sum of %es (weight) of my quizzes is equal to 100 in that particular sub-category: 12+16+72.
The weights that I enter for quizzes in Quizzes sub-category are unrelated to the weights that I enter for items/categories located in the Course category (also equal 100% = 75+10+15). p.s. I put 75, since this is what you said before
Most people get confused by the interface which shows weights in one column, so visually you assume that they all equally treated, but they are not. They are "nested" (in case of not using "Aggregate Including subcategories").
P.s. I am trying to write several scenarios with screenshots at the moment, so I will post a link once ready for review.
When I was starting, this page helped me a ton., You might get confused with old screenshots though
V odpovědi na Elena Ivanova
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Elena Ivanova -
p.s. you can enter 21, or 0.21, wil not matter.
e.g. Item 1 has to be 50%, Item 2 has to 50% too.
You can enter those weighs in WM: 50 and 50; 0.5 and 0.5, or 1 and 1. OR you can use SWM and do not bother with weights. All of those will result in the same outcome.
I prefer to tell people to enter like %es, since it is easier to explain.
e.g. Item 1 has to be 50%, Item 2 has to 50% too.
You can enter those weighs in WM: 50 and 50; 0.5 and 0.5, or 1 and 1. OR you can use SWM and do not bother with weights. All of those will result in the same outcome.
I prefer to tell people to enter like %es, since it is easier to explain.
V odpovědi na Elena Ivanova
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Susan Mangan -
This page also helped me when we started with 1.9 Although powerful, the gradebook is very intimidating to the layman. I had to test and re-test and RE-test scenarios to make sure I understood how it worked so I could assist faculty and I have started my own 'Gradebook Examples' courses just so that I remember how to do things when asked!! (eg, how to apply bonus points when using weighted mean ... since weighted does not support bonus points!) Is a work in progress but kinda fun figuring it all out 
OK that makes me a geek doesn't it 
OK that makes me a geek doesn't it
V odpovědi na Susan Mangan
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Neil Lindholm -
Oh, we are all geeks here. Since discovering Moodle last term, I have changed my courses numerous times and spend more time playing with the program than actually prepping for courses. If we were not geeks, we would not bother.
V odpovědi na Susan Mangan
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Elena Ivanova -
A) Susan, you know, I was originally thinking that your instructors are trying to grade on the curve. But then I thought more. 
They are not! (I got confused, since this is what one of my faculty just did)
Yes, in this situation changing the Max Grade in the quiz interface should work like a charm with even SUM for Quizzes sub-category, since instructors simply type desired %ge there.
(Neil, please try that too! And I will test tomorrow myself.)
b) mmm, I think almost, as long as you adjust the the category total, do not use extra credits or aggregate only non-empty grades, or have non-empty grades for some students... ( I rather double-check tomorrow %))
They are not! (I got confused, since this is what one of my faculty just did)Yes, in this situation changing the Max Grade in the quiz interface should work like a charm with even SUM for Quizzes sub-category, since instructors simply type desired %ge there.
(Neil, please try that too! And I will test tomorrow myself.)
b) mmm, I think almost, as long as you adjust the the category total, do not use extra credits or aggregate only non-empty grades, or have non-empty grades for some students... ( I rather double-check tomorrow %))
V odpovědi na Elena Ivanova
Re: Problem with setting up weights inside categories
autor Neil Lindholm -
Thanks for all your help. I realise now I am quite slow today for a Math teacher and yes, your weights did indeed add up to 100. Sigh. Good to know about the percentage or actual numbers. I added percentage and it seems to work fine. I think I have it all figured out now.
Again, thank you for your great help.
Again, thank you for your great help.